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Taking a screenshot is a common process especially in Linux. Many screen capture tools are available in the market, but one thing they all have in common is they try to make it easy. For example XScreenShot, Shutter, and Gyazo can be used without any user training or learning curve. It’s just a click away and you’re good to go. But how do they really compare? Is there one better than the rest? Are they all equal? I decided to do some research to find the best screenshot tool linux reddit. And I glad I did, because what I found out was surprising and inspiring.
The Linux world has some amazing features that we might not always see in the Windows world. This is the case with screenshots. The tools included with the Linux operating system for taking screenshots are one of the most powerful and useful tools for creating various types of screenshots. They are easy to use, and they offer options that are not available in other types of capture software.
Everyone spends time creating things. But unfortunately, some tools are not perfect . They leave out important features and have bad user interfaces. This can be very frustrating for a user. In this article we will compare the best Screenshot tools for Linux . Beside these features, I’ll also talk about the features I liked most and least to help you decide which tool is best for you.
Capture Screenshots on Your Ubuntu Machine
Thanks to its open-source culture, Ubuntu boasts many free apps that you can switch to. Any of the apps listed on this list can help you take screenshots without hassles. Hopefully, you found the one that was fitting for your needs.
For those who don’t want to install a screenshot app on their system, several websites are available that allow you to take screenshots of websites online with ease.
1. Shutter
If you are looking for an easy-to-use screen capture tool for Linux, Shutter is one of the most popular options that should not be missed. It will allow you to capture the entire screen or just a portion of it.
One thing that most people enjoyed is how you can immediately edit the images that have been captured. You can highlight specific parts of the captured images and leave important notes. This is unlike in the case of other screen capture tools where you will be required to use an external tool for editing images. It also has an integrated feature that will allow you to easily share the captured and edited images, such as in online forums. Even if it is your first time using this screen shot tool, you will not experience any complication as it is built with the needs of users in mind.
2. Imagemagick
Imagemagick is a free open-source software for displaying, converting, and editing images and vector image files with the support of more than 200 image formats. It also comes with the ability to take screenshots on Linux by using a rich set of commands.
With Imagemagick screen capture tool, you can take a screenshot of the entire screen or the currently active window, or take a screenshot of a selected area of the screen.
3. Gimp
Gimp is one of the most comprehensive and free image manipulation software available on Linux. It is also a free open-source image editor with the ability to edit, resize and retouch images and take screenshots of the whole or fixed area of the screen as well.
Taking a screenshot with GIMP is easy, just click Create Screenshot option from the File menu, and then select the area that you want to take a screenshot. After the screenshot, you can also apply some effects or edit the image per need.
4. Kazam
Whether it is a screenshot or screencast, Kazam will prove to be handy. The video file of the screen recording can be played in VP8/WebM format. Aside from visuals, this tool will also allow users to record accompanying audio from a compatible source. If you are using Ubuntu, to get this app, you simply have to type “Sudo apt-get install Kazaa”.
Kazam is excellent because it offers versatility. If you do not want to record the entire screen, you will have the option to record only a selected area. It is also a good thing that it is a light file that won’t consume too much memory space. However, it does not come without any problem. Many of those who have used such complained about the lack of webcam viewers. It is also not usable in all configurations.
5. GNOME Screenshot
GNOME Screenshot is a default utility that comes along with Ubuntu in GNOME desktop, used to take screenshots or record the screen activity. It is a powerful screenshot tool to capture the whole screen or a particular area of the screen for Linux. You can use the shortcut keys to take a screenshot and record the screencast, or take a screenshot in the GNOME Screenshot GUI.
In the GUI interface, you can choose to grab the whole desktop screenshot, grab the currently active window or select a particular area to grab. You can also set up the effects such as including the pointer or including the window’s border and apply some effects.
You can check the official user guide about how to take screenshots and screencasts with GNOME here.
6. ScreenStudio
This Java-based screen capture application is known for its excellent performance, as well as user-friendly interface. It can be run on any distribution; you only have to make sure that you have “avconv” installed on your computer.
