Firefox has screen tearing on Intel Graphics with default setting

[Prashant L Rao]

Firefox has choppy scrolling/tearing on pretty much any web page with the default settings on Intel Graphics. Since the modesetting driver uses OpenGL, you have to force enable layers.acceleration (layers.acceleration.force-enabled) in about:config to remedy this. The other thing that works is to enable the Intel DDX driver with TearFree.

This is on a fresh Ubuntu 17.10 install in the Xorg session but the same would apply to Wayland as well as Xwayland also uses the modesetting driver.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
Package: firefox 56.0+build6-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-16.19-generic 4.13.4
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-16-generic x86_64
AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False
ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/pcmC1D0p: prashant 1605 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: prashant 1605 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: prashant 1605 F.... pulseaudio
BuildID: 20171003222101
Channel: Unavailable
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Wed Nov 8 13:36:53 2017
Extensions: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
ForcedLayersAccel: False
IfupdownConfig:
 # interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
 auto lo
 iface lo inet loopback
IncompatibleExtensions: Unavailable (corrupt or non-existant compatibility.ini or extensions.sqlite)
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-11-03 (4 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Release amd64 (20171018)
IpRoute:
 default via 192.168.1.1 dev wlp6s0 proto static metric 600
 192.168.1.0/24 dev wlp6s0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.1.101 metric 600
Locales: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
PrefSources: prefs.js
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_IN:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_IN
 SHELL=/bin/bash
Profiles: Profile0 (Default) - LastVersion=56.0/20171003222101
RunningIncompatibleAddons: False
SourcePackage: firefox
Themes: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2015
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A04
dmi.board.name: 05JF1T
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA04:bd10/15/2015:svnDellInc.:pnVostro3558:pvr01:rvnDellInc.:rn05JF1T:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Vostro 3558
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Amr Ibrahim (amribrahim1987)]

Affected in Firefox 70 (64-Bit) on Ubuntu 18.04.3.