whatsapp-for-linux blank screen when application starts

[MathiasSven]

Describe the bug

When launching the application nothing is drawn on the screen, although resources are still downloaded

Output from terminal

~ took 2s ✦ ❯ nix-shell -p whatsapp-for-linux

~ via ❄️  impure (shell) ✦ ❯ whatsapp-for-linux
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: SettingMap: Key file does not have group “Network”, returning default value.
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: Could not determine the accessibility bus address
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: SettingMap: Key file does not have key “close_to_tray” in group “General”, returning default value.
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: SettingMap: Key file does not have key “start_in_tray” in group “General”, returning default value.
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: SettingMap: Key file does not have key “header_bar” in group “General”, returning default value.
<13>Dec 11 09:56:01 whatsapp-for-linux[84137]: SettingMap: Key file does not have key “start_in_tray” in group “General”, returning default value.

Screenshots

Output from webconsole

[Warning] Another connection wants to delete database 'wawc'. Closing db now to resume the delete request. (vendor1~app.58a51d93a250f83ab555.js, line 7)
[Warning] AES-CBC and AES-CTR do not provide authentication by default, and implementing it manually can result in minor, but serious mistakes. We recommended using authenticated encryption like AES-GCM to protect against chosen-ciphertext attacks. (app.77ee8aa7a4c593101105.js, line 53)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (main.2a7dabd97264e1563996.js.map, line 0)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (vendor1~app.58a51d93a250f83ab555.js.map, line 0)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (app.77ee8aa7a4c593101105.js.map, line 0)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (svg.c424f1608b13e0b295a5.js.map, line 0)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (vendors~main.0a0120db6abbbff4bbbf.js.map, line 0)
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (runtime.e6018f3c1e255e8f4dc7.js.map, line 0)
> Selected Element
[Error] Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) (WAWebWorker.46590c12baab5efe4920.worker.js.map, line 0)
< <div class="landing-main">…</div>
[Warning] The resource https://web.whatsapp.com/binary-transparency-manifest-2.2245.9.json was preloaded using link preload but not used within a few seconds from the window's load event. Please make sure it wasn't preloaded for nothing.

Notify maintainers

@wandersoncferreira

Metadata

~ ✦ ❯ nix-shell -p nix-info --run "nix-info -m"
 - system: `"x86_64-linux"`
 - host os: `Linux 5.15.80, NixOS, 22.11 (Raccoon), 22.11.466.596a8e828c5`
 - multi-user?: `yes`
 - sandbox: `yes`
 - version: `nix-env (Nix) 2.11.0`
 - channels(root): `"nixos-22.11"`
 - channels(mathiassven): `"home-manager-22.11.tar.gz"`
 - nixpkgs: `/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/nixos`

[v1doer1]

I've the same issue on Ubuntu 23.10.

[MarkusFF]

I had this problem on NixOS until I turned off hardware acceleration in Whatsapp-for-linux preferences (web tab) . At this point the window corrupted. I relaunched it and then it was usable.

[drdaeman]

Note: if the UI is completely unavailable or unresponsive, hardware acceleration can be disabled by editing ~/.config/whatsapp-for-linux/settings.conf:

[web]
hw-accel = 2

Alternatively, I found out that WEBKIT_DISABLE_DMABUF_RENDERER=1 helps in my case, but unlike OP I have "AcceleratedSurfaceDMABuf was unable to construct a complete framebuffer" errors in the console output, indicating it's webkit2gtk bug.