The team behind the creation of this screencasting tool continuously creates improvements for a better user experience. You will be able to record in either MP4 or FLV format. The quality and size of the recording can also be easily changed.
There is no need to have the extensive technical knowledge to make the most out of this application. Adding a text overlay is also possible, making it excellent when it comes to customization. If you are using this application, make sure to frequently check for updates to be provided with an improved way of using such a tool.
7. Simple Screen Recorder
As the name implies, it can make a screen recording a task that you can easily accomplish. It was created to offer users a simple app for Linux screen recording. It comes with sensible default settings, which means that there is no need to change any option to enjoy basic screen capture functionality.
Through the improvements, however, the simple functionality has been added with more options for customization, making it a more extensive tool. It comes with a QT-based graphical interface, and it is also faster than the performance of FFmpeg/Avon and VLC.
It also allows recording the entire screen or a portion of it. Audio synchronization is also possible with this screencast tool. There is an integrated hotkey, which can be pressed anytime to pause video recording.
Here are several ways you can take screenshots and edit the screenshots by adding text, arrows etc. Instructions and mentioned screenshot tools are valid for Ubuntu and other major Linux distributions.
When I switched from Windows to Ubuntu as my primary OS, the first thing I was worried about was the availability of screenshot tools. Well, it is easy to utilize the default keyboard shortcuts in order to take screenshots but with a standalone tool, I get to annotate/edit the image while taking the screenshot.
In this article, we will introduce you to the default methods/tools (without a 3rd party screenshot tool) to take a screenshot while also covering the list of best screenshot tools available for Linux.
Method 1: The default way to take screenshot in Linux
Do you want to capture the image of your entire screen? A specific region? A specific window?
If you just want a simple screenshot without any annotations/fancy editing capabilities, the default keyboard shortcuts will do the trick. These are not specific to Ubuntu. Almost all Linux distributions and desktop environments support these keyboard shortcuts.
Let’s take a look at the list of keyboard shortcuts you can utilize:
PrtSc – Save a screenshot of the entire screen to the “Pictures” directory.
Shift + PrtSc – Save a screenshot of a specific region to Pictures.
Alt + PrtSc – Save a screenshot of the current window to Pictures.
Ctrl + PrtSc – Copy the screenshot of the entire screen to the clipboard.
Shift + Ctrl + PrtSc – Copy the screenshot of a specific region to the clipboard.
Ctrl + Alt + PrtSc – Copy the screenshot of the current window to the clipboard.
As you can see, taking screenshots in Linux is absolutely simple with the default GNOME screenshot tool. However, if you want to immediately annotate (or other editing features) without importing the screenshot to another application, you can use a dedicated screenshot tool.
Method 2: Take and edit screenshots in Linux with Flameshot
Feature Overview
- Annotate (highlight, point, add text, box in)
- Blur part of an image
- Crop part of an image
- Upload to Imgur
- Open screenshot with another app
Flameshot is a quite impressive screenshot tool which arrived on GitHub last year.
If you have been searching for a screenshot tool that helps you annotate, blur, mark, and upload to imgur while being actively maintained unlike some outdated screenshot tools, Flameshot should be the one to have installed.
Fret not, we will guide you how to install it and configure it as per your preferences.
To install it on Ubuntu, you just need to search for it on Ubuntu Software center and get it installed. In case you want to use the terminal, here’s the command for it:
sudo apt install flameshotIf you face any trouble installing, you can follow their official installation instructions. After installation, you need to configure it. Well, you can always search for it and launch it, but if you want to trigger the Flameshot screenshot tool by using PrtSc key, you need to assign a custom keyboard shortcut.
Here’s how you can do that:
- Head to the system settings and navigate your way to the Keyboard settings.
- You will find all the keyboard shortcuts listed there, ignore them and scroll down to the bottom. Now, you will find a + button.
- Click the “+” button to add a custom shortcut. You need to enter the following in the fields you get:
Name: Anything You Want
Command: /usr/bin/flameshot gui - Finally, set the shortcut to PrtSc – which will warn you that the default screenshot functionality will be disabled – so proceed doing it.
