Wallpaper

Wallpaper sets the desktop background. It can show a solid color, an image, and a blurred backdrop that helps panels and lock screens feel softer.

glimpse-wallpaper reads [wallpaper] and [backdrop] from ~/.config/glimpse/config.toml.

Solid Color

[wallpaper]
color = "#101010"
fit = "cover"
transition_ms = 800

[backdrop]
enabled = true
blur_radius = 24

This is enough for a clean dark background.

Image Wallpaper

[wallpaper]
color = "#101010"
path = "/home/alex/Pictures/wallpapers/coast.jpg"
fit = "cover"
transition_ms = 800

[backdrop]
enabled = true
blur_radius = 24

Supported image formats include common wallpaper formats such as JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIF/HEIC.

Fit Modes

Mode	Result
cover	Fill the screen and crop edges if needed. Best default.
contain	Show the whole image with empty space if aspect ratios differ.
fill	Stretch the image to the screen.

Backdrop

The backdrop is a blurred background layer. It is enabled by default and uses the wallpaper image unless you give it a separate image.

[backdrop]
enabled = true
path = "/home/alex/Pictures/wallpapers/backdrop.jpg"
blur_radius = 24

Use a separate backdrop if you want the lock screen and shell effects to feel calmer than the main wallpaper.

Reloading

Glimpse watches the shared config and image files. When you change the file, the wallpaper updates without restarting the service.

If a new image cannot be loaded, the previous image stays visible when possible. If no image is available, Glimpse falls back to the configured color.

Tips For Pretty Setups

Goal	Tip
Clean screenshot	Use cover, a high-resolution image, and a dark color fallback.
Frosted lock screen	Enable backdrop and set blur_radius = 24 or higher.
Faster startup	Reuse the same wallpaper path instead of constantly renaming files.
Multi-monitor	Use images that still look good when cropped differently per screen.