---
url: /glimpse/start/install.md
---
# Install glimpse

glimpse needs GTK 4.22 and libadwaita 1.9 or newer. That rules out older distribution releases; the
packages below target the first releases that ship both.

## Install the package

::: code-group

```sh [Arch Linux]
yay -S glimpse-desktop-bin
```

```sh [Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE]
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alex-oleshkevich/glimpse/master/install.sh | bash
```

```nix [NixOS]
{
  inputs.glimpse.url = "github:alex-oleshkevich/glimpse";
  outputs = { nixpkgs, glimpse, ... }: {
    nixosConfigurations.host = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
      modules = [ glimpse.nixosModules.default { services.glimpse.enable = true; } ];
    };
  };
}
```

```sh [From source]
git clone https://github.com/alex-oleshkevich/glimpse
cd glimpse
just build-release-binaries build-translations
sudo GLIMPSE_BINARIES="$(just --evaluate binaries)" scripts/install.sh
```

:::

### Arch Linux

`glimpse-desktop-bin` is in the AUR. Use your AUR helper, or build it with `makepkg`. Some applets
and features need extra packages:

| Install | For |
| --- | --- |
| `networkmanager` | the network applet |
| `bluez` | the Bluetooth applet |
| `upower` | battery level and the charge of connected devices |
| `power-profiles-daemon` | power modes in the battery popover |
| `udisks2` | the removable media applet |
| `cups` | the printing applet |
| `kdeconnect` | the phone applet |
| `ddcutil` | brightness control for external monitors |
| `xdg-desktop-portal` | letting apps hold off the idle timers |
| `xdg-desktop-portal`, a settings backend such as `xdg-desktop-portal-gtk`, and `dconf` | switching the desktop between light and dark mode |

### Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE

The packages target Debian 14 (forky), Ubuntu 26.04, Fedora 44 and openSUSE Tumbleweed. The install
script downloads the latest release as a `.deb` or `.rpm`, checks it against the published checksums
and installs it with your package manager, so it asks for your `sudo` password.

On other distributions the script unpacks the binary tarball into `/` as root, asking for `sudo`.
The `.deb` and `.rpm` packages are the supported route. On Arch Linux it prints the AUR command
without installing; on NixOS it refuses and points you to the flake module.

If you would rather not pipe a script into a shell, download the package for your distribution from
the [releases page](https://github.com/alex-oleshkevich/glimpse/releases) and install it yourself.

### NixOS

Add the flake input and enable the module as shown above. The module installs the package, its
systemd units and D-Bus services, the PAM entry for the lock screen, and a GeoClue policy for the
night light and weather. Rebuild with `nixos-rebuild switch`. The module does not enable
`glimpse-session.target`, so start the target from your compositor's startup commands as described
below instead of enabling it.

### From source

You need Rust 1.95 or newer, [`just`](https://github.com/casey/just), `blueprint-compiler`, gettext,
clang, ripgrep and python3, plus the development files for GTK4, libadwaita, gtk4-layer-shell, PulseAudio, PipeWire,
PAM and udev. The install copies files under `/usr` and `/etc`, so it needs root.
[Build glimpse from source](/contribute/build) lists the packages for Debian, Ubuntu and Arch and the exact
commands.

## Start the shell

glimpse runs as systemd user services grouped under `glimpse-session.target`, which starts and stops
with `graphical-session.target`.

If your session starts `graphical-session.target`, as a uwsm session does, enable the target once
from a terminal inside your Wayland session. It then starts and stops with every graphical session:

```sh
systemctl --user enable --now glimpse-session.target
```

If your session does not start `graphical-session.target`, or you are on NixOS, start the target
when the compositor starts and stop it when the compositor exits. Otherwise it outlives the
compositor while your user manager runs:

::: code-group

```lua [hyprland.lua]
hl.on("hyprland.start", function()
    hl.exec_cmd("systemctl --user start glimpse-session.target")
end)
hl.on("hyprland.shutdown", function()
    hl.exec_cmd("systemctl --user stop glimpse-session.target")
end)
```

```ini [hyprland.conf]
exec-once = systemctl --user start glimpse-session.target
exec-shutdown = systemctl --user stop glimpse-session.target
```

:::

The panel should appear within a second or two.

## Check the install

```sh
glimpsectl doctor
```

`doctor` checks each part of glimpse and the services it depends on, and tells you what is missing.
It exits with status 1 if anything is wrong.

Continue with [your first session](./first-session).