LizardByte · ReenigneArcher · May 5, 2026 · Apr 16, 2026 · Apr 17, 2026 · Apr 18, 2026
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-freebsd.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-freebsd.yml
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ jobs:
             -DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/local/bin/sunshine \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_CUDA=OFF \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=OFF \
+            -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON \
             -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON \

diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@
 	path = third-party/nvapi
 	url = https://github.com/NVIDIA/nvapi.git
 	branch = main
+[submodule "third-party/plasma-wayland-protocols"]
+	path = third-party/plasma-wayland-protocols
+	url = https://github.com/KDE/plasma-wayland-protocols.git
+	branch = master
 [submodule "third-party/Simple-Web-Server"]
 	path = third-party/Simple-Web-Server
 	url = https://github.com/LizardByte-infrastructure/Simple-Web-Server.git

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -276,6 +276,13 @@ LizardByte has the full documentation hosted on [Read the Docs](https://docs.liz
         <td>➖</td>
         <td>➖</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>KWin Screencast</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+        <td>➖</td>
+        <td>➖</td>
+    </tr>
 </table>
 
 <table>
@@ -322,6 +329,13 @@ LizardByte has the full documentation hosted on [Read the Docs](https://docs.liz
         <td>✅</td>
         <td>✅</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>KWin Screencast</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+        <td>✅</td>
+    </tr>
 </table>
 
 **Legend:** ✅ Supported | 🟡 Partial Support | ❌ Not Yet Supported | ➖ Not Applicable

diff --git a/cmake/compile_definitions/linux.cmake b/cmake/compile_definitions/linux.cmake
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ if(CUDA_FOUND)
     add_compile_definitions(SUNSHINE_BUILD_CUDA)
 endif()
 
-# libdrm is required for both DRM (KMS) and Wayland
-if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM} OR ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND})
+# libdrm is required for DRM (KMS), KWin ScreenCast and Wayland
+if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM} OR ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN} OR ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND})
     find_package(LIBDRM REQUIRED)
 else()
     set(LIBDRM_FOUND OFF)
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ if(GIO_FOUND)
 endif()
 
 # Pipewire
-if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL})
+if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN} OR ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL})
     pkg_check_modules(PIPEWIRE libpipewire-0.3 REQUIRED)
 else()
     set(PIPEWIRE_FOUND OFF)
@@ -264,13 +264,27 @@ if(PIPEWIRE_FOUND AND GIO_FOUND AND ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL})
             "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/platform/linux/portalgrab.cpp")
 endif()
 
+# KWin ScreenCast (direct Wayland protocol, bypasses portal)
+set(KWIN_FOUND OFF)
+if(PIPEWIRE_FOUND AND WAYLAND_FOUND AND ${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN})
+    set(KWIN_FOUND ON)
+    add_compile_definitions(SUNSHINE_BUILD_KWIN)
+    GEN_WAYLAND("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/plasma-wayland-protocols/src/protocols" "" kde-output-order-v1)
+    GEN_WAYLAND("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/plasma-wayland-protocols/src/protocols" "" zkde-screencast-unstable-v1)
+    list(APPEND PLATFORM_TARGET_FILES
+            "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/platform/linux/kwingrab.cpp")
+elseif(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN} AND NOT WAYLAND_FOUND)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN requires SUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND — KWin capture disabled")
+endif()
+
 if(NOT ${CUDA_FOUND}
-        AND NOT ${WAYLAND_FOUND}
-        AND NOT ${X11_FOUND}
-        AND NOT ${PORTAL_FOUND}
         AND NOT (${LIBDRM_FOUND} AND ${LIBCAP_FOUND})
-        AND NOT ${LIBVA_FOUND})
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find either cuda, libva, pipewire, wayland, x11, or (libdrm and libcap)")
+        AND NOT ${LIBVA_FOUND}
+        AND NOT ${KWIN_FOUND}
+        AND NOT ${PORTAL_FOUND}
+        AND NOT ${WAYLAND_FOUND}
+        AND NOT ${X11_FOUND})
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find either cuda, (libdrm and libcap), libva, kwin, pipewire, portal, wayland or x11")
 endif()
 
