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Refresh problem on the second monitor on Windows 7 with the ‘Theme’ service disabled #3578

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opened 2026-02-21 01:28:21 -05:00 by deekerman · 2 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 01:28:21 -05:00

Owner

Originally created by @sdak75 on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025).

Bug Description

We have noticed a refresh issue on the second monitor on Windows 7
where the ‘Theme’ service is disabled or the selected theme is a classic theme.

How to Reproduce

To check this, simply open Notepad on monitor #2 and try to open
the File menu, for example. It will only appear once you have refreshed the display or
switched to monitor #1 and then back to #2.

However, moving windows works correctly.

Expected Behavior

A correct refresh ;-)

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
Thank you for your product.

Operating system(s) on local (controlling) side and remote (controlled) side

Windows 7

RustDesk Version(s) on local (controlling) side and remote (controlled) side

1.4.1

Screenshots

We cannot provide you with a screenshot because it is a refresh issue.

Additional Context

No response

Originally created by @sdak75 on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025). ### Bug Description We have noticed a refresh issue on the second monitor on Windows 7 where the ‘Theme’ service is disabled or the selected theme is a classic theme. ### How to Reproduce To check this, simply open Notepad on monitor #2 and try to open the File menu, for example. It will only appear once you have refreshed the display or switched to monitor #1 and then back to #2. However, moving windows works correctly. ### Expected Behavior A correct refresh ;-) Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information. Thank you for your product. ### Operating system(s) on local (controlling) side and remote (controlled) side Windows 7 ### RustDesk Version(s) on local (controlling) side and remote (controlled) side 1.4.1 ### Screenshots We cannot provide you with a screenshot because it is a refresh issue. ### Additional Context _No response_

deekerman

2026-02-21 01:28:21 -05:00

closed this issue
added the
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deekerman commented

2026-02-21 01:28:26 -05:00

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@VaradGupta23 commented on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025):

Summary of the Issue
Environment:

OS: Windows 7

Theme: Classic (or ‘Theme’ service disabled)

Affected: Second monitor

RustDesk version: 1.4.1

Issue:

UI elements (like the Notepad File menu) do not render until a manual refresh (e.g., switching windows/monitors).

Window movement works fine, but redrawing/refreshing static content is broken on monitor #2.

Not reproducible with Aero/Modern theme enabled.

Likely Cause
Windows 7’s Classic theme disables desktop composition (DWM) and uses GDI-based rendering. Many modern remote desktop tools (like RustDesk) rely on:

DWM and hardware acceleration for smooth screen capture.

Without it, RustDesk falls back to polling-based or partial screen capture, which may fail to detect UI updates on non-primary monitors in classic rendering mode.

Suggested Workarounds
Until the RustDesk team applies a fix or fallback for classic/GDI-only rendering, here are temporary solutions:

Option 1: Enable the “Themes” Service
Press Win + R → type services.msc

Scroll to Themes

Right-click → Start (and set to Automatic)

Switch to Aero theme (in Control Panel → Personalization)

This enables DWM and will fix redraw issues across all monitors.

Option 2: Force Full-Screen Refresh Mode
In RustDesk:

Enable "Force Scaling" and disable hardware acceleration (if available in settings).

Toggle "Show Remote Cursor" ON (sometimes helps redraw).

If still buggy: try Translate Mode (Beta), which may handle input/display differently.

Option 3: Switch to Single Monitor Temporarily
If you must use the Classic theme:

Configure RustDesk to stream only the primary monitor (Settings → Display).

Move critical apps to monitor #1 during remote sessions.

Recommendation for RustDesk Devs
Implement a fallback full-screen refresh strategy when DWM is disabled.

Add a warning or auto-detection for Classic Theme + multi-monitor + Windows 7, with a prompt like:

“RustDesk may not fully refresh UI on secondary displays in Classic mode. Consider enabling Aero theme.”

Final Note
You're welcome to add this info as a follow-up comment on GitHub Issue #12495. If you'd like, I can help you write a concise update message for the thread.

@VaradGupta23 commented on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025): Summary of the Issue Environment: OS: Windows 7 Theme: Classic (or ‘Theme’ service disabled) Affected: Second monitor RustDesk version: 1.4.1 Issue: UI elements (like the Notepad File menu) do not render until a manual refresh (e.g., switching windows/monitors). Window movement works fine, but redrawing/refreshing static content is broken on monitor #2. Not reproducible with Aero/Modern theme enabled. Likely Cause Windows 7’s Classic theme disables desktop composition (DWM) and uses GDI-based rendering. Many modern remote desktop tools (like RustDesk) rely on: DWM and hardware acceleration for smooth screen capture. Without it, RustDesk falls back to polling-based or partial screen capture, which may fail to detect UI updates on non-primary monitors in classic rendering mode. Suggested Workarounds Until the RustDesk team applies a fix or fallback for classic/GDI-only rendering, here are temporary solutions: Option 1: Enable the “Themes” Service Press Win + R → type services.msc Scroll to Themes Right-click → Start (and set to Automatic) Switch to Aero theme (in Control Panel → Personalization) This enables DWM and will fix redraw issues across all monitors. Option 2: Force Full-Screen Refresh Mode In RustDesk: Enable "Force Scaling" and disable hardware acceleration (if available in settings). Toggle "Show Remote Cursor" ON (sometimes helps redraw). If still buggy: try Translate Mode (Beta), which may handle input/display differently. Option 3: Switch to Single Monitor Temporarily If you must use the Classic theme: Configure RustDesk to stream only the primary monitor (Settings → Display). Move critical apps to monitor #1 during remote sessions. Recommendation for RustDesk Devs Implement a fallback full-screen refresh strategy when DWM is disabled. Add a warning or auto-detection for Classic Theme + multi-monitor + Windows 7, with a prompt like: “RustDesk may not fully refresh UI on secondary displays in Classic mode. Consider enabling Aero theme.” Final Note You're welcome to add this info as a follow-up comment on GitHub Issue #12495. If you'd like, I can help you write a concise update message for the thread.

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 01:28:28 -05:00

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Owner

@rustdesk commented on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025):

#763

@rustdesk commented on GitHub (Jul 31, 2025): #763