Install XFCE Desktop Environment on Arch Linux: A Professional Guide
archlinux Desktop Env Linux
Arch Linux offers total control, and XFCE ensures that power is translated into pure performance. While other desktop environments waste resources on heavy animations, XFCE remains lightweight, stable, and incredibly fast. This combination creates a distraction-free system where your hardware is dedicated entirely to your workflow rather than visual effects.
Welcome back to MusaBase! In my previous guides, I covered the installation of KDE Plasma and GNOME. Today, we are completing the trio with XFCE, a desktop environment legendary for its low RAM usage and modular customization.
In this guide, you will learn how to install XFCE on Arch Linux and set up a productive workstation using the LightDM display manager.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through how to:
- Prepare your Arch Linux base for XFCE
- Install the XFCE4 package group and core plugins
- Configure LightDM for a fast login experience
- Enable system services to boot into your XFCE session automatically
By the end of this guide, you will have a fast, reliable, and highly responsive desktop environment running on your Arch Linux system. Whether you are reviving an older machine or looking for the ultimate distraction-free workstation, this setup will provide the perfect balance of simplicity and power.
If you want to explore advanced tiling setups later, check out my guide on ML4W Hyprland on Arch Linux.
Who is XFCE for?
XFCE is built for users who demand maximum performance without the baggage of modern desktop bloat. It is the go-to environment for those who want their Arch Linux system to feel instantaneous, whether they are reviving legacy hardware or squeezing every bit of power out of a high-end workstation. If you prefer a traditional desktop metaphor that is rock-solid, predictable, and stays out of your way so you can focus on real work, XFCE is exactly what you need.
Prerequisites
Before starting the installation, ensure you have a functional Arch Linux base system. This guide is tailored for users starting from a fresh command-line interface (TTY), but it works perfectly if you are adding XFCE as a secondary desktop environment. Arch Linux allows you to install multiple environments, giving you the flexibility to switch to a lightweight XFCE session whenever you need maximum performance.
If your base system isn't ready yet, choose the path that fits your expertise:
- Master the Process: Follow my Comprehensive Arch Linux Manual Installation to learn exactly how your system is built from the ground up.
- Skip the Complexity: Use my pre-configured scripts to Automate Your Arch Linux Setup, perfect for deploying a clean base environment in just a few minutes.
Once your base system is ready and you have sudo privileges, you are all set to deploy the XFCE desktop.
Hardware Recommendation:
- Processor: Any 64-bit processor (even older dual-core CPUs)
- RAM: 1GB minimum (2GB or more recommended)
- Storage: 10GB of free disk space
- GPU: Any integrated or dedicated graphics card
- Network: Stable internet connection
Step 1: Prep Arch Linux for XFCE
Before installing the desktop environment, it is essential to ensure your system is fully synchronized and has a reliable connection to the Arch repositories. In this step, we will perform a full system update to prevent package conflicts and configure the nameservers to guarantee stable network resolution during the installation process.
1.1: Check for a Full System Upgrade
Running a full system update is a critical first step on Arch Linux to maintain system integrity. Since Arch is a rolling-release distribution, installing new software on an outdated base can lead to "partial upgrades," which often cause package conflicts or broken dependencies. By synchronizing the system with the latest repositories, we ensure that the XFCE packages and their libraries are compatible with the current kernel and system tools.
- Run the following command:
sudo pacman -Syu
1.2: Configure Nameservers
Configuring nameservers in the /etc/resolv.conf file is a common practice to ensure fast and reliable domain name resolution. By manually adding high-performance DNS addresses, such as Google or Cloudflare, you provide your system with a reliable backup for translating web addresses into IP addresses. While Arch Linux often handles network settings automatically, verifying this configuration helps prevent potential "temporary failure in name resolution" errors during the package download process.
- To add nameservers, simply run:
sudo echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf
# OR
sudo echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf
Step 2: Install XFCE4 Package Group & LightDM
In this step, we will deploy the core XFCE4 desktop environment along with the LightDM display manager to handle your graphical login. This combination ensures a lightweight foundation while providing a professional interface to access your Arch Linux session.
2.1: Install XFCE4 Package Group
- Run the following command:
sudo pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies
- After initiating the installation, pacman will prompt you to select specific packages from the xfce4 group. To ensure a complete desktop experience, simply press Enter to select "all" core components by default.
- Next, you will be prompted to choose features from the xfce4-goodies group. Again, for a full-featured environment with all extra plugins and tools, press Enter to install the entire selection.
- After selecting, pacman will calculate all dependencies and prompt you to confirm the installation.
- Simply press Enter to continue with the process.
2.2: Install LightDM Greeter
A display manager requires a visual interface to interact with, known as a Greeter. We will install the lightdm-gtk-greeter, which provides a clean and lightweight login screen, allowing you to securely enter your credentials and select your XFCE session upon system startup.
- To install lightdm and its greeter, run:
sudo pacman -S lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
Step 3: Configure LightDM & Install Additional Tools
With the desktop environment in place, we will now finalize the setup by installing essential applications and enabling the display manager. In this step, we will install Falkon as a lightweight web browser and VLC for media playback, while activating the LightDM service to ensure the system boots directly into the XFCE graphical login screen.
3.1: Install Essential Tools
To complement a lightweight setup, we will install Falkon, a browser that perfectly matches XFCE's philosophy by using QtWebEngine for minimal RAM consumption and low system resource usage. We will also include VLC, the most versatile media player, ensuring your system is ready for web browsing and high-quality media playback right out of the box.
- Run the following command:
sudo pacman -S falkon vlc
- After searching for falkon & vlc, pacman will prompt for Choosing Audio Backend for VLC. For a modern and robust setup, type 2 to choose pipewire-jack and press Enter.
- Next, pacman will prompt for Choosing ttf-font. Press Enter to proceed with the default gnu-free-fonts.
- After selecting, pacman will calculate dependencies and prompt to Confirm packages to install?.
- Simply press Enter to continue.
3.2: Enable LightDM Service
Activating the LightDM service is crucial as it automates the transition from the command-line interface to the graphical welcome screen. By enabling this unit, your Arch Linux system will consistently launch the XFCE login manager upon every system boot.
- We will enable and start the lightdm service simultaneously without needing an immediate reboot.
- Run:
sudo systemctl enable lightdm --now
Step 4: Log into XFCE
After enabling LightDM, your screen may go black for a few seconds as the graphical server initializes. Shortly after, you will be greeted by the LightDM login screen, prompting you to enter your credentials:
Simply type your password and press Enter to launch your session:
And just like that, you are in!
Fin!
What’s Next?
Congratulations! Your XFCE Desktop Environment is now fully operational on Arch Linux. By combining Arch's power with XFCE's legendary speed and LightDM's efficiency, you have created a lightning-fast, rock-solid workstation. Now that your base is ready, it's time to optimize and expand your system's potential.
This concludes our guide on installing XFCE on Arch Linux. Whether you are reviving old hardware or building a high-performance minimalist rig, XFCE remains the king of lightweight desktops. If you run into any issues with LightDM greeters or driver configurations, feel free to drop a comment below!
101 out, I’ll see you in the next one!