--- name: "wayvnc" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "wayvnc" version: "0.10.2-1" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/wayvnc" --- # wayvnc(1) A VNC server for wlroots-based Wayland compositors. ## NAME wayvnc - A VNC server for wlroots-based Wayland compositors. ## SYNOPSIS **wayvnc** \[options\] \[address...\] ## OPTIONS - **-a, --desktop** Capture all outputs. - **-C, --config=\** Select a config file. - **-d, --disable-input** Disable all remote input. This allows using wayvnc without compositor support of virtual mouse / keyboard protocols. - **-D, --detached** Start detached from a compositor. Run **wayvncctl attach** to attach to a compositor. - **-f, --max-fps=\** Set the rate limit (default 30). - **-F, --log-filter=\** Set a log filter. - **-g, --gpu** Enable features that require GPU. - **-h, --help** Get help. - **-k, --keyboard=\\[-variant\]** Select keyboard layout. The variant can be appended if needed. - **-L, --log-level** Set log level. The levels are: error, warning, info, debug, trace and quiet. - **-n, --name=\** Set the desktop name. Default: WayVNC - **-o, --output=\** Select output to capture. - **-p, --show-performance** Show performance counters. - **-r, --render-cursor** Enable overlay cursor rendering. - **-R, --disable-resizing** Disable automatic desktop resizing. - **-s, --seat=\** Select seat by name. - **-t, --transient-seat** Create a transient seat for each client session. - **-T, --toplevel=\** Capture a toplevel. - **-S, --socket=\** Set wayvnc control socket path. Default: $XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR/wayvncctl or /tmp/wayvncctl-$UID - **-v, --verbose** Be more verbose. Same as setting \`--log-level=info\`. - **-V, --version** Show version info. ## ADDRESSES Multiple listening addresses can be specified by appending them to the argument list. For a regular network address, a port number may be set by appending it to the address with **:** as a separator; e.g.: **localhost:5901**. IPv6 addresses must be wrapped in square brackets if a port is specified; e.g. **\[::\]:5901**. Different socket types may be specified by prefixing the address with the given type name with a **:** in between; e.g. **unix:/tmp/wayvnc.sock**. The socket types are: tcp, unix, fd, ws, ws-unix and ws-fd. With the **fd** type, you can pass an already bound socket for the VNC server to listen on. The file descriptor is a numeric value inherited from wayvnc's parent process. Example: **fd:42**. The **ws** family of prefixes encapsulates all communication over the given socket using WebSocket framing. Example: **ws:0.0.0.0**. ## DESCRIPTION This is a VNC server for wlroots-based Wayland compositors. It attaches to a running Wayland session, creates virtual input devices and exposes a single display via the RFB protocol. The Wayland session may be a headless one, so it is also possible to run wayvnc without a physical display attached. ### MULTIPLE OUTPUTS If the Wayland session consists of multiple outputs, only one will be captured. By default this will be the first one, but can be specified by the *-o* command line argument. The argument accepts the short name such as *eDP-1* or *DP-4*. Running wayvnc in verbose mode (*-v*) will display the names of all outputs on startup, or you can query them at runtime via the **wayvncctl output-list** command. You can also change which output is being captured on the fly via the **wayvncctl** **output-set** command. ## CONFIGURATION wayvnc searches for a config file in the location \~/$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/wayvnc/config or if $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME is not set \~/.config/wayvnc/config ### SYNTAX The configuration file is composed of key-value pairs separated with an **equal** sign. Whitespace around either the key or the value is insignificant and is not considered to be part of the key or the value. ### KEYWORDS **address** The address to which the server shall bind, e.g. 0.0.0.0 or localhost. **certificate\_file** The path to the certificate file for encryption. Only applicable when **enable\_auth**=true. **enable\_auth** Enable authentication and encryption. Setting this value to **true** requires also setting **certificate\_file**, **private\_key\_file** and **password**. The **username** is optional and defaults to an empty string if not set. **enable\_pam** Use PAM for authentication. When enabled, PAM overrides **username** and **password** settings. Some authentication methods such as DES do not work with PAM. **password** Choose a password for authentication. Required when **enable\_auth** is set and **enable\_pam** is not used. **port** The port to which the server shall bind. Default is 5900. **private\_key\_file** The path to the private key file for TLS encryption. Only applicable