XScreenSaver(6)

📦
version 6.15 · 9 versions
, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling, nixpkgs unstable

🌸 XScreenSaver(6) — the vibe 🌸

okay so before we even get into it: this page is XScreenSaver(6) from the Games Manual, and it's specifically about the little password-prompting gremlin that lives inside the bigger xscreensaver situation. Buckle up bestie 💅

✨ NAME ✨

xscreensaver — an extensible screen saver and screen locking framework. that's it, that's the whole identity. iconic behavior honestly 👑

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

xscreensaver-auth [--display host:display.screen] [--version]

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so here's the tea: the xscreensaver(1) daemon is the one that launches this program whenever it needs to ask the user for their password. it's the bouncer at the door of your locked screen 🚪🔐

⚠️ do not run this program directly. like, not me watching you try to summon the password prompt by hand 😭 it's not for you, it's for the daemon. let the daemon cook 🙏

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

(the whole friend group 💞 go read them, they're all part of the lore)

Copyright © 2021-2026 by Jamie Zawinski. 🫶

here's the legal bit, and yes it's giving very "read the terms" but it's short and honestly kind of sweet: permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation is hereby granted for any purpose, free of charge, no fee needed — on the condition that the copyright notice above shows up in all copies, and that both this copyright notice and this permission notice appear in the supporting documentation. 💖

no representations are made about whether this software is suitable for any purpose. it's provided "as is", without express or implied warranty. that's the whole deal. lowkey fair. 💀

💜 AUTHOR 💜

Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org> ✨

and that's the whole page bestie, no cap 🌈💅

✿ sign-off sparkle ✿ — this gorgeous specimen is X Version 11, version 6.15, dated 30-Mar-2026, and it goes by XScreenSaver(6). drink water, lock your screen, slay 💖🎀🦋🌸👑

📦 where this page comes from