---
title: How to get a smooth, flicker-free boot experience with Ubuntu Frame
description: Canonical makes open source secure, reliable and easy to use, providing
  support for Ubuntu and a portfolio of enterprise-grade technologies. Founded in
  2004, Canonical operates globally with team members in over 80 countries.
url: https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md
---

*Submit*

# How to get a smooth, flicker-free boot experience with Ubuntu Frame

This document walks through the steps needed to achieve a flicker-free, smooth boot experience with Frame on Ubuntu Core.

**Contents:**

* [Enabling the boot splash](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--enabling-boot-splash)
* [Installing Ubuntu Frame](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--installing-ubuntu-frame)
* [Modifying service dependencies and configuration](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--modifying-service-dependencies-configuration)
* [Embedding in an image](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--embedding-in-an-image)
* [Display configuration](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--display-configuration)

---

Version 123-mir2.15.0+dev399:

This is only possible with Ubuntu Frame 123-mir2.15.0+dev399 and later

## [Enabling the boot splash](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--enabling-boot-splash)

This guide assumes that you enable the boot splash in your Ubuntu Core image, so head on to [the relevant documentation](https://ubuntu.com/core/docs/splash-screen) if you didn’t, yet.

## [Installing Ubuntu Frame](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--installing-ubuntu-frame)

If your image doesn’t yet have Ubuntu Frame, you’ll need to install it:

```
$ sudo snap install ubuntu-frame --edge
```

And maybe a client:

```
$ sudo snap install wpe-webkit-mir-kiosk
```

## [Modifying service dependencies and configuration](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--modifying-service-dependencies-configuration)

By default, Plymouth (the daemon responsible for the splash screen) quits at the end of the boot process. We need to prevent that, but make it release the GPU resources so that Frame can take over.

To do this, we’ll add the following changes to the Ubuntu Frame daemon service, either via `sudo systemctl edit snap.ubuntu-frame.daemon.service` or just dropping these lines into the file:

```
# /etc/systemd/system/snap.ubuntu-frame.daemon.service.d/override.conf
[Unit]
Conflicts=plymouth-quit.service
After=plymouth-quit.service
OnFailure=plymouth-quit.service

[Service]
ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/plymouth deactivate
ExecStartPost=/usr/bin/sleep 10
ExecStartPost=-/usr/bin/plymouth quit --retain-splash
```

Another change we want to do is tell Ubuntu Frame to not draw its wallpaper, and run on the first virtual terminal:

```
$ sudo snap set ubuntu-frame config="
wallpaper=false
vt=1
"
```

If you have other configuration, just amend it to include the above values. You can reboot now and see that the first frame drawn is that of the application.

## [Embedding in an image](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--embedding-in-an-image)

Refer to the relevant documentation for how to [configure Frame](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/configuring-ubuntu-frame-through-a-gadget-snap) and then [build images](https://ubuntu.com/core/docs/image-building), but here are the snippets specific to this solution:

* The required configuration in the gadget snap:

  ```
  # gadget.yaml
  defaults:
    BPZbvWzvoMTrpec4goCXlckLe2IhfthK:  # this is ubuntu-frame's `snap-id`
      config: |
        vt=1
        wallpaper=false
  ```
* One way to include the necessary service changes is by [including cloud-init configuration](https://ubuntu.com/core/docs/gadget-snaps#heading--setup) in the gadget snap:

  ```
  # cloud.conf
  #cloud-config
  datasource_list: [NoCloud]

  write_files:
  - path: '/etc/systemd/system/snap.ubuntu-frame.daemon.service.d/override.conf'
    content: |
      [Unit]
      Conflicts=plymouth-quit.service
      After=plymouth-quit.service
      OnFailure=plymouth-quit.service

      [Service]
      ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/plymouth deactivate
      ExecStartPost=/usr/bin/sleep 10
      ExecStartPost=-/usr/bin/plymouth quit --retain-splash
  ```

## [Display configuration](https://canonical-com-2950.demos.haus/mir/docs/how-to-smooth-boot-with-ubuntu-frame?format=md#heading--display-configuration)

If you configure Ubuntu Frame with a non-default display resolution, you’ll see the display re-configure between the splash and Frame. You’ll have to modify the boot loader resolution to avoid that, but that’s out of scope for this document.

---

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Last updated 2 years ago. [Help improve this document in the forum](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/how-to-get-a-smooth-flicker-free-boot-experience-with-ubuntu-frame/39882).