GRUB_BACKGROUND not displaying on Fedora 44 UEFI

Ask Fedora
1

I cannot get GRUB_BACKGROUND to display a background image at the GRUB menu. The screen always shows the default black background with white text. However, installing a grub2-theme (WhiteSur from vinceliuice/grub2-themes) works perfectly — I can see the themed background, icons, and styled text. So gfxterm and graphics mode are functional.

I only want a custom background image with GRUB’s default text rendering — not a full theme.

2

My /etc/default/grub (when testing GRUB_BACKGROUND, before reverting):

GRUB_TIMEOUT=3
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR="$(sed 's, release .*$,,g' /etc/system-release)"
GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENU=true
#GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT=console
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="resume=UUID=96c77e95-3bc3-487b-a509-ec703a5702cc rhgb quiet"
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"
GRUB_ENABLE_BLSCFG=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT="gfxterm"
GRUB_GFXMODE=1920x1080
GRUB_BACKGROUND="/boot/grub2/backgournd.png"
``` THEN i tried multiple image formats like png and jpg...Then regenerated:

sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg


Output confirms it found the image:

Found background: /boot/grub2/backgrond.png

3

See this.

4

OP seams to use the correct path, however there are other important factors to take care of. Like the resolutions which grub2 supports etc.

Here a some input’s:
GRUB Part 2: Changing the Background | Delightly Linux Will not work on fedora.

5

I did give enough attention at the resolution rate of the image. For example i used magick to have the resolution be like 1920 * 1080

6

Did you also check the grub2 manual what resolutions are supported by grub it selves?

7

I see 1 or 2, maybe 3 instances where the word background is misspelled in this thread. If this is copy/paste then “there’s yer problem”.

8

Not a problem as long as the file is named the same way wrong :slight_smile:

9

You’re definitely right, but I could swear I named the background files consistently. So, I’ll try to be clearer in my next reply.

10

I have read through the related threads and it seems like GRUB_BACKGROUND simply does not work on Fedora Workstation UEFI, or there is a simpler solution that I’m missing. If there isn’t one, I’d like to request this be fixed.

11

I’m using Ubuntu version of Grub-Customizer in my Ubuntu Grub bootloader and have a nice graphic for my grub menu - the Fedora version of Grub-Customizer has issue of its os-prober not finding its own kernels (finds all others) and as such is useless (for now?)… this graphic issue you have may be another ‘glitch’ that the Fedora Grub-Customizer would have besides its os-prober ~

Reason I’m using Ubuntu grub is that I have triple boot system (Ubuntu 24.04 / Win7 / Fedora 43), but Fedora using ext4, not btrfs, partition so that Ubuntu’s Grub-Customizer os-prober can find Fedora kernels (can’t see btrfs partitions…), and the Ubuntu grub created by its Grub-Customizer is very pretty (compaired to Fedora’s which is not) with submenus, graphic, rearranging list, etc.

12

I understand, that’s a problem of fedora.

13

Can you try this?
https://www.golinuxcloud.com/change-grub2-background-image-splash-screen/

The paths are different than in Ubuntu/Debian based systems!

14

Do you mean this?

If your system uses UEFI, the path must be changed to/boot/efi/EFI/redhat/grub.cfgfor rebuilding GRUB2

I dont really trust to change efi settings, i would prefer a simpler solution. But the other passages are basically the same that i did, right?

15 
# mkdir /boot/grub2/images

Using the sub directory “images” to store the file.
When you compare with the theme … it is also in a separate directory.

16

Yeah, indeed, I saw a difference in doing this. The result was that the grub menu has this question mark border pattern.

17

But displays no background?

18

Indeed yes, it’s default black.