when **enable\_auth**=true. **relax\_encryption** Don't require encryption after the user has been authenticated. This enables some security types such as Apple Diffie-Hellman. **rsa\_private\_key\_file** The path to the private key file for RSA-AES encryption. Only applicable when **enable\_auth**=true. **username** Choose a username for authentication. If not set, defaults to an empty username. **allow\_broken\_crypto** Allow the use of insecure cryptographic methods such as DES authentication. When enabled, legacy VNC clients that do not support modern security types can authenticate using the **password** field. Use only for legacy client compatibility on a trusted network. **use\_relative\_paths** Make file paths relative to the location of the config file. **xkb\_layout** The keyboard layout to use for key code lookup. Default: *XKB\_DEFAULT\_LAYOUT* or system default. **xkb\_model** The keyboard model by which to interpret keycodes and LEDs. Default: "pc105" **xkb\_options** A comma-separated list of options, through which the user specifies non-layout related preferences such as which key is the Compose key. Default: *XKB\_DEFAULT\_OPTIONS* or system default. **xkb\_rules** The rules file describes how to interpret the values of the model, layout, variant and options fields. Default: *XKB\_DEFAULT\_RULES* or system default. **xkb\_variant** The keyboard variant to use for keycode lookup. Default: *XKB\_DEFAULT\_VARIANT* or system default. ### EXAMPLE ``` use_relative_paths=true address=0.0.0.0 enable_auth=true username=luser password=p455w0rd rsa_private_key_file=rsa_key.pem private_key_file=tls_key.pem certificate_file=tls_cert.pem ``` ## WAYVNCCTL CONTROL SOCKET To facilitate runtime interaction and control, wayvnc opens a unix domain socket at **$XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR**/wayvncctl (or a fallback of /tmp/wayvncctl-**$UID**). A client can connect and exchange JSON-formatted IPC messages to query and control the running wayvnc instance. ### IPC COMMANDS *HELP* The **help** command, when issued without any parameters, lists the names of all available commands. If an optional **command** parameter refers to one of those commands by name, the response data will be a detailed description of that command and its parameters. *EVENT-RECEIVE* The **event-receive** command registers for asynchronous server events. See the *EVENTS* section below for details on the event message format, and the *IPC* *EVENTS* section below for a description of all possible server events. Event registration registers for all available server events and is scoped to the current connection only. If a client disconnects and reconnects, it must re-register for events. *CLIENT-LIST* The **client-list** command retrieves a list of all VNC clients currently connected to wayvnc. *CLIENT-DISCONNECT* The **client-disconnect** command disconnects a single VNC client. Parameters: **id** Required: The ID of the client to disconnect. This ID can be found from the *GET-CLIENTS* command or receipt of a *CLIENT-CONNECTED* event. *SET-DESKTOP-NAME* The **set-desktop-name** command changes the desktop name sent to new clients and updates the name for connected clients that support updating the desktop name. Parameters: **desktop-name** Required: The desktop name. *OUTPUT-LIST* The **output-list** command retrieves a list of all outputs known to wayvnc and whether or not each one is currently being captured. *OUTPUT-CYCLE* For multi-output Wayland displays, the **output-cycle** command switches which output is actively captured by wayvnc. Running this once will switch to the next available output. If no more outputs are available, it cycles back to the first again. *OUTPUT-SET* For multi-output Wayland displays, the **output-set** command switches which output is actively captured by wayvnc by name. **output-name=name** Required: The name of the output to capture next. *VERSION* The **version** command queries the running wayvnc instance for its version information. Much like the *-V* option, the response data will contain the version numbers of wayvnc, as well as the versions of the neatvnc and aml components. *WAYVNC-EXIT* The **wayvnc-exit** command disconnects all clients and shuts down wayvnc. ### IPC EVENTS *CAPTURE\_CHANGED* The **capture-changed** event is sent when the currently captured output changes. Parameters: **output=...** The name of the output now being captured. *CLIENT-CONNECTED* The **client-connected** event is sent when a new VNC client connects to wayvnc. Parameters: **id=...** A unique identifier for this client. **connection\_count=...** The total number of connected VNC clients including this one. **address=...** The IP address of this client. May be null. **username=...