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Don Williams edited this page Feb 14, 2026 · 16 revisions

👋 Welcome to my KooL's Dots FAQ, Tips and Tricks

Tip

Before changing any files or configuration, it is advisable to create a back-up. So you can easily revert back to original settings if things goes sideways.

  • i.e. cp fileName.conf fileName.bak

⌨️ KEYBINDS

😕 Hey Ja, Im confused, where to put settings since you have lots of source files in hyprland.conf

  • Well as a start, if I put all the contents in one file, you will end up probably more than thousands of lines making it difficult to find which is which
  • To make it simplier, I broke down the variables, settings, decorations, animations, etc into different files making it easier to file
  • Oh to know which is which, I added some notes on hyprland.conf. But the file name should give you already a hint which is for.
  • For example, WindowRules.conf is for Window Rules ; UserAnimations.conf is for Animations. Keyword is there
  • but, if you are still confused, you can just add last line in ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf since hyprland is smart enough to load that especially if positioned last

🙋 How to uninstall KooL Dots?

🎗️ KooL Hyprland configurations

  • Hyprland configuration files are in ~/.config/hypr/ in. Can view using SUPER SHIFT E (by default, will be opened with nano. You can edit default editor by editing ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/01-UserDefaults.conf
  • In General, customize your own dots in ~/.config/hypr/
  • files located in this directory can be edited using editor of your choice.

🖥️ Will it work on a VM, VMware, Virtualbox or any virtualization?

  • It's Hit and Miss. However, if you decided to try, make sure you have 3D Acceleration enabled
  • NOTE!!! VMware and Virtualbox have poor 3D acceleration support.
  • If you want to try in a VM, recommend it to try using QEMU with Libvirt.
  • Here are the list of libvirt clients which manages QEMU virtualization Arch Wiki link

⌨️ Keyboard passthrough for VM

  • kb_passthrough is disabled by default. To re-enable, edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/UserKeybinds.conf At the bottom you will see the Keyboard passthrough

🔒 hypridle and hyprlock

  • All configs are in ~/.config/hypr/. hypridle.conf and hyprlock.conf . Edit as you see fit for your needs

⌛ Automatic Screenlock

  • By default, it is configured that screen will lock in 10 mins.
  • To change this settings, edit ~/.config/hypr/hypridle.conf
  • If you don't want automatic screen locking,
  • Edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/Startup_Apps.conf
  • Comment out or delete line 38 exec-once = hypridle -q
  • Alternatively, activate the idle_inbitor on your waybar. Thats the

🐢 delayed launching of hyprlock (screen lock)

  • configuration of hyprlock is in ~/.config/hypr/hyprlock.conf
  • hyprlock link

♨️ Don't like Rainbow borders?

  • KooL's Dots v2.3.4, rainbow colors will only be on active or focused window. If you wanted rainbow colors in all window as before, edit ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RainbowBorders.sh
  • Simplest way is to delete ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RainbowBorders.sh or rename to ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RainbowBorders.bak.sh. Then edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/Startup_Apps.conf. Comment (add #) or remove the line exec-once = $UserScripts/RainbowBorders.sh.
  • if you want to restore rainbow borders function, rename ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RainbowBorders.bak.sh to ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RainbowBorders.sh . Press SUPER ALT R to refresh and to take effect.

🕷 Hyprland Animations

  • starting Hyprland Dots v2.3.10, animation menu is introduced. SUPER SHIFT A to launch the menu
  • You can add your own animations in ~/.config/hypr/animations/ & Choose via SUPER SHIFT A
  • You also edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/UserAnimations.conf or SUPER SHIFT E Animations. After you edit, you can copy in ~/.config/hypr/animations/ so you can load later on again if desired.

💅 Change or adjust cursors

  • starting Hyprland-Dots v2.3.8, by default, if you opt for GTK theme, it will also default to Bibata Ice Cursor with hyprcursors.
  • to change the cursor, download and extract a cursor to ~/.icons , set the cursor using nwg-look . If you have hyprcursor as well, edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/ENVariables.conf, env = HYPRCURSOR_THEME,Bibata-Modern-Ice and env = HYPRCURSOR_SIZE,24
  • see THIS LINK to Hyprland wiki regarding hyprcursor

♨️ Adjusting fonts sizes and font scaling including waybar fonts and kitty (terminal)

  • nwg-look is a very good app. Use it to adjust your own preference.
  • for qt-apps, use qt5ct and/or qt6ct and Kvantum
  • HiDPI users, I suggest you do the following to have a better appearance.

  • adjust scaling according to your taste by editing ~/.config/hypr/monitors.conf or use nwg-displays

  • adjust font size using nwg-look (GTK Settings)

  • You can tweak the fonts scaling in Font tab in nwg-look

  • Lastly, if desired, adjust waybar fonts sizes in ~/.config/waybar/styles/ . NOT the styles.css since that is only a symlink to the styles in waybar styles directory

  • to adjust Kitty fonts, edit ~/.config/kitty/kitty.conf.

♨️ Keyboard shortcuts or customized Keybinds are broken!

