diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index 2367c0e..4849c31 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -200,11 +200,11 @@
     },
     "nixpkgs": {
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1771208521,
-        "narHash": "sha256-X01Q3DgSpjeBpapoGA4rzKOn25qdKxbPnxHeMLNoHTU=",
+        "lastModified": 1771903837,
+        "narHash": "sha256-sdaqdnsQCv3iifzxwB22tUwN/fSHoN7j2myFW5EIkGk=",
         "owner": "nixos",
         "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "fa56d7d6de78f5a7f997b0ea2bc6efd5868ad9e8",
+        "rev": "e764fc9a405871f1f6ca3d1394fb422e0a0c3951",
         "type": "github"
       },
       "original": {
@@ -216,11 +216,11 @@
     },
     "nixpkgs-unstable": {
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1771008912,
-        "narHash": "sha256-gf2AmWVTs8lEq7z/3ZAsgnZDhWIckkb+ZnAo5RzSxJg=",
+        "lastModified": 1771848320,
+        "narHash": "sha256-0MAd+0mun3K/Ns8JATeHT1sX28faLII5hVLq0L3BdZU=",
         "owner": "nixos",
         "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "a82ccc39b39b621151d6732718e3e250109076fa",
+        "rev": "2fc6539b481e1d2569f25f8799236694180c0993",
         "type": "github"
       },
       "original": {
diff --git a/frame12/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl b/frame12/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
index 5380390..ea90786 100644
--- a/frame12/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
+++ b/frame12/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ window-rule {
 
 // Block out notifications from screencasts.
 layer-rule {
-    match namespace="^notifications$"
+    match namespace="^noctalia-notifications"
 
     block-out-from "screencast"
 }
diff --git a/frame12/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix b/frame12/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
index 78dd68e..8362eb2 100755
--- a/frame12/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
+++ b/frame12/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
@@ -37,23 +37,7 @@ in
 
     nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = config.niriwm.useNonFree;
 
-    ###
-    ##  XDG portal setup
-    ###
-    xdg.portal = {
-      config = {
-        common = {
-          default = [
-            "wlr"
-          ];
-        };
-      };
-      extraPortals = with pkgs; [
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-      ];
-      wlr.enable = true;
-      enable = true;
-    };
+    # Portal setup is handled by programs.niri.enable (niri-portals.conf)
     xdg.sounds.enable = true;
 
     ###
@@ -93,7 +77,7 @@ in
       # use wayland
       MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND = "1";
       T_QPA_PLATFORM = "wayland";
-      GDK_BACKEND = "wayland";
+      # GDK_BACKEND must NOT be set globally - it breaks the screencast portal
       WLR_NO_HARDWARE_CURSORS = "1";
       ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_HINT = "auto";
       NIXOS_OZONE_WL = "1";
diff --git a/frame12/modules/niri/niri_home.nix b/frame12/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
index 92f7af9..df9b086 100644
--- a/frame12/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
+++ b/frame12/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@
         pavucontrol
         syncthingtray
         tailscale-systray
-        # include portals here for flatpak
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
+        # Portals are managed at system level by programs.niri.enable
       ]
       config.nirihome.homePackages
     ];
diff --git a/jaci/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix b/jaci/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
index df73326..ef14fb1 100644
--- a/jaci/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
+++ b/jaci/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
@@ -40,23 +40,7 @@ in
 
     nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = config.niriwm.useNonFree;
 
-    ###
-    ##  XDG portal setup
-    ###
-    xdg.portal = {
-      config = {
-        common = {
-          default = [
-            "wlr"
-          ];
-        };
-      };
-      extraPortals = with pkgs; [
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-      ];
-      wlr.enable = true;
-      enable = true;
-    };
+    # Portal setup is handled by programs.niri.enable (niri-portals.conf)
     xdg.sounds.enable = true;
 
