LizardByte · ReenigneArcher · Feb 3, 2026 · May 4, 2024 · May 5, 2024 · Nov 12, 2025
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-freebsd.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-freebsd.yml
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ jobs:
               graphics/wayland \
               lang/python312 \
               multimedia/libva \
+              multimedia/pipewire \
               net/miniupnpc \
               ports-mgmt/pkg \
               security/openssl \
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ jobs:
             -DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/local/bin/sunshine \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_CUDA=OFF \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=OFF \
+            -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_NAME="${GITHUB_REPOSITORY_OWNER}" \

diff --git a/cmake/FindSystemd.cmake b/cmake/FindSystemd.cmake
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ IF (NOT WIN32)
             OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
             OUTPUT_VARIABLE SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR)
 
+        execute_process(COMMAND ${PKG_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}
+            --variable=systemd_user_preset_dir systemd
+            OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+            OUTPUT_VARIABLE SYSTEMD_USER_PRESET_INSTALL_DIR)
+
         execute_process(COMMAND ${PKG_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}
             --variable=systemd_system_unit_dir systemd
             OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
@@ -29,7 +34,12 @@ IF (NOT WIN32)
             OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
             OUTPUT_VARIABLE SYSTEMD_MODULES_LOAD_DIR)
 
-        mark_as_advanced(SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR SYSTEMD_MODULES_LOAD_DIR)
+        mark_as_advanced(
+                SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR
+                SYSTEMD_USER_PRESET_INSTALL_DIR
+                SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR
+                SYSTEMD_MODULES_LOAD_DIR
+        )
 
     endif ()
 

diff --git a/cmake/compile_definitions/linux.cmake b/cmake/compile_definitions/linux.cmake
@@ -168,12 +168,29 @@ if(X11_FOUND)
             "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/platform/linux/x11grab.cpp")
 endif()
 
+# XDG portal
+if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL})
+    pkg_check_modules(GIO gio-2.0 gio-unix-2.0 REQUIRED)
+    pkg_check_modules(PIPEWIRE libpipewire-0.3 REQUIRED)
+else()
+    set(GIO_FOUND OFF)
+    set(PIPEWIRE_FOUND OFF)
+endif()
+if(PIPEWIRE_FOUND)
+    add_compile_definitions(SUNSHINE_BUILD_PORTAL)
+    include_directories(SYSTEM ${GIO_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${PIPEWIRE_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    list(APPEND PLATFORM_LIBRARIES ${GIO_LIBRARIES} ${PIPEWIRE_LIBRARIES})
+    list(APPEND PLATFORM_TARGET_FILES
+            "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/platform/linux/portalgrab.cpp")
+endif()
+
 if(NOT ${CUDA_FOUND}
         AND NOT ${WAYLAND_FOUND}
         AND NOT ${X11_FOUND}
+        AND NOT ${PIPEWIRE_FOUND}
         AND NOT (${LIBDRM_FOUND} AND ${LIBCAP_FOUND})
         AND NOT ${LIBVA_FOUND})
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find either cuda, wayland, x11, (libdrm and libcap), or libva")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find either cuda, libva, pipewire, wayland, x11, or (libdrm and libcap)")
 endif()
 
 # tray icon

diff --git a/cmake/packaging/linux.cmake b/cmake/packaging/linux.cmake
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ if(${SUNSHINE_BUILD_APPIMAGE} OR ${SUNSHINE_BUILD_FLATPAK})
             DESTINATION "${SUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR}/modules-load.d")
     install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/sunshine.service"
             DESTINATION "${SUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR}/systemd/user")
+    install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/sunshine-kms.service"
+            DESTINATION "${SUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR}/systemd/user")
+    install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/00-sunshine-kms.preset"
+            DESTINATION "${SUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR}/systemd/user-preset")
 else()
     find_package(Systemd)
     find_package(Udev)
@@ -29,6 +33,10 @@ else()
     if(SYSTEMD_FOUND)
         install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/sunshine.service"
                 DESTINATION "${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR}")
+        install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/sunshine-kms.service"
+                DESTINATION "${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR}")
+        install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/00-sunshine-kms.preset"
+                DESTINATION "${SYSTEMD_USER_PRESET_INSTALL_DIR}")
         install(FILES "${SUNSHINE_SOURCE_ASSETS_DIR}/linux/misc/60-sunshine.conf"
                 DESTINATION "${SYSTEMD_MODULES_LOAD_DIR}")
     endif()
@@ -105,10 +113,11 @@ list(APPEND CPACK_FREEBSD_PACKAGE_DEPS
         audio/opus
         ftp/curl
         devel/libevdev
+        multimedia/pipewire
         net/avahi
-        x11/libX11
         net/miniupnpc
         security/openssl
+        x11/libX11
 )
 
 if(NOT BOOST_USE_STATIC)

diff --git a/cmake/prep/options.cmake b/cmake/prep/options.cmake
@@ -64,4 +64,6 @@ elseif(UNIX)  # Linux
             "Enable building wayland specific code." ON)
     option(SUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11
             "Enable X11 grab if available." ON)
+    option(SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL
+            "Enable XDG portal grab if available" ON)
 endif()
diff --git a/cmake/prep/special_package_configuration.cmake b/cmake/prep/special_package_configuration.cmake
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ elseif(UNIX)
 