  • copy over your previous Keybinds.conf from the hypr-backups in ~/.config/hypr/Userconfigs/UserKeybinds.conf

❔ Some packages are opening on a specific workspaces

  • By default, some apps like discord, start and open on workspace 7. etc. You can change this behaviour by editing ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/WindowRules.conf You will find a lines with # windowrule move to workspace and # windowrule move to workspace (silent) . Edit as per your preference
  • or SUPER SHIFT E choose window rules

©️ Force starting of xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland

  • By default, it should be automatically started when needed.
  • You can force start when starting your system
  • SUPER SHIFT E choose edit startup_apps
  • uncomment the last part of that file (remove #) exec-once = $scriptsDir/PortalHyprland.sh

♨️ Don't like pokemon-colorscripts?

  • you can uninstall it. For arch - sudo pacman -Rns pokemon-colorscripts-git & edit ~/.zshrc
  • other distro. Navigate to your downloaded -Hyprland directory. look for pokemon-colorscripts. cd into it. chmod +x uninstall.sh , then ./uninstall.sh
  • or if you just want to disable it, edit your ~/.zshrc . Comment out (#) the pokemon part.

♨️ Don't like nano or kitty for Quick Editor or SUPER SHIFT E? (Kool Hyprland Settings)

  • Set your default EDITOR
  • edit ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/01-UserDefaults.conf edit the line env = EDITOR, vim replace the vim with what you text editor you wanted
  • above sample is making vim as default editor

💻 Laptops, when lids closed, after a settings or automatic wallpaper change, the laptop display wake's up or is re-enabled.

  • Currently in v2.1.18 it's optional.
  • See notes on Laptops.conf and LaptopDisplay.conf in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/ )
  • The reason being optional is that there is a CON for doing this.
  • See NOTES in Laptops.conf for more information.
  • One solution if you have an external monitor, mirror your laptop display to the external terminal :)

📽️ Screen Recording like OBS

  • Install pipewire and OBS
  • If OBS screenshare still does not work, you could try forcing to start the xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland.
  • Edit (xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland) in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/Startup_Apps.conf
  • Remove # before exec-once=$scriptsDir/PortalHyprland.sh . Logout and relogin

⌨️ Added keybinds but does not work

  • Make sure that it does not conflict with other pre-defined keybinds in ~/.config/hypr/configs/Keybinds.conf.
  • If you think that I should change the pre-defined Keybinds due to conflict with i.e Global Shortcuts, let me know through github or on my Discord Server. Make sure to present a valid argument
  • dd your own keybinds in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/UserKeybinds.conf

🎼 Cava and Waybar Cava does not work

  • Unmute the mic
  • For Arch Linux and Arch Linux based distros, try switching over to cava-git

⌨️ Keyboard layout unset error

  • This happens because when asked about your keyboard layout during copy / installation, you just answered y even detected layout is (unset)
  • edit kb_layout in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/UserSettings.conf line 96.
  • Type in your proper kb_layout. i.e. us . Use command localectl list-keymaps.
  • More info from here Arch Linux Wiki Keyboard Configuration

⌨️ Keyboard layout switch.

  • pls see this PR Pull Request #292
  • a note from author ["If the layout in the waybar does not match the current keyboard layout, run: echo "us" > ~./.cache/kb_layout instead of "us", put the identifier of the current keyboard layout, for example "ru" or "en" or "ua", etc."]

⌨ Keyboard switching issue for multiple keyboard layouts

  • This POST maybe a fix

☀️ Cant control brightness of monitor on laptop

💌 Kwallet related

  • If you install alongside Plasma, you might get an issue with packages that uses kwallet
  • From a BLOG POST by geoffcorey is a nice how to fix that issue

💻 Monitor, executables, keybindings, window rules,

  • files are located in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs . View with SUPER SHIFT E
  • Keybindings file is located here ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/UserKeybinds.conf & ~/.config/hypr/configs/Keybinds.conf

🎗️ clipboard manager (cliphist)

  • Super Alt V launch the rofi menu of clipboard manager

  • click to select the clipboard. And paste as normal (CTRL V or right click menu)

  • some additional actions at the clipboard manager entry (CTRL del or ALT del)

🎗️ Multimedia Keys

🎗️ ROFI BEATS & ROFI EMOTICONS

  • ROFI BEATS or ONLINE Music ( SUPER SHIFT M) (note: you may need to install yt-dlp or youtube-dl). You can edit the links of your choice. Script is located in ~/.config/hypr/UserScripts/RofiBeats.sh .
  • EMOTICONS (SUPER ALT E) - useful for chats or messages ). Click to copy and CTRL V to paste

💡 Reducing cpu usages / Battery saving

  • Hyprland has a nice animation but it cost cpu and gpu usages including ram usages.
  • On this dots, you can disable the borderangle animation in Hyprland settings under animations.
  • You can also disable blur, reduce the shadow etc
  • You can also refer to Hyprland Wiki

NVIDIA

🧲 notes for nvidia gpu users

  • Do note that you need to enable or disable some items in ENVariables.conf file located in ~/.config/hypr/UserConfigs/ENVariables.conf
  • a guide on wiki - https://wiki.hyprland.org/Nvidia/

🫥 Improving performance for Older Nvidia Cards using driver 470

🔣 How to add additional keyboard layout / language

  • super shit e - User Settings
  • kb_layout = us, jp (This is example for adding us and japan kb layout).
  • Of course you also need to make sure additionalo locale is enabled, etc. Its not like a magically just add japan layout

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