Troubleshooting

This page covers common issues and their solutions when using Gaphor.

Invisible UI on Windows 10 (Intel + NVIDIA Graphics)

Problem:

Some Windows 10 users with Intel integrated graphics (especially older GPUs like the Intel HD 4000 / 4600 series) — often in systems that also have NVIDIA GPUs — may experience an invisible UI when launching Gaphor. The window appears, and UI elements are clickable (buttons, menus), but nothing is visible.

This issue is tracked upstream in GTK: 👉 GNOME/gtk#7283

Example:

In the images below, the Gaphor window is open but the UI is not visible.

Invisible UI Example 1

Invisible UI Example 2

Solution: Set the GSK_RENDERER=gl Environment Variable

To fix this issue, you can force GTK to use the OpenGL-based renderer by setting the environment variable GSK_RENDERER=gl.

Option 1️⃣: Update the Gaphor Shortcut

  1. Right-click the Gaphor shortcut (Desktop or Start Menu) and select Properties.

  2. In the Shortcut tab, locate the Target field.

  3. Replace the existing target with the following PowerShell command:

    powershell -Command "$env:GSK_RENDERER='gl'; Start-Process 'C:\Program Files\Gaphor\gaphor.exe'"

    Note: Adjust the path if your Gaphor installation is in a different folder.

  4. Click Apply and then OK.

✅ Now, whenever you launch Gaphor via this shortcut, it will apply the fix automatically.

Option 2️⃣: Set a Permanent Environment Variable

  1. Press Win + S and search for Environment Variables.

  2. Select “Edit the system environment variables” → Environment Variables.

  3. Under User variables, click New:

    • Variable name: GSK_RENDERER

    • Variable value: gl

  4. Save and restart your computer.

✅ This will apply the fix globally for Gaphor (and any other GTK-based apps).

Affected Systems

  • Windows 10

  • Intel HD 4000 / 4600 series graphics (or similar)

  • Often combined with NVIDIA GPU setups

Thanks to the Gaphor community and contributors for identifying and confirming this workaround!