How to Install and Configure Intel Graphics Drivers on Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a powerful and flexible distribution aimed at advanced users who want full control over their system. One essential step in setting up a performant and stable system is ensuring that your graphics drivers are correctly installed and configured. If your system is running on Intel integrated graphics, Arch Linux provides excellent support — but it requires some manual steps to ensure everything works as expected.

This guide will walk you through the installation and configuration of Intel graphics drivers on Arch Linux, covering:

• Checking your hardware
• Installing the correct packages
• Enabling necessary services and kernel modules
• Configuring Xorg (if needed)
• Troubleshooting common issues
• Optional enhancements (e.g., power saving, performance tuning)

Step 1: Identify Your Intel Graphics Hardware

Before installing any drivers, you need to know exactly what Intel graphics hardware your system uses. Open a terminal and run:

lspci | grep -i vga

You should see something like:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation UHD Graphics 620 (rev 07)

Or, for newer hardware:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Iris Xe Graphics (Tiger Lake)

This confirms that your system uses Intel integrated graphics.

Step 2: Update Your System

Ensure your system is fully up-to-date before proceeding:

sudo pacman -Syu

After a full upgrade, it’s a good idea to reboot the system to apply any kernel or graphics stack updates:

sudo reboot

Step 3: Install Intel Graphics Drivers

3.1 Install the Core Driver Packages

Arch Linux uses the xf86-video-intel driver for older Intel GPUs. For newer hardware, the modesetting driver built into Xorg is often recommended instead.

To install the legacy Intel DDX driver:

sudo pacman -S xf86-video-intel

Note: The xf86-video-intel driver is optional. It’s known to cause issues on newer chipsets and is generally discouraged unless you specifically need features like TearFree or have an older CPU (pre-Haswell). For most systems from Haswell onwards (4th gen Intel), modesetting is preferred and requires no additional driver beyond the default xorg-server.

3.2 Install Supporting Packages

These packages are useful for proper rendering and acceleration:

sudo pacman -S mesa libva-intel-driver libva-utils vulkan-intel

Here’s what each does:

• mesa: Provides the OpenGL implementation.
• libva-intel-driver: VA-API video acceleration driver for older GPUs.
• libva-utils: VA-API testing tools (useful for verifying acceleration).
• vulkan-intel: Vulkan support for Intel graphics.

If you’re using newer Intel GPUs (like Gen12 / Xe), consider also installing:

sudo pacman -S intel-media-driver

The intel-media-driver provides enhanced VA-API support for newer Intel hardware and is a modern replacement for libva-intel-driver.

Step 4: Kernel Modules and Configuration

4.1 Ensure the i915 Kernel Module is Loaded

Intel graphics use the i915 kernel module. It should load automatically, but you can confirm it with:

lsmod | grep i915

If it’s not loaded, load it manually:

sudo modprobe i915

To ensure it loads at boot, add it to the module list:

echo "i915" | sudo tee /etc/modules-load.d/i915.conf

Step 5: Xorg Configuration (Optional)

5.1 Using xf86-video-intel

If you installed xf86-video-intel, you can customize its behavior by creating a configuration file:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/

Create a config file:

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf

Paste the following for a basic setup with TearFree enabled (reduces screen tearing):

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
    Driver      "intel"
    Option      "TearFree"    "true"
EndSection

Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).

5.2 Using the Modesetting Driver (Recommended for Newer GPUs)

You don’t need to configure anything manually. Xorg will automatically use the modesetting driver if no explicit configuration is found.

You can verify the active driver with:

grep -i driver /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Or:

inxi -G

It should mention modesetting if that driver is being used.

Step 6: Enable Hardware Acceleration

Verify that VA-API hardware video acceleration is working:

vainfo

You should see a list of supported profiles (e.g., H.264, VP9) with hardware acceleration.

For OpenGL:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

Expected output:

OpenGL renderer string: Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2)

Step 7: Wayland Support

If you’re using a Wayland-based desktop environment like GNOME or KDE Plasma (Wayland session), Intel graphics are supported out of the box using modesetting.

You can verify whether you are on Wayland:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

If it returns wayland, you’re good to go. Wayland users don’t need to install xf86-video-intel, and it’s best to stick with the defaults.

Step 8: Power Management and Tuning

Intel graphics on Linux benefit from a few power-saving options.

8.1 Enable Intel GPU Powersave

To enable Framebuffer Compression (FBC) and Panel Self Refresh (PSR), create:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/i915.conf

Add:

options i915 enable_fbc=1 enable_psr=1

Then regenerate the initramfs:

sudo mkinitcpio -P

8.2 Enable RC6 Power Saving

RC6 allows the GPU to enter lower power states when idle. It is enabled by default on modern kernels. To explicitly enable it:

options i915 enable_rc6=1

Add it to /etc/modprobe.d/i915.conf as well.

Step 9: Troubleshooting

9.1 Black Screen After Login

If you’re using xf86-video-intel and experiencing a black screen after login, try switching to the modesetting driver by removing:

sudo pacman -R xf86-video-intel

Then reboot and test again.

9.2 Screen Tearing

If using modesetting and seeing tearing, consider switching to xf86-video-intel and enabling TearFree, as shown earlier.

9.3 VA-API Not Working

Check which driver VA-API is using:

vainfo | grep driver

If it’s using the wrong one (e.g., iHD instead of i965 or vice versa), set the environment variable:

export LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=i965  # or iHD

You can add this line to your shell config or to a system-wide file like /etc/environment.

Step 10: Optional Tools

Here are some optional tools that can help manage and monitor your Intel GPU:

• intel-gpu-tools: Diagnostic tools and performance tracing.

  sudo pacman -S intel-gpu-tools
  

• intel-graphics-compiler: Required for certain Vulkan/Compute workloads.

  sudo pacman -S intel-graphics-compiler
  

Conclusion

Intel graphics on Arch Linux are generally well-supported thanks to the open-source i915 kernel driver, Mesa stack, and VA-API components. For most users, the modesetting driver is the best choice and requires minimal configuration. However, users with specific needs (like TearFree or legacy hardware) may benefit from the xf86-video-intel driver.

Here’s a quick summary:

Whether you’re gaming, working, or just watching videos, properly configured Intel graphics ensure smooth performance and power efficiency on Arch Linux. Always refer to the Arch Wiki Intel Graphics page for the most up-to-date advice and troubleshooting.