** The username used to authenticate this client. May be null. *CLIENT-DISCONNECTED* The **client-disconnected** event is sent when a VNC client disconnects from wayvnc. Parameters: **id=...** A unique identifier for this client. **connection\_count=...** The total number of connected VNC clients not including this one. **address=...** The IP address of this client. May be null. **username=...** The username used to authenticate this client. May be null. ### IPC MESSAGE FORMAT The **[wayvncctl(1)](/wayvncctl/1.md)** command line utility will construct properly-formatted json ipc messages, but any client will work. The client initiates the connection and sends one or more request objects, each of which will receive a corresponding response object. **Note**: This message format is unstable and may change substantially over the next few releases. *REQUEST* The general form of a json-ipc request message is: ``` { "method": "command-name", "id": 123, "params": { "key1": "value1", "key2": "value2", } } ``` The **method** is the name of the command to be executed. Use the **help** method to query a list of all valid method names. The **id** field is optional and may be any valid JSON number or string. If provided, the response to this request will contain the identical id value, which the client may use to coordinate multiple requests and responses. The **params** object supplies optional parameters on a per-method basis, and may be omitted if empty. *RESPONSE* ``` { "id": 123, "code": 0, "data": { ... } } ``` If the request had an id, the response will have an identical value for **id**. The numerical **code** provides an indication of how the request was handled. A value of **0** always signifies success. Any other value means failure, and varies depending on the method in question. The **data** object contains method-specific return data. This may be structured data in response to a query, a simple error string in the case of a failed request, or it may be omitted entirely if the error code alone is sufficient. *EVENTS* Events are asynchronous messages sent from a server to all registered clients. The message format is identical to a *REQUEST*, but without an "id" field, and a client must not send a response. Example event message: ``` { "method": "event-name", "params": { "key1": "value1", "key2": "value2", } } ``` In order to receive any events, a client must first register to receive them by sending an *event-receive* request IPC. Once the success response has been sent by the server, the client must expect that asynchronous event messages may be sent by the server at any time, even between a request and the associated response. ## ENVIRONMENT The following environment variables have an effect on wayvnc: *WAYLAND\_DISPLAY* Specifies the name of the Wayland display that the compositor to which wayvnc shall bind is running on. *XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME* Specifies the location of configuration files. *XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR* Specifies the default location for the wayvncctl control socket. ## FAQ **Wayvnc complains that a protocol is not supported** The error might look like this: ``` wl_registry@2: error 0: invalid version for global zxdg_output_manager_v1 (4): have 2, wanted 3 ERROR: ../src/main.c: 388: Screencopy protocol not supported by compositor. Exiting. Refer to FAQ section in man page. ERROR: ../src/main.c: 1024: Failed to initialise wayland ``` This means that your Wayland compositor does not implement the screencopy protocol and wayvnc won't work with it. Screencopy is implemented by wlroots-based compositors such as Sway and Wayfire. **How can I run wayvnc in headless mode/over an SSH session?** Set the environment variables *WLR\_BACKENDS*=headless and *WLR\_LIBINPUT\_NO\_DEVICES*=1 before starting the compositor, then run wayvnc as normal. **How can I pass my mod-key from Sway to the remote desktop session?** Create an almost empty mode in your sway config. Example: ``` mode passthrough { bindsym $mod+Pause mode default } bindsym $mod+Pause mode passthrough ``` This makes it so that when you press $mod+Pause, all keybindings, except the one to switch back, are disabled. **Not all symbols show up when I'm typing. What can I do to fix this?** Try setting the keyboard layout in wayvnc to the one that most closely matches the keyboard layout that you're using on the client side. An exact layout isn't needed, just one that has all the symbols that you use. **How do I enable the Compose key?** Set "xkb\_options=compose:menu" in the config file. Any key that is not otherwise used will work. There just needs to be some key for wayvnc to match against. ## AUTHORS Maintained by Andri Yngvason \. Up-to-date sources can be found at https://github.com/any1/wayvnc and bug reports or patches can be submitted to GitHub's issue tracker. ## SEE ALSO **[wayvncctl(1)](/wayvncctl/1.md)**