For reference, your custom keyboard shortcut field should look like this after configuration:
Method 3: Take and edit screenshots in Linux with Shutter
Feature Overview:
- Annotate (highlight, point, add text, box in)
- Blur part of an image
- Crop part of an image
- Upload to image hosting sites
Shutter is a popular screenshot tool available for all major Linux distributions. Though it seems to be no more being actively developed, it is still an excellent choice for handling screenshots.
You might encounter certain bugs/errors. The most common problem with Shutter on any latest Linux distro releases is that the ability to edit the screenshots is disabled by default along with the missing applet indicator. But, fret not, we have a solution to that. You just need to follow our guide to fix the disabled edit option in Shutter and bring back the applet indicator.
After you’re done fixing the problem, you can utilize it to edit the screenshots in a jiffy.
To install shutter, you can browse the software center and get it from there. Alternatively, you can use the following command in the terminal to install Shutter in Ubuntu-based distributions:
sudo apt install shutterAs we saw with Flameshot, you can either choose to use the app launcher to search for Shutter and manually launch the application, or you can follow the same set of instructions (with a different command) to set a custom shortcut to trigger Shutter when you press the PrtSc key.
If you are going to assign a custom keyboard shortcut, you just need to use the following in the command field:
shutter -fMethod 4: Use GIMP for taking screenshots in Linux
Feature Overview:
- Advanced Image Editing Capabilities (Scaling, Adding filters, color correction, Add layers, Crop, and so on.)
- Take a screenshot of the selected area
If you happen to use GIMP a lot and you probably want some advance edits on your screenshots, GIMP would be a good choice for that.
You should already have it installed, if not, you can always head to your software center to install it. If you have trouble installing, you can always refer to their official website for installation instructions.
To take a screenshot with GIMP, you need to first launch it, and then navigate your way through File->Create->Screenshot.
After you click on the screenshot option, you will be greeted with a couple of tweaks to control the screenshot. That’s just it. Click “Snap” to take the screenshot and the image will automatically appear within GIMP, ready for you to edit.
Method 5: Taking screenshot in Linux using command line tools
This section is strictly for terminal lovers. If you like using the terminal, you can utilize the GNOME screenshot tool or ImageMagick or Deepin Scrot– which comes baked in on most of the popular Linux distributions.
To take a screenshot instantly, enter the following command:
GNOME Screenshot (for GNOME desktop users)
gnome-screenshotTo take a screenshot with a delay, enter the following command (here, 5 – is the number of seconds you want to delay)
GNOME screenshot is one of the default tools that exists in all distributions with GNOME desktop.
gnome-screenshot -d -5ImageMagick
ImageMagick should be already pre-installed on your system if you are using Ubuntu, Mint, or any other popular Linux distribution. In case, it isn’t there, you can always install it by following the official installation instructions (from source). In either case, you can enter the following in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install imagemagickAfter you have it installed, you can type in the following commands to take a screenshot:
To take the screenshot of your entire screen:
import -window root image.pngHere, “image.png” is your desired name for the screenshot.
To take the screenshot of a specific area:
import image.pngDeepin Scrot
Deepin Scrot is a slightly advanced terminal-based screenshot tool. Similar to the others, you should already have it installed. If not, get it installed through the terminal by typing:
sudo apt-get install scrotAfter having it installed, follow the instructions below to take a screenshot:
To take a screenshot of the entire screen:
scrot myimage.pngTo take a screenshot of the selected aread:
scrot -s myimage.pngConclusion
Best Screenshot Tool Linux Reddit The photo should be your guide to taking a better screenshot. You may use the printscreen button to quickly take a screenshot but what you receive is just a blank image. The method mentioned above offers you with an assurance of top quality screenshots. It is easy and quick, but the end result can make or break an important shot. If you want to share your screenshot on social media or transmit it through a messenger, then PNG will be your best choice.
Whether you are a programmer or a developer, or someone who enforces the security of an IT system, having good images of what is happening for you on your screen is always necessary. If you have to take these screenshots, or if you want to make them as beautiful as possible, there are some free tools out there that will do a better job than the standard images that appear on your screen and prints the screen after the keystroke.