Ubuntu 20.04 and 21.04: second cursor stuck on the screen 150% fractional scaling on a 1440p monitor after login (XOrg)

EDIT: example

If "fractional scaling" is set to 150%, then after login there is a second cursor stuck on the screen. Confirmed on both Ubuntu 20.04 and 21.04.

It is possible to fix it by switching back to 100% scaling and then set 150% again (every time you log in). Or, probably, have it as a startup script which I could not figure yet.

Using Wayland is not an option for me because of reasons: lack of support from certain software such as IntelliJ IDEA so everything is blurry there with scaling enabled plus a couple of other issues.

Are there any workarounds for this issue?

Related bug report: (and few others are linked there as well)

One possible workaround is:

• make a file such as ~/Autostart/fractional_scaling.sh and make it executable using chmod a+x ~/Autostart/fractional_scaling.sh

#!/bin/bash
gsettings set org.gnome.mutter experimental-features "['scale-monitor-framebuffer']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface text-scaling-factor 1.5

• go to Startup Application program
• make an entry for ~/Autostart/fractional_scaling.sh there

log out, log in again and there is no stuck cursor anymore. HOWEVER, there is a small problem - not everything scales. For example, the "Do Not Disturb" icon is smaller than expected like it is still 100% and not 150%.

1 Answer

Turned out that GDM was working on Wayland and that was causing troubles with XOrg sessions.

All I needed to do was

• sudo nano /etc/gdm3/custom.conf
• uncomment WaylandEnable=false (remove #)
• sudo service gdm restart

after that, fractional scaling produces no second stuck cursor on the screen.