     # configure service
     configure_file(packaging/linux/sunshine.service.in sunshine.service @ONLY)
+    configure_file(packaging/linux/sunshine-kms.service.in sunshine-kms.service @ONLY)
+    configure_file(packaging/linux/00-sunshine-kms.preset.in 00-sunshine-kms.preset @ONLY)
 
     # configure the arch linux pkgbuild
     if(${SUNSHINE_CONFIGURE_PKGBUILD})

diff --git a/docs/getting_started.md b/docs/getting_started.md
@@ -274,16 +274,11 @@ flatpak install --user ./sunshine_{arch}.flatpak
 flatpak run --command=additional-install.sh dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine
 ```
 
-##### Run with NVFBC capture (X11 Only)
+##### Run with NVFBC capture (X11 Only) or XDG Portal (Wayland Only)
 ```bash
 flatpak run dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine
 ```
 
-##### Run with KMS capture (Wayland & X11)
-```bash
-sudo -i PULSE_SERVER=unix:/run/user/$(id -u $whoami)/pulse/native flatpak run dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine
-```
-
 ##### Uninstall
 ```bash
 flatpak run --command=remove-additional-install.sh dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine
@@ -405,37 +400,21 @@ After adding yourself to the group, log out and log back in for the changes to t
 
 ### Linux
 
-#### KMS Capture
-
-> [!WARNING]
-> Capture of most Wayland-based desktop environments will fail unless this step is performed.
+#### Services
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> `cap_sys_admin` may as well be root, except you don't need to be root to run the program. This is necessary to
-> allow Sunshine to use KMS capture.
-
-##### Enable
-```bash
-sudo setcap cap_sys_admin+p $(readlink -f $(which sunshine))
-```
-
-#### X11 Capture
-For X11 capture to work, you may need to disable the capabilities that were set for KMS capture.
-
-```bash
-sudo setcap -r $(readlink -f $(which sunshine))
-```
-
-#### Service
+> Two service unit files are available. Pick "sunshine" for unprivileged XDG Portal or X11 capture, otherwise
+> pick "sunshine-kms" for privileged KMS capture.
 
 **Start once**
 ```bash
 systemctl --user start sunshine
 ```
 
-**Start on boot**
+**Start on boot (unprivileged; swap logic for KMS)**
 ```bash
-systemctl --user enable sunshine
+systemctl --user --now disable sunshine-kms
+systemctl --user --now enable sunshine
 ```
 
 ### macOS

diff --git a/docs/troubleshooting.md b/docs/troubleshooting.md
@@ -160,16 +160,18 @@ sudo usermod -aG input $USER
 ```
 
 ### KMS Streaming fails
-If screencasting fails with KMS, you may need to run the following to force unprivileged screencasting.
+If screencasting fails with KMS, you may be using the unprivileged sunshine service unit. Switch to the privileged
+sunshine-kms service:
 
