This page lists a few problems which were observed more than once and the best current answer.

Please come to [miaou](https://miaou.dystroy.org/3490?broot) if something isn't clear or if you want to propose a change or addition.

# Compilation fails during installation

The common causes are

* an oudated Rust installation. If you're using [rustup](https://rustup.rs), do `rustup update`.
* some tools missing. On Debian like distributions, this can generally be solved with `sudo apt install build-essential`

# Those aren't my colors

Broot's initial colors ensure that everything is readable whatever your settings.
But you may want to have something more similar to your usual terminal colors, or maybe to define the whole skin.

* [changing the skin](../skins/)
* [set a transparent background](../skins/#transparent-background)
* [set file extension dependent colors](../conf_file/#colors-by-file-extension)

# I have trouble with tmux

The first problem you might see is the presence of artifacts. This may happen in other terminal multiplexers too and it seems related to their bad proxying of some style related codes.

* [relevant issue](https://github.com/Canop/broot/issues/248)

A workaround is to create a skin (for example by uncommenting the one in `conf.toml`) and to remove all `Italic` and `Bold`.

Additionaly, if backgrounds can't be properly displayed, you may consider [marking selected lines](../conf_file/#selection-mark).

Another problem is the fact the `br` function doesn't set a proper pane name (you'll probably see the name of your shell instead of broot). This may be [solved with a modified shell function](https://github.com/Canop/broot/issues/270).

# alt-enter (or other shortcut) isn't available

Most terminals intercept a few keyboard shortcut for their own features. You may need to remap your terminal's default keyboard shortcuts.

If a shortcut isn't available for broot and you can't or don't want to remap the one of your terminal, the solution is to change the shortcut in broot.

* [specific solution for alt-enter](https://github.com/Canop/broot/issues/86#issuecomment-635974557)
* [general shortcut configuration](../conf_verbs/#keyboard-key)

[Windows Terminal](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/) binds `alt+enter` to the "toggle fullscreen" command by default. To reclaim `alt+enter` for Broot, [add an 'unbound' entry to the actions array in settings.json](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/customize-settings/actions#unbind-keys):

```json
{"command": "unbound", "keys": "alt+enter"}
```

# Searching is slow when I mount a slow remote disk

Broot dives into all visible directories to look for the best matches.
This can be a problem if you mount a remote disk.
The solution is to tell broot not to automatically enter the directory. It will still be entered if you focus it yourself.

* [define a special-path in configuration](../conf_file/#special-paths)
* [relevant issue](https://github.com/Canop/broot/issues/251)

# My system has neither xdg-open nor any equivalent and doesn't know how to open files

In such a case, which isn't rare in server systems, you can rebind <kbd>enter</kbd> to the program of your choice.

* [change standard file opening](../tricks/#change-standard-file-opening)

# Everything feels slow, even moving the selection or scrolling

It's probably your terminal app's fault. You could check that by using any other TUI application.

Most terminal apps are fine but some, made with Electron or worse, or crippled with fancy plugins, take dozens of milliseconds to redraw the screen. You should not use those applications.

# Broot doesn't seem to work on msysgit or git bash

I have no solution for that. If you know how to tackle the problem, the maintainers of [Crossterm](https://github.com/crossterm-rs/crossterm) would be interested too.

# Broot doesn't seem to work correctly on Windows before 10

Even Microsoft doesn't support them anymore. If you have a cheap solution it's welcome but I don't have any.

# Trouble with PowerShell Encoding

Some problems in PowerShell are linked to a wrong encoding. You should set it to UTF-8 in your [profile](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_profiles?view=powershell-7.1).

This will create a profile if it doesn't exist:
```powershell
if (!(Test-Path -Path $PROFILE)) {
  New-Item -ItemType File -Path $PROFILE -Force
}
```

`notepad $PROFILE` will open the profile config.

Add this line:

```
[Console]::OutputEncoding = [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8
```

Run the following with admin privilege ([source](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.security/set-executionpolicy?view=powershell-7.1)):

```powershell
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
Unblock-File -Path $PROFILE
```

This will ensure your profile is loaded in new terminals/sessions.
You can check it by opening a new terminal then running `[Console]::Out`.
The output should show an encoding of `System.Text.UTF8Encoding`.

# Broot doesn't seem as fast or feature complete on Windows

It isn't. I'm not a Windows programmer and I don't even have a machine to test. I'd welcome the help of a programmer with the relevant competences and the will to improve broot.