Remote desktop access should be simple, but if you’re using AnyDesk on Linux, especially under KDE Plasma with a Wayland or X11 session, you may have encountered a frustrating issue: the remote screen displays only partially, and some controls remain misaligned or unreachable.
The Problem
You’re trying to connect to a remote computer using AnyDesk on Linux. Unfortunately, the remote screen only fills a portion of your local display. Controls may appear out of place or inaccessible.
While AnyDesk does provide a Linux version, their support for it is minimal. Reporting bugs often leads nowhere, and you’re essentially on your own.
Why Not Use Alternatives?
Some might suggest using alternatives like RustDesk. While RustDesk is an excellent open-source solution, it requires self-hosting. That’s a big ask when you just want something simple and quick.
The magic of AnyDesk lies in its ease of use:
No server setup
No dedicated IPs
No port forwarding
Just send a link or ID and connect
TeamViewer is another option, but it restricts usage in some locations or networks. So for many users, AnyDesk is still the best balance of convenience and usability.
What’s Causing the Scaling Issue?
The issue typically arises when you’re:
Running a Wayland session (which is becoming default in many Linux distributions)
Using the KDE Plasma desktop (built around Qt), while AnyDesk is built with GTK and recently updated from GTK2 to GTK3
Using X11, where scaling issues still persist with GTK3 apps
A common suggestion is to tweak KDE’s settings for legacy X11 applications—but this often doesn’t work.
The Simple Fix
The fix is straightforward: you need to set an environment variable when launching AnyDesk.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Locate the .desktop file
Use your file manager (I recommend Double Commander, the modern Norton Commander alternative) to find AnyDesk’s desktop file, usually located here:
/usr/share/applications/anydesk.desktop
2. Edit the .desktop file
Open the file in a text editor (with root permissions), and find the line starting with:
Exec=/usr/bin/anydesk
Modify it to include this environment variable before the executable:
Exec=env GDK_BACKEND=x11 /usr/bin/anydesk %u
This ensures AnyDesk starts with proper scaling.
3. Update the desktop database
Run this command as root to update desktop entries:
update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications
Notes for Flatpak and AppImage Users
If you installed AnyDesk via Flatpak, you’re probably already good—the Flatpak maintainer has included the fix.
If you use the AppImage version (like I do), the latest versions also include the scaling variable thanks to a request made to the maintainer.
Wrapping Up
With this simple tweak, you can get proper scaling in AnyDesk under Linux without giving up convenience or switching tools. No more broken interfaces, no more unusable windows.
Happy remoting!