     ###
@@ -92,7 +76,7 @@ in
       # use wayland
       MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND = "1";
       T_QPA_PLATFORM = "wayland";
-      GDK_BACKEND = "wayland";
+      # GDK_BACKEND must NOT be set globally - it breaks the screencast portal
       WLR_NO_HARDWARE_CURSORS = "1";
       ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_HINT = "auto";
       NIXOS_OZONE_WL = "1";
diff --git a/jaci/modules/niri/niri_home.nix b/jaci/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
index 57c5d19..e0a01d3 100644
--- a/jaci/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
+++ b/jaci/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@
         pavucontrol
         syncthingtray
         tailscale-systray
-        # include portals here for flatpak
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
+        # Portals are managed at system level by programs.niri.enable
       ]
       config.nirihome.homePackages
     ];
diff --git a/nate-work/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl b/nate-work/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
index ce9c76b..0abfe39 100644
--- a/nate-work/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
+++ b/nate-work/linked-dotfiles/niri/config.kdl
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ debug {
 // 
 output "HDMI-A-1" {
     scale 1.0
-    variable-refresh-rate on-demand=true
+    // variable-refresh-rate on-demand=true
     transform "normal"
 }
 
@@ -258,11 +258,21 @@ window-rule {
 
 // Block out notifications from screencasts.
 layer-rule {
-    match namespace="^notifications$"
+    match namespace="noctalia-notifications"
+    match namespace="notifications"
+    match namespace="noctalia-bar-exclusion"
 
     block-out-from "screencast"
 }
 
+layer-rule {
+    match namespace="noctalia-notifications"
+    match namespace="notifications"
+    match namespace="noctalia-bar-exclusion"
+
+    block-out-from "screen-capture"
+}
+
 // Noctalia overview wallpaper on backdrop (blurred in overview mode)
 layer-rule {
     match namespace="^noctalia-overview*"
diff --git a/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix b/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
index 4fac724..f9f38d6 100644
--- a/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
+++ b/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
@@ -28,23 +28,7 @@
 
         nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = config.niriwm.useNonFree;
         
-        ###
-        ##  XDG portal setup
-        ###
-        xdg.portal = {
-            config = {
-                common = {
-                  default = [
-                    "wlr"
-                  ];
-                };
-            };
-            extraPortals = with pkgs; [
-                xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-            ];
-            wlr.enable = true;
-            enable = true;
-        };
+        # Portal setup is handled by programs.niri.enable (niri-portals.conf)
         xdg.sounds.enable = true;
 
         ###
@@ -88,7 +72,7 @@
           MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND = "1";
           FIREFOX_USE_SYSTEM_THEME = "true";
           T_QPA_PLATFORM = "wayland";
-          GDK_BACKEND = "wayland";
+          # GDK_BACKEND must NOT be set globally - it breaks the screencast portal
           WLR_NO_HARDWARE_CURSORS = "1";
           ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_HINT = "auto";
           NIXOS_OZONE_WL = "1";
diff --git a/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_home.nix b/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
index e24f418..130698d 100644
--- a/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
+++ b/nate-work/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@
         pavucontrol
         syncthingtray
         tailscale-systray
-        # include portals here for flatpak
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
+        # Portals are managed at system level by programs.niri.enable
       ]
       config.nirihome.homePackages
     ];
diff --git a/nate/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix b/nate/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
index 1631f0e..e5445c2 100644
--- a/nate/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
+++ b/nate/modules/niri/niri_conf.nix
@@ -41,23 +41,7 @@ in
 
     nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = config.niriwm.useNonFree;
 
-    ###
-    ##  XDG portal setup
-    ###
-    xdg.portal = {
-      config = {
-        common = {
-          default = [
-            "wlr"
-          ];
-        };
-      };
-      extraPortals = with pkgs; [
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-      ];
-      wlr.enable = true;
-      enable = true;
-    };
+    # Portal setup is handled by programs.niri.enable (niri-portals.conf)
     xdg.sounds.enable = true;
 
     ###
@@ -99,7 +83,7 @@ in
       MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND = "1";
       FIREFOX_USE_SYSTEM_THEME = "true";
       T_QPA_PLATFORM = "wayland";
-      GDK_BACKEND = "wayland";
+      # GDK_BACKEND must NOT be set globally - it breaks the screencast portal
       WLR_NO_HARDWARE_CURSORS = "1";
       ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_HINT = "auto";
       NIXOS_OZONE_WL = "1";
diff --git a/nate/modules/niri/niri_home.nix b/nate/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
index 8f00f0c..1bfaa2d 100644
--- a/nate/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
+++ b/nate/modules/niri/niri_home.nix
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@
         pavucontrol
         syncthingtray
         tailscale-systray
-        # include portals here for flatpak
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gnome
-        xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
+        # Portals are managed at system level by programs.niri.enable
       ]
       config.nirihome.homePackages
     ];