Public bug reported:
System:
Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS
Dell XPS 16 / Dell 16 Premium DA16250
Internal display: 3840x2400
UEFI Secure Boot enabled
Firmware version: 1.14.0
Problem:
The GRUB menu is rendered at the native 3840x2400 resolution using an
extremely small built-in font. It is practically unreadable.
Tests performed:
1. GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768 was tested as the only requested mode.
2. GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480 was tested as the only requested mode.
3. GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT=console was tested.
4. A 72-pixel PF2 font was generated with grub-mkfont and selected through
GRUB_FONT and an explicit GRUB theme.
Results:
The requested lower resolutions had no visible effect.
The console also uses an extremely small font.
The custom theme was loaded, as demonstrated by its larger item spacing,
but the custom font was not used. GRUB fell back to its small built-in
font. Interactive GRUB commands also report:
"prohibited by secure boot policy"
The Dell firmware itself can display a device-configuration application
at 640x480, but GRUB apparently cannot select that mode.
Expected result:
The signed Ubuntu GRUB build should provide at least one embedded or
properly signed large HiDPI font. Ideally it should provide small, medium
and large built-in fonts that can be selected without disabling Secure
Boot.
Security should not require the pre-boot menu to be unreadable.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: grub-efi-amd64-signed 1.202.5+2.12-1ubuntu7.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.28.3-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sun Sep 6 23:55:50 2026
InstallationDate: Installed on 2026-02-15 (203 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64 (20260210)
SourcePackage: grub2-signed
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
** Affects: grub2-signed (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug noble wayland-session
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2166627
Title:
Secure Boot makes GRUB menu unreadable on HiDPI displays because no
large signed or embedded font is available
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