---
name: "xscreensaver-systemd"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xscreensaver"
version: "6.09+dfsg1-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xscreensaver-systemd"
---

# xscreensaver-systemd(1)

lock the screen upon suspend, and inhibit screen-blanking during video playback.

## NAME

xscreensaver-systemd - lock the screen upon suspend, and inhibit screen-blanking during video playback.

## SYNOPSIS

**xscreensaver-systemd \[--verbose\] \[--version\]**

## DESCRIPTION

The *xscreensaver-systemd* program is a helper daemon launched by [**xscreensaver**(1)](/xscreensaver/1.md) for [**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md) or [**elogind**(8)](/elogind/8.md) integration.  It does two things:

- **\***

  **When the system is about to go to sleep (e.g., the laptop lid has just been** **closed) it locks the screen just** *before* **the system sleeps, by running** *xscreensaver-command --suspend***.  When the system wakes up again, it** **runs** *xscreensaver-command --deactivate* **to make the unlock dialog appear** **immediately.  It does this through the** [**org.freedesktop.login1**(5)](/org.freedesktop.login1/5.md) **D-Bus interface.**

- **\***

  **When another process asks for the screen saver to be inhibited (e.g. because** **a video is playing) this program periodically runs** *xscreensaver-command* *--deactivate* **to keep the display un-blanked.  It does this until that** **other program asks for it to stop, or exits.  It does this through the** **org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver**(5), **org.gnome.SessionManager**(5) **and** **org.kde.Solid.PowerManagement.PolicyAgent**(5) **D-Bus interfaces.**

## BUGS

**Blanking-related problems take two forms: failing to connect to D-Bus; and** **other programs requesting stupid things.**

### D-BUS

**Only one program at a time can register with** [**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md) **or** [**elogind**(8)](/elogind/8.md) **for screen-saver-related events, so if another screen saver is running as a** **part of the desktop environment,** *xscreensaver-systemd* **will be unable** **to launch.  This program has workarounds for Gnome and KDE, but if you are** **using something else, that might be a problem.**

### CHROME & CHROMIUM (101.0)

- **\***

  **Playing only audio in Chrome will prevent your screen from blanking.  Chrome** **sends the exact same "inhibit" reason for audio as for video, so we can't tell** **them apart.**

- **\***

  **Chrome prevents your screen from blanking when playing short, looping videos.** **This means that your screen won't blank when Chrome is showing a Twitter page** **(because those animated GIFs aren't really GIFs, they are MP4s).  This affects** **Tweetdeck as well.**

  **The proper way to fix this would be for Chrome to stop inhibiting once a video** **loops.  That way your multi-hour movie inhibits properly, but your looping GIF** **only inhibits for the first few seconds.**

**Firefox does not have either of these problems.**

### MPLAYER (2:1.4)

**Makes no attempt to inhibit the screen saver.  Use VLC instead.**

### MPV (0.33)

**Makes no attempt to inhibit the screen saver.  Use VLC instead.**

### VARIOUS

**Most programs fail to re-enable screen blanking if they crash or are killed** **while playing.  We try to detect when this has happened, but that might not** **work with all versions of systemd, resulting in screen blanking remaining** **permanently disabled.  If that happens, killing and restarting** *xscreensaver-systemd* **is a workaround.**

## SEE ALSO

**X**(1), [**xscreensaver**(1)](/xscreensaver/1.md), [**xscreensaver-settings**(1)](/xscreensaver-settings/1.md), [**xscreensaver-command**(1)](/xscreensaver-command/1.md), [**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md), [**sd-bus**(3)](/sd-bus/3.md), [**elogind**(8)](/elogind/8.md)

## COPYRIGHT

**Copyright © 2019-2022 by Martin Lucina and Jamie Zawinski.** **Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software** **for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided** **that the above copyright notice and this permission notice appear** **in all copies.**

**The software is provided "as is" and the author disclaims all** **warranties with regard to this software including all implied** **warranties of merchantability and fitness. in no event shall the** **author be liable for any special, direct, indirect, or** **consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss** **of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract,** **negligence or other tortious action, arising out of or in** **connection with the use or performance of this software.**

## AUTHOR

**Martin Lucina \<martin@lucina.net\>, 4-Jun-2019**