Customizing Splash Screen/Logo in Linux

This document provides a step-by-step guide to changing the boot splash screen using Plymouth, a graphical boot animation and logger used in many Linux distributions.

../../../../_images/ubuntu-mate-logo.webp

Requirements

Ensure the following packages are installed:

  • plymouth

  • plymouth-themes

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install plymouth plymouth-themes

Set plymouth theme using command

  1. Downloaded theme should be copied in /usr/share/plymouth/themes/ directory.

  2. After you have the Plymouth theme installed into the directory, you will need to add the theme to the default.plymouth. To add the theme you add it like so:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/share/plymouth/themes/default.plymouth default.plymouth /usr/share/plymouth/themes/space-sunrise/space-sunrise.plymouth 100

Note

The command of plymouth-set-default-theme is a Debian command and not used in Ubuntu. Ubuntu uses sudo update-alternatives --config default.plymouth to set the default Plymouth theme.

  1. Then you run the –config option so that you can choose the new Plymouth theme:

sudo update-alternatives --config default.plymouth

Below output, you can show :

vicharak@vicharak:~$ sudo update-alternatives --config default.plymouth
There are 5 choices for the alternative default.plymouth (providing /usr/share/plymouth/themes/default.plymouth).

  Selection    Path                                                                           Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
  0            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/ubuntu-mate-logo/ubuntu-mate-logo.plymouth           150       auto mode
  1            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/bgrt/bgrt.plymouth                                   110       manual mode
  2            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/spinner/spinner.plymouth                             70        manual mode
  3            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/ubuntu-mate-logo/ubuntu-mate-logo-scale-2.plymouth   149       manual mode
  4            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/ubuntu-mate-logo/ubuntu-mate-logo.plymouth           150       manual mode
* 5            /usr/share/plymouth/themes/vortex-ubuntu/vortex-ubuntu.plymouth                 100       manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

* determines which theme will be applied on next boot.

You can preview a theme with:

sudo plymouthd
sudo plymouth --show-splash
sudo plymouth --quit

You may require to restart lightdm service to use GUI interface again.

sudo systemctl restart lightdm.service

  1. To set a new theme (example: vortex):

sudo update-initramfs -u

Creating a Custom Theme

  1. Create a new directory under /usr/share/plymouth/themes/your-theme-name/

  2. Add the following files:

    • your-theme-name.plymouth:

      [Plymouth Theme]
Name=Your Theme Name
Description=Custom Splash
ModuleName=script

[script]
ImageDir=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/your-theme-name
ScriptFile=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/your-theme-name/script.lua

    • script.lua (minimal example):

      -- Simple splash screen
image = Image("splash.png")
screen_width, screen_height = Window.GetSize()
image:Move((screen_width - image:GetWidth()) / 2, (screen_height - image:GetHeight()) / 2)
image:Show()

    • splash.png: Your custom splash image.

  3. Register custom theme:

    sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/share/plymouth/themes/default.plymouth default.plymouth /usr/share/plymouth/themes/your-theme-name/your-theme-name.plymouth 100

  4. To Set theme:

    sudo update-alternatives --config default.plymouth

  5. To apply in next boot, User need to update initramfs :

    sudo update-initramfs -u

Debugging Plymouth Issues

Check logs for boot messages:

journalctl -b | grep plymouth

Make sure kernel command line has splash and quiet:

Notes

  • Not all distributions support Plymouth out-of-the-box.

  • Image formats: PNG recommended.

  • Theme script (Lua) can be extended with animations, text, and progress indicators.

References

  • Plymouth GitHub: Plymouth

  • Theme Examples: /usr/share/plymouth/themes/