 # tray icon

diff --git a/cmake/packaging/linux.cmake b/cmake/packaging/linux.cmake
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROJECT_FQDN}.desktop"
 if(NOT ${SUNSHINE_BUILD_APPIMAGE} AND NOT ${SUNSHINE_BUILD_FLATPAK})
     install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROJECT_FQDN}.terminal.desktop"
             DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/applications")
+    if(${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN})
+        install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROJECT_FQDN}.kwin.desktop"
+                DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/applications")
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 # metadata file

diff --git a/cmake/prep/options.cmake b/cmake/prep/options.cmake
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ elseif(UNIX)  # Linux
             "Enable building wayland specific code." ON)
     option(SUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11
             "Enable X11 grab if available." ON)
+    option(SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN
+            "Enable KWin ScreenCast grab if available" ON)
     option(SUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL
             "Enable XDG portal grab if available" ON)
 endif()
diff --git a/cmake/prep/special_package_configuration.cmake b/cmake/prep/special_package_configuration.cmake
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ elseif(UNIX)
     # configure service
     configure_file(packaging/linux/app-${PROJECT_FQDN}.service.in app-${PROJECT_FQDN}.service @ONLY)
 
+    # configure kwin desktop permission file
+    if (${SUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN})
+        configure_file(packaging/linux/${PROJECT_FQDN}.kwin.desktop.in ${PROJECT_FQDN}.kwin.desktop @ONLY)
+    endif()
+
     # configure the arch linux pkgbuild
     if(${SUNSHINE_CONFIGURE_PKGBUILD})
         configure_file(packaging/linux/Arch/PKGBUILD PKGBUILD @ONLY)

diff --git a/cmake/targets/common.cmake b/cmake/targets/common.cmake
@@ -31,15 +31,7 @@ endif()
 
 target_link_libraries(sunshine ${SUNSHINE_EXTERNAL_LIBRARIES} ${EXTRA_LIBS})
 target_compile_definitions(sunshine PUBLIC ${SUNSHINE_DEFINITIONS})
-if(APPLE AND NOT SUNSHINE_BUILD_HOMEBREW)
-    # codesign on Mac won't sign an .app that uses a symlink
-    set_target_properties(sunshine PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 23)
-else()
-    # symlink sunshine -> sunshine-PROJECT_VERSION
-    set_target_properties(sunshine PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 23
-            VERSION ${PROJECT_VERSION}
-            SOVERSION ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR})
-endif()
+set_target_properties(sunshine PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 23)
 
 # CLion complains about unknown flags after running cmake, and cannot add symbols to the index for cuda files
 if(CUDA_INHERIT_COMPILE_OPTIONS)

diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -2101,6 +2101,11 @@ editing the `conf` file in a text editor. Use the examples as reference.
         <td>DRM/KMS screen capture from the kernel. This requires that Sunshine has `cap_sys_admin` capability.
             @note{Applies to Linux only.}</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>kwin</td>
+        <td>Capture with KDE/KWin Wayland compositor via KDE screencasting.
+            @note{Applies to Linux only.}</td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <td>x11</td>
         <td>Uses XCB. This is the slowest and most CPU intensive so should be avoided if possible.

diff --git a/packaging/linux/copr/Sunshine.spec b/packaging/linux/copr/Sunshine.spec
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ cmake_args=(
   "-DSUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR=%{_datadir}/sunshine"
   "-DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=%{_bindir}/sunshine"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
+  "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON"
   "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON"
@@ -405,7 +406,6 @@ fi
 %files
 # Executables
 %caps(cap_sys_admin,cap_sys_nice+p) %{_bindir}/sunshine
-%caps(cap_sys_admin,cap_sys_nice+p) %{_bindir}/sunshine-*
 
 # Systemd unit files for user services
 %{_userunitdir}/*.service

diff --git a/packaging/linux/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.kwin.desktop.in b/packaging/linux/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.kwin.desktop.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Exec=@SUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH@
+X-KDE-Wayland-Interfaces=zkde_screencast_unstable_v1
+Type=Application
+Name=@PROJECT_FQDN@-kwin-wayland-permission
+Comment=Sunshine KWin screencast permission
+NoDisplay=true
diff --git a/packaging/linux/flatpak/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.yml b/packaging/linux/flatpak/dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.yml
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ modules:
       - -DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/app/bin/sunshine
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_CUDA=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON
+      - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON
       - -DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON

diff --git a/scripts/linux_build.sh b/scripts/linux_build.sh
@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@ function run_step_cmake() {
     "-DSUNSHINE_ASSETS_DIR=share/sunshine"
     "-DSUNSHINE_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/sunshine"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_DRM=ON"
+    "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_KWIN=ON"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_PORTAL=ON"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_WAYLAND=ON"
     "-DSUNSHINE_ENABLE_X11=ON"