---
type: howto
title: Niri Tips and Gotchas
description: Practical tips for working with niri — Mod key behavior, shell expansion, config reload, vim keys, and programmatic invocation.
tags:
  - niri
  - tips
  - gotchas
verified: 2026-10-09
---

# Helpful Tips

## 1. Mod key

Use `Mod` instead of `Super` for configs that work both on TTY and in nested windows.

## 2. No shell expansion in spawn

`spawn` does not expand `$VAR` or `~`. Use `spawn-sh` or wrap in `sh -c`.

## 3. Config reload

**Do NOT send `SIGHUP` to the niri process** (`kill -s SIGHUP $(pgrep -f 'niri --session')`) — it causes a full session logout/restart instead of a live config reload.

Correct reload options, in order of preference:
- `niri msg action load-config-file` — live reload without disrupting the session (preferred).
- Log out and back in (safe, guaranteed clean reload).
- Let the user decide when to reload; agents should modify config files without auto-reloading.

Niri reads `~/.config/niri/config.kdl` (or `config.kdl` relative to its CWD). Split config lives in `~/.config/niri/cfg/` — each `.kdl` file is `include`d from the main config, so a reload picks up edits to any included module.

### 26.04 Config Loading Features

`niri msg action load-config-file --path <file>` switches configs at runtime (26.04). It includes:
- `optional=true` support — allows loading configs that may not exist
- `~` expansion — tilde paths are expanded to the niri user's home directory

## 4. Alternative navigation

Vim-like keys (H/J/K/L) are bound by default alongside arrow keys.

## 5. Programmatic invocation

Every action can be invoked via `niri msg action <action-name>`.

### 26.04 IPC Enhancements

- `niri msg layers` — lists layer-shell namespaces per output
- `niri msg casts` — lists active PipeWire screencasts
- `Escape` cancels drag-and-drop operations
- Duplicate-bind parse errors now show the **first definition** in the file

### Pointer Behavior

Pointer warps across the screen during `view-scroll` gestures.

## Related

* [Key Bindings Syntax](/tools/niri/key-bindings-syntax.md) — Configuration details
* [Action Reference](/tools/niri/action-reference.md) — All available actions