 ```bash
-sudo setcap -r $(readlink -f $(which sunshine))
+systemctl --user --now disable sunshine
+systemctl --user --now enable sunshine-kms
 ```
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> The above command will not work with the AppImage or Flatpak packages. Please refer to the
-> [AppImage setup](md_docs_2getting__started.html#appimage) or
-> [Flatpak setup](md_docs_2getting__started.html#flatpak) for more specific instructions.
+> The above commands will not work with the AppImage or Flatpak packages, as KMS screencasting
+> requires elevated privileges which are not allowed by their respective packaging security policies.
+> As an alternative, XDG Portal capture is recommended.
 
 ### KMS streaming fails on Nvidia GPUs
 If KMS screen capture results in a black screen being streamed, you may need to

diff --git a/packaging/linux/00-sunshine-kms.preset.in b/packaging/linux/00-sunshine-kms.preset.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# @PROJECT_DESCRIPTION@
+# KMS service should preset to disabled
+
+disable sunshine-kms.service
diff --git a/packaging/linux/Arch/PKGBUILD b/packaging/linux/Arch/PKGBUILD
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ depends=(
   'libevdev'
   'libmfx'
   'libnotify'
+  'libpipewire'
   'libpulse'
   'libva'
   'libx11'

diff --git a/packaging/linux/copr/Sunshine.spec b/packaging/linux/copr/Sunshine.spec
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ BuildRequires: libXinerama-devel
 BuildRequires: libXrandr-devel
 BuildRequires: libXtst-devel
 BuildRequires: openssl-devel
+BuildRequires: pipewire-devel
 BuildRequires: rpm-build
 BuildRequires: systemd-rpm-macros
 BuildRequires: wget
@@ -194,9 +195,10 @@ cmake_args=(
   "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%{_prefix}"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR=%{_datadir}/sunshine"
   "-DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=%{_bindir}/sunshine"
+  "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
+  "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON"
-  "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_NAME=LizardByte"
   "-DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_WEBSITE=https://app.lizardbyte.dev"
   "-DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_ISSUE_URL=https://app.lizardbyte.dev/support"
@@ -366,8 +368,10 @@ fi
 %caps(cap_sys_admin+p) %{_bindir}/sunshine
 %caps(cap_sys_admin+p) %{_bindir}/sunshine-*
 
-# Systemd unit file for user services
+# Systemd unit/preset files for user services
 %{_userunitdir}/sunshine.service
+%{_userunitdir}/sunshine-kms.service
+%{_userpresetdir}/00-sunshine-kms.preset
 
 # Udev rules
 %{_udevrulesdir}/*-sunshine.rules

diff --git a/packaging/linux/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.metainfo.xml b/packaging/linux/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.metainfo.xml
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@
       <code>flatpak run --command=additional-install.sh @PROJECT_FQDN@</code>
     </p>
     <p>NOTE: Sunshine uses a self-signed certificate. The web browser will report it as not secure, but it is safe.</p>
-    <p>NOTE: KMS Grab (Flatpak)</p>
-    <p>
-      <code>sudo -i PULSE_SERVER=unix:/run/user/$(id -u $whoami)/pulse/native flatpak run @PROJECT_FQDN@</code>
-    </p>
   </description>
 
   <releases>

diff --git a/packaging/linux/flatpak/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.yml b/packaging/linux/flatpak/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.yml
@@ -69,10 +69,11 @@ modules:
       - -DSUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR=share/sunshine
       - -DSUNSHINE_BUILD_FLATPAK=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/app/bin/sunshine
+      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_CUDA=ON
+      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON
+      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON
-      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON
-      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_CUDA=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_NAME='LizardByte'
       - -DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_WEBSITE='https://app.lizardbyte.dev'
       - -DSUNSHINE_PUBLISHER_ISSUE_URL='https://app.lizardbyte.dev/support'

diff --git a/packaging/linux/sunshine-kms.service.in b/packaging/linux/sunshine-kms.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=@PROJECT_DESCRIPTION@
+StartLimitIntervalSec=500
+StartLimitBurst=5
+Conflicts=sunshine.service
+
+[Service]
+# Avoid starting Sunshine before the desktop is fully initialized.
+ExecStartPre=/bin/sleep 5
+@SUNSHINE_SERVICE_START_COMMAND@
+@SUNSHINE_SERVICE_STOP_COMMAND@
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5s
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=xdg-desktop-autostart.target
diff --git a/packaging/linux/sunshine.service.in b/packaging/linux/sunshine.service.in
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Description=@PROJECT_DESCRIPTION@
 StartLimitIntervalSec=500
 StartLimitBurst=5
+Conflicts=sunshine-kms.service
 
 [Service]
 # Avoid starting Sunshine before the desktop is fully initialized.
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ ExecStartPre=/bin/sleep 5
 @SUNSHINE_SERVICE_STOP_COMMAND@
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5s
+NoNewPrivileges=true
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=xdg-desktop-autostart.target
diff --git a/packaging/sunshine.rb b/packaging/sunshine.rb
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ class Sunshine < Formula
     depends_on "mesa"
     depends_on "numactl"
     depends_on "pango"
+    depends_on "pipewire"
     depends_on "pulseaudio"
     depends_on "systemd"
     depends_on "wayland"

diff --git a/scripts/linux_build.sh b/scripts/linux_build.sh
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ function add_debian_based_deps() {
     "libnotify-dev"
     "libnuma-dev"
     "libopus-dev"
+    "libpipewire-0.3-dev"
     "libpulse-dev"
     "libssl-dev"
     "libsystemd-dev"
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ function add_fedora_deps() {
     "numactl-devel"
     "openssl-devel"
     "opus-devel"
+    "pipewire-devel"
     "pulseaudio-libs-devel"
     "rpm-build"  # if you want to build an RPM binary package
     "wget"  # necessary for cuda install with `run` file
@@ -545,9 +547,10 @@ function run_step_cmake() {
     "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR=share/sunshine"
     "-DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/sunshine"
+    "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
+    "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON"
-    "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
   )
 
   if [[ "$appimage_build" == 1 ]]; then

diff --git a/src/platform/linux/kmsgrab.cpp b/src/platform/linux/kmsgrab.cpp
@@ -1660,9 +1660,9 @@ namespace platf {
 
         if (!fb->handles[0]) {
           BOOST_LOG(error) << "Couldn't get handle for DRM Framebuffer ["sv << plane->fb_id << "]: Probably not permitted"sv;
-          BOOST_LOG((window_system != window_system_e::X11 || config::video.capture == "kms") ? fatal : error)
-            << "You must run [sudo setcap cap_sys_admin+p $(readlink -f $(which sunshine))] for KMS display capture to work!\n"sv
-            << "If you installed from AppImage or Flatpak, please refer to the official documentation:\n"sv
+          BOOST_LOG((config::video.capture == "kms") ? fatal : error)
+            << "If you installed from AppImage or Flatpak, KMS capture is not supported.\n"sv
+            << "Please refer to the official documentation:\n"sv
             << "https://docs.lizardbyte.dev/projects/sunshine/latest/md_docs_2getting__started.html#linux"sv;
           break;
         }