Remote VNC from Mac to Linux machine only shows top left corner of the Linux machine

If you are trying to remotely connect to a Linux machine from your Mac using VNC (Virtual Network Computing), you may have encountered an issue where only the top left corner of the Linux machine is visible. This can be quite frustrating, but don't worry, there are a few steps you can take to resolve this problem.

Step 1: Check VNC Server Settings

The first thing you should do is check the VNC server settings on your Linux machine. Make sure that the screen resolution is set to a value that is compatible with your Mac. To do this, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the terminal on your Linux machine.
2. Type the following command to open the VNC server configuration file:
   sudo nano /etc/vnc/config.d/common.custom
3. In the configuration file, look for the line that starts with geometry. This line specifies the screen resolution.
4. Change the screen resolution to a value that is compatible with your Mac. For example, you can try setting it to 1920x1080.
5. Save the changes and exit the text editor.
6. Restart the VNC server by running the following command:
   sudo systemctl restart vncserver-x11-serviced.service

Step 2: Adjust Mac Screen Resolution

If the issue persists, you can try adjusting the screen resolution on your Mac. Here's how:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your Mac screen.
2. Select "System Preferences" from the dropdown menu.
3. In the System Preferences window, click on "Displays".
4. Go to the "Display" tab.
5. Try changing the resolution to a different value and see if it helps. You can try selecting a lower resolution to see if that improves the VNC connection.

Step 3: Use a Different VNC Viewer

If the above steps don't work, you can try using a different VNC viewer on your Mac. There are several VNC viewer applications available, and some may work better with certain Linux distributions. Here are a few popular options:

• TightVNC
• RealVNC
• UltraVNC

Download and install one of these VNC viewers on your Mac, and then try connecting to your Linux machine again. Sometimes, using a different viewer can resolve compatibility issues and display the entire Linux screen properly.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of only seeing the top left corner of your Linux machine when using VNC from your Mac. If you continue to experience problems, it may be helpful to consult the documentation or support resources specific to your Linux distribution or VNC server software.

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