How to Change the Boot Splash Screen on Arch Linux

Arch Linux is known for its minimalism, flexibility, and user-centric philosophy. As such, it provides full control over every aspect of the system—including the appearance during boot. One common customization is the boot splash screen, which refers to the visual content displayed when the system boots up. Whether you’re looking for a sleek graphical splash, a cleaner minimalist look, or a fully customized experience, Arch gives you the tools to make it happen.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to change the boot splash screen on Arch Linux. We’ll cover several options including simple console tweaks, graphical splash screen managers like Plymouth, and alternatives like bootsplash or fbsplash.

1. Understanding the Boot Process

When Arch Linux boots, the process generally follows this sequence:

1. UEFI or BIOS initializes the system hardware.
2. Bootloader (e.g., GRUB) starts and hands control to the Linux kernel.
3. Init system (systemd) takes over and starts services.
4. A login prompt or a display manager appears.

The splash screen typically appears after the bootloader stage and before the login manager starts. It masks verbose kernel and systemd output with either a graphical image or animation, enhancing visual appeal or branding.

2. Options for Customizing the Splash Screen

There are three main approaches to customize the boot splash on Arch:

• Text Console Customization: Simple tweaks to improve the appearance of boot messages.
• Graphical Splash Managers: Tools like Plymouth to display images, animations, or branded splash screens.
• Framebuffer Splash Tools: Tools like bootsplash and fbsplash, which can offer splash screens on the Linux framebuffer.

3. Method 1: Customizing the Console Boot Appearance

This method does not involve graphical elements but can provide a cleaner boot by hiding kernel messages or setting a framebuffer resolution.

Step 1: Edit GRUB Configuration

Open /etc/default/grub in your favorite text editor:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Modify or add the following parameters in the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet loglevel=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0"

• quiet: Suppresses most kernel messages.
• loglevel=3: Limits output to critical errors.
• vt.global_cursor_default=0: Hides the blinking cursor.

Step 2: Set Framebuffer Resolution

Still in /etc/default/grub, modify or add:

GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x32
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep

Replace 1024x768x32 with a supported resolution for your hardware.

Step 3: Update GRUB

After making changes:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Reboot to see the effect:

reboot

You’ll now see a cleaner, resolution-adjusted boot console.

4. Method 2: Using Plymouth

Plymouth provides a polished graphical boot splash screen and supports themes and animations.

Step 1: Install Plymouth

sudo pacman -S plymouth

To use a graphical backend, make sure drm (Direct Rendering Manager) modules are available for your GPU. Plymouth has multiple renderers like drm, frame-buffer, etc.

Step 2: Enable Plymouth in the Initramfs

Edit the HOOKS line in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf:

sudo nano /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

Update:

HOOKS=(base udev plymouth autodetect modconf block filesystems keyboard fsck)

Ensure plymouth appears after udev and before filesystems.

Regenerate the initramfs:

sudo mkinitcpio -P

Step 3: Update GRUB Configuration

Add splash to your kernel parameters:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Modify:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash loglevel=3"

Then update GRUB:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Step 4: Select a Plymouth Theme

List available themes:

plymouth-set-default-theme --list

Set a theme (e.g., spinner):

sudo plymouth-set-default-theme -R spinner

The -R flag rebuilds initramfs with the new theme.

Step 5: Reboot

reboot

You should now see the selected Plymouth splash screen.

5. Method 3: Using bootsplash or fbsplash

These are less commonly used today but still relevant in certain minimal or embedded systems.

bootsplash

bootsplash is a kernel-based solution that requires patching and rebuilding the kernel. It’s more complex and not recommended unless you’re building a highly specialized system.

fbsplash

fbsplash (part of the Splashutils suite) is a framebuffer splash tool used in Gentoo systems and can work in Arch, though it’s less maintained.

To use fbsplash:

1. Install the AUR package splashutils.
2. Patch the kernel to support fbsplash.
3. Configure initramfs hooks similar to Plymouth.

Due to its complexity and lack of active development, it’s generally advisable to stick with Plymouth unless you have very specific requirements.

6. Troubleshooting

• Black screen after boot: Ensure your GPU drivers are working and the correct DRM modules are loaded.
• Plymouth not showing up: Double-check initramfs hooks and that splash is in the GRUB kernel parameters.
• Stuck boot or slow startup: Disable Plymouth temporarily by removing splash from GRUB to diagnose.

To disable temporarily at boot:

1. On the GRUB menu, press e to edit the boot entry.
2. Remove splash and boot with Ctrl + X.

7. Conclusion

Customizing the boot splash screen in Arch Linux can dramatically improve the user experience, especially for those building desktops for non-technical users or deploying branded systems. Whether you’re aiming for elegance with Plymouth, simplicity with console tweaks, or something niche like fbsplash, Arch gives you the tools and control to shape every pixel of your system.

By understanding how the boot process works and carefully configuring tools like GRUB, mkinitcpio, and Plymouth, you can achieve a visually appealing boot experience while maintaining the performance and transparency Arch Linux is known for.

Remember, as with any system customization, keep a backup of your configurations and be ready to troubleshoot. With a bit of experimentation, you’ll find the perfect boot splash that suits your system’s style and purpose.