From 447b27af63ee516a08b743af1e256b23785cefe9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: nevaforget <>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:55:07 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] feat(quickshell): run it as a systemd user service
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spawn-at-startup gave it no restart, so a crash left the session without a bar
until the next login — which is what the Alt+W toggle used to paper over.
---
 defaults/etc/systemd/user/quickshell.service | 16 ++++++++++++++++
 defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl                 |  4 ++--
 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 defaults/etc/systemd/user/quickshell.service

diff --git a/defaults/etc/systemd/user/quickshell.service b/defaults/etc/systemd/user/quickshell.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7eae2f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/defaults/etc/systemd/user/quickshell.service
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# ABOUTME: systemd user service for the Quickshell bar, launcher and popouts.
+# ABOUTME: Replaces the spawn-at-startup in niri's config.kdl, which never restarted it.
+
+[Unit]
+Description=Quickshell bar and shell
+PartOf=graphical-session.target
+After=graphical-session.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/quickshell -c moonarch
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=3
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=graphical-session.target
diff --git a/defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl b/defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl
index 908a08a..ac85534 100644
--- a/defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl
+++ b/defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ layout {
 
 // xwayland-satellite is managed automatically since niri 25.08
 // kanshi is managed via systemd user service (kanshi.service)
-// Bar: quickshell is the default; Waybar stays installed as a reserve (toggle with Alt+W).
-spawn-at-startup "quickshell" "-c" "moonarch"
+// quickshell is managed via systemd user service (quickshell.service), which
+// restarts it on a crash — spawn-at-startup left the session without a bar.
 // swaync disabled — quickshell owns notifications now; package kept installed as a reserve.
 // spawn-at-startup "swaync"
 spawn-at-startup "/usr/lib/polkit-gnome/polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1"