How to Screenshot on Linux Ubuntu | Keyboard Keys & Command Line

To screenshot on Linux, press PrtScn to capture the full screen, Alt + PrtScn for the active window, or Shift + PrtScn to select an area. Screenshots save automatically in the Pictures folder or clipboard.

Capturing your Linux desktop isn’t one-size-fits-all.

You See, Each of the desktop environment—GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE has their own shortcuts and utilities, plus plenty of third-party options.

Whether you want a quick fullscreen grab or an annotated region shot, today i have every methods that will fit all your needs.

1. Keyboard Shortcuts by Desktop Environment

Most Linux desktops support dedicated Print Screen shortcuts, though the exact combos vary:

Environment	Full Screen	Current Window	Select Region
GNOME	Print (PrtScn)	Alt + Print	Shift + Print
KDE Plasma (Spectacle)	Shift + Print	Meta + Print	Meta + Shift + Print
Cinnamon (Linux Mint)	Print	Alt + Print	Shift + Print
Xfce (Screenshooter)	Custom – `xfce4-screenshooter -f`	Custom – `-w`	Custom – `-r`
MATE / LXDE	Behaves like GNOME	—	Manual setup

On GNOME, screenshots land in the Pictures folder. KDE’s Spectacle does the same but opens a preview window for saving or copying. If nothing happens when you press Print Screen, check your Keyboard Shortcuts settings as some distros don’t bind it automatically.

Tip: Hold Ctrl with any shortcut to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it.

2. Command-Line Screenshot Tools

If the shortcut key doesn’t work and you Prefer the terminal? Linux still offers several CLI utilities for fast, scriptable captures.

scrot – Lightweight and reliable.

scrot myshot.png → full screen
scrot -u mywindow.png → active window
scrot -s myarea.png → drag to select
Add -d 5 for a delay or -c for countdown feedback.

maim – “Make Image.” Works like scrot but supports modern displays.

maim screenshot.png (full)
maim -s region.png (select area)
maim -d 10 shot.png (delay 10 s)

import (ImageMagick) – Great for advanced users.

import -window root screen.png (entire desktop)
import shot.png (click to select)

xfce4-screenshooter – Also runs from the CLI.
Options: -f (fullscreen), -w (window), -r (region), -c (clipboard).

grim (Wayland) – The Wayland equivalent of scrot.

grim out.png (all screens)
grim -g "$(slurp)" region.png (select area interactively)

gnome-screenshot – GNOME’s own command-line version.

gnome-screenshot -w (window)
gnome-screenshot -a (area)
Add --delay 5 or -c for clipboard copy.

All are available through your package manager:
sudo apt install scrot maim imagemagick gnome-screenshot xfce4-screenshooter grim

3. Built-In Screenshot Utilities

GNOME Screenshot: It is a Simple dialog and it can get you full, window, or area capture with optional delay. Saves automatically to ~/Pictures.
KDE Spectacle: Feature-rich with delay timer, pointer toggle, and preview window. Screenshots open instantly for saving, copying, or annotation.
Xfce4-Screenshooter: Basic but effective. Choose fullscreen, window, or region, add a delay, and save or copy.
Cinnamon & MATE: Use GNOME’s screenshot tool and shortcuts by default.

4. Third-Party GUI Tools

Flameshot

The go-to for quick annotation. Launch flameshot gui to set it up.

I would use this to draw arrows, blur sensitive areas, or add text before saving. It can also upload directly to Imgur and supports CLI automation.

Shutter

Ummm this tool is recommended for power users who edit screenshots frequently. Similar to Shutter, this also Captures full screens, windows, menus, or URLs, then lets you crop, label, and blur inside its built-in editor.

Kazam

Technically, this is not a screenshot tool but Primarily a recorder but includes one-click screenshot support. So, it can work indirectly for taking screenshot.

OBS Studio

Again like Kazam, not exactly a screenshot tool, but it is designed for streaming, yet capable of precise frame captures.

Other options include Ksnip, Peek, and ImageMagick’s import each with specialized workflows.

How to Save Linux Screenshots?

Most of the tools and shortcut keys default to PNG for lossless quality and they store the images in the Pictures folder.

You can specify another format simply by changing the extension—scrot shot.jpg or import screen.jpeg.

GUI apps like Spectacle and Flameshot let you customize save locations and filename patterns.

Annotating and Editing

Flameshot and Shutter include built-in annotation tools for arrows, shapes, and blurring.

But if you still want deeper edits, open your screenshot in KolourPaint, Pinta, or GIMP.

For screenshot that was copied to the clipboard, just paste directly into your editor and you can edit from there. it’s pretty simple and nothing too complicated. Most of them are self-explanatory.

How to Share Linux Screenshots?

You can:

Copy to clipboard (Ctrl + Print or -c flag)
Upload via Flameshot or Shutter’s built-in Imgur tools
Attach to email or chat directly from your file manager
Sync via cloud services or use scp for direct transfers

It is also possible to simply Drag-and-drop instantly in Slack, Discord, or Teams. That works too.

Where Can I Find the Print Screen Key on Linux?

The PrtScn key usually sits near F12 on desktop keyboards or doubles with Fn on laptops.

But if your laptop lacks it, try Shift + Super + S (GNOME) for the new interactive tool.

You can always rebind shortcuts under System Settings – Keyboard – Screenshots.

How to Customize Screenshot Shortcut?

Let’s say the shortcut keys are too confusing for you or want to set it to something else, you can tweak or create new screenshot hotkeys.

GNOME: Settings → Keyboard → Shortcuts → Screenshots
KDE: System Settings → Shortcuts → Spectacle
Xfce: Settings → Keyboard → Application Shortcuts
Cinnamon / MATE: Keyboard → Shortcuts

You can even use xmodmap or setxkbmap to remap keys system-wide if you prefer total control.

Personally i find Linux to give you more flexibility than any other OS when it comes to screenshots, keyboard, terminal, or GUI. Whether you’re debugging code, making a tutorial, or just sharing a meme, there’s a tool and shortcut for every workflow.

I hope i can be of help and this tutorials end your look for linux screenshot tips online. Bookmark this page for future use if needed.