Screen tearing disrupts video playback and gaming on Linux Mint systems running NVIDIA or Intel graphics. This issue results in horizontal lines or visual artifacts, especially during fast motion. Addressing screen tearing involves configuring your graphics drivers and display settings to ensure smoother, uninterrupted visuals. Below are the most effective methods for both NVIDIA and Intel graphics, including permanent solutions and troubleshooting tips.

Configure Xorg for Tear-Free Output (Permanent Solution)

Step 1: Identify your graphics hardware. Open a terminal and run lspci | grep VGA to determine if you are using NVIDIA or Intel graphics. This helps select the correct configuration file in the following steps.

Step 2: Create or edit an Xorg configuration file for your GPU. For Intel, use /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf; for NVIDIA, use /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf. You will need root permissions to modify or create these files. For example, run sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf for Intel GPUs.

Step 3: Add the appropriate configuration to the file. For Intel graphics, insert:


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

For NVIDIA graphics, you may add options such as:


Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Nvidia Card"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    Option      "ForceFullCompositionPipeline" "On"
EndSection

These settings instruct the X server to enable tear-free rendering for your graphics hardware.

Step 4: Save the file and reboot your system to apply the changes. This ensures the new configuration is loaded during system startup.

Caution: Incorrect configuration files can prevent the graphical interface from loading. Always keep a bootable Linux Mint USB stick available. If you cannot access your desktop after making these changes, boot from the USB, mount your system drive, and remove or correct the configuration file.

Enable Tear-Free Output Using Xrandr (Quick User-Level Fix)

Step 1: List your video outputs with xrandr in the terminal. Note the exact name of your active display output, such as HDMI-1 or eDP-1.

Step 2: Create a file named .xprofile in your home directory if it doesn't already exist. Open it with your preferred text editor.

Step 3: Add the following line, replacing HDMI-1 with your output name:


xrandr --output HDMI-1 --set TearFree on

This command enables tear-free rendering for the specified output at login.

Step 4: Save the file and restart your computer. This method applies the fix at the user level each time you log in, but may not persist across all sessions or display managers. For a more permanent solution, use the Xorg configuration method above.

Configure NVIDIA PRIME and Kernel Parameters (Hybrid Graphics)

For laptops or desktops with both Intel and NVIDIA graphics (Optimus/PRIME systems), screen tearing can occur when switching between GPUs. PRIME synchronization addresses this by synchronizing frame output between the two GPUs.

Step 1: Ensure you are running a compatible kernel (4.5 or newer) and X server (1.19 or newer). These versions are required for PRIME synchronization support.

Step 2: Edit the GRUB configuration file as root: sudo nano /etc/default/grub.

Step 3: Find the line starting with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= and add nvidia-drm.modeset=1 to the existing parameters. For example:


GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nvidia-drm.modeset=1"

Step 4: Save and exit the editor. Update GRUB with sudo update-grub, then reboot your system.

Step 5: To verify PRIME synchronization is active, run cat /sys/module/nvidia_drm/parameters/modeset. If the output is Y, PRIME sync is enabled. You can also check xrandr --verbose for PRIME Synchronization: 1 on your display output.

Alternative: If the GRUB method does not work, create a modprobe configuration file such as /etc/modprobe.d/zz-nvidia-modeset.conf and add:


options nvidia_drm modeset=1

Then update your initramfs with sudo update-initramfs -u and reboot.

Set Force Composition Pipeline in NVIDIA Settings (NVIDIA Proprietary Driver)

For users running the proprietary NVIDIA driver, the NVIDIA X Server Settings tool provides an option to force composition pipeline, which eliminates tearing on most setups.

Step 1: Open NVIDIA X Server Settings as root. On Mint, you may need to run sudo nvidia-settings from the terminal.

Step 2: Go to "X Server Display Configuration." Select your display, then check both "Force Composition Pipeline" and "Force Full Composition Pipeline."

Step 3: Click "Apply," then select "Save to X Configuration File" to make the setting persistent across reboots.

Note: On laptops using PRIME, you may encounter an error stating "prime displays cannot be controlled by nvidia-settings." In these cases, use the PRIME synchronization method above.

Update Kernel and Drivers

Outdated kernels or graphics drivers can cause or worsen tearing issues. Upgrading may provide better hardware support and bug fixes.

Step 1: Check your current kernel version with uname -r and your graphics driver version via your package manager or driver management tool.

Step 2: Update to the latest recommended kernel and graphics driver for your Mint version. For NVIDIA users, some have reported improvements with newer drivers (e.g., version 545 or above on Mint 21.3). Use the Driver Manager application or run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade to update system packages.

Step 3: After updating, reboot your system and test for tearing.

Troubleshooting and Additional Tips

  • Always create a system backup or Timeshift snapshot before making major configuration changes.
  • If you lose access to the graphical interface, boot from a live USB and revert recent configuration changes.
  • Adjusting display scaling or switching desktop environments (e.g., from Cinnamon to Xfce) sometimes resolves persistent tearing.
  • For Intel graphics, uninstalling xserver-xorg-video-intel may help, but results vary.
  • Some users report that changing the display manager or window manager (e.g., from Muffin to another) can impact tearing, especially on Intel hardware.

Applying these methods can significantly reduce or eliminate screen tearing in Linux Mint with NVIDIA or Intel drivers. Monitor performance and visual quality after each change, and keep your system updated for ongoing stability.