Wallpaper

Wallpaper and backdrop settings live in ~/.config/glimpse/config.toml.

Image Wallpaper

Use an absolute path for the image you want on the desktop:

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

[backdrop]
enabled = true
blur_radius = 24

color is the fallback behind the image. Keep it close to the wallpaper's dominant tone so startup, loading failures, and transparent edges still look intentional.

Solid Color

Leave path out when you want a plain background:

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

[backdrop]
enabled = false

This is useful for minimal setups or screenshots where the panel should be the focus.

Fit

Mode	Result
cover	Fills the screen and crops edges when needed. Best default for screenshots.
contain	Shows the whole image and leaves empty space if the aspect ratio differs.
fill	Stretches the image to the screen. Use only when distortion is acceptable.

Backdrop

The backdrop is a softer image layer used behind translucent surfaces. By default it is enabled and uses the wallpaper image.

Use a separate backdrop image when the wallpaper is too busy behind panels or popovers:

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

Set enabled = false if you want no backdrop layer.

What Wins

Explicit config paths win over theme-pack images.

Surface	Source order
Wallpaper	[wallpaper].path, then the active theme pack's wallpaper image, then color
Backdrop	[backdrop].path, then the active theme pack's backdrop image, then the resolved wallpaper image

Theme-pack images can provide light and dark variants. The current theme_mode decides which variant is used. See Theming for theme-pack filenames.

Reloading

Glimpse watches the config and the currently used image files. Changing config.toml or replacing the current image updates the background without a restart.

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

Practical Tips

Goal	Tip
Clean screenshot	Use cover, a high-resolution image, and a dark fallback color.
Calm popovers	Keep backdrop enabled and use blur_radius = 24 or higher.
Faster iteration	Replace the image at the same path instead of renaming files every time.
Multi-monitor	Choose images that still look good when cropped differently per output.

See Also

Document	Purpose
Lock Screen	Use the same wallpaper or a separate lock background.
Theming	Theme-pack image names and light/dark variants.