How to Screenshot on Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora)
Published October 17, 2026 · 7 min read
Taking a screenshot is one of the easiest ways to explain what's happening on your computer. Whether you want to show an error, save an important screen, report a software issue, or create a simple guide, a screenshot saves time and makes communication much clearer.
There are several simple ways to take a screenshot on Linux. Ubuntu, Fedora, and other popular distributions include built-in screenshot tools, and extra apps give you more control when you need it. Once you have the image, you also need an easy way to share it, which is where sshot.online comes in.
What is a screenshot on Linux?
A screenshot is a picture of your screen. It can show the entire desktop, a single application window, or a selected area. Developers, students, support teams, writers, designers, and everyday users all rely on them.
How you take one depends mainly on your desktop environment rather than the distribution itself. Ubuntu and Fedora Workstation both use GNOME by default, so the steps below are the same on both. If you use KDE Plasma (for example Kubuntu or the Fedora KDE edition), see the KDE section.
How to take a screenshot on Ubuntu and Fedora (GNOME)
On recent versions of Ubuntu (22.04 and later) and Fedora Workstation:
- Press Print (sometimes labeled PrtSc). The screenshot tool opens.
- Choose Selection, Screen, or Window, then drag or click to pick what to capture. You can also toggle whether the mouse pointer is included.
- Press Enter or click the capture button.
The screenshot is saved to ~/Pictures/Screenshots and copied to your clipboard at
the same time.
GNOME screenshot shortcuts
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Open the screenshot tool (select area, screen, or window) | |
| Shift+Print | Capture the whole screen immediately |
| Alt+Print | Capture the current window immediately |
The same screenshot tool can also record your screen: switch it from the camera icon to the video icon. You can also open it without the keyboard by searching for "screenshot" in Activities. Shortcuts can be changed under Settings → Keyboard → View and Customize Shortcuts → Screenshots.
Note that GNOME's built-in tool has no annotation or delay timer. For arrows, boxes, and text, use one of the dedicated apps below.
Older Ubuntu and Fedora versions
On Ubuntu 20.04 and earlier, and Fedora 35 and earlier, the shortcuts work differently and
save the image straight to ~/Pictures without opening a tool:
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Capture the whole screen (all monitors) | |
| Alt+Print | Capture the active window |
| Shift+Print | Drag to select an area |
| Add Ctrl to any of the above | Copy to the clipboard instead of saving a file |
These versions also include the Screenshot app (gnome-screenshot),
which offers a delay timer, handy for capturing dropdown menus and tooltips that disappear when
you press a key.
Capturing menus and tooltips with a delay
To capture something that vanishes as soon as you press a key, use a delayed capture so you have time to open it first:
- KDE Spectacle: set the Delay option before capturing.
- Flameshot:
flameshot gui -d 3000waits 3 seconds. - gnome-screenshot (if installed):
gnome-screenshot -d 3, or add-wfor the current window or-ato select an area.
How to take a screenshot on KDE Plasma
KDE uses an app called Spectacle. Press Print to open it, choose the capture area (full screen, active window, or a rectangular region), and save or copy the result. Meta+Shift+Print jumps straight to selecting a region. Spectacle also has built-in annotation tools for arrows, boxes, and text.
How to take a screenshot on XFCE
XFCE (used by Xubuntu and the Fedora XFCE spin) uses Screenshooter. Press Print to open it, choose the entire screen, the active window, or a selected region, set an optional delay, and then save, copy, or open the image in another app.
Dedicated screenshot apps
- Flameshot lets you select an area and annotate it with arrows, boxes, blur, and text before saving. It's available in the Ubuntu and Fedora repositories.
- Shutter supports sessions, which help when you're capturing several images during one task. It works best on X11 sessions; on Wayland (the default on current Ubuntu and Fedora) some of its capture modes are limited.
Taking screenshots from the command line
Command-line tools are handy for scripts or delayed captures. Which one works depends on
whether your session uses Wayland or X11 (check with echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE):
- Wayland on wlroots-based desktops such as Sway:
grimcaptures the screen, andgrim -g "$(slurp)" shot.pngcaptures a selected area. - X11:
scrotormaim, for examplemaim -s shot.pngto select an area. - KDE:
spectacle -b -r -o shot.pngcaptures a region without opening the window.
Why screenshots are useful
When an application shows an error, a screenshot shows exactly what happened instead of making you describe every detail. A support team can ask a customer to capture the error, upload it, and send the link. Students use screenshots in tutorials, assignments, and notes. Developers capture code errors, application behavior, and configuration screens. Website owners use them to explain interface problems or demonstrate features.
The main advantage is simple: a clear image often explains something faster than a long written description.
Share your screenshot easily with sshot.online
Taking the screenshot is only half the job. Sending it as an email attachment gets clumsy, especially with several images. sshot.online turns it into a link instead:
- Take your screenshot. On GNOME it's already on your clipboard.
- Open sshot.online and press
Ctrl+V, or drag the file from
~/Pictures/Screenshotsonto the page, or browse for it. - Copy the share link and send it anywhere.
PNG, JPG, GIF, and WebP images up to 3 MB are supported, and there's no account required: no profile and no email address. That makes it handy for technical support, forum posts, documentation, and team chat.
Share screenshots with a direct image link
Every upload gives you both a share page and a direct image link. The direct link points straight at the image file, so you can embed it in documentation, a forum post, a README, or a chat tool that previews images. Instead of an attachment, you just send a link that opens in any browser.
Multiple screenshots for guides and tutorials
Sometimes one screenshot isn't enough. When preparing a tutorial, troubleshooting a problem, or documenting a process, take a screenshot at each step, upload each one, and list the links in order in your document or message.
If much of what you capture is in a browser, the sshot.online browser extension can capture a selected area of a tab, let you annotate it, and upload it for sharing in one step. It works in Chrome, Chromium, Brave, Edge, and Opera on Linux.
Tips for a faster Linux screenshot workflow
- Use the shortcut that matches the job. Alt+Print for a quick window grab, Print when you need to select precisely, and Flameshot or Spectacle when you need annotations.
- Skip the file when you can. If the screenshot is on your clipboard, paste it straight into sshot.online or a chat app instead of digging through folders.
- Agree on a style for documentation. Decide whether screenshots show the full desktop with panels and window borders, or are cropped tightly around the relevant part of the interface, and keep it consistent.
- Clean up regularly.
~/Pictures/Screenshotsfills up fast; delete old captures you've already shared.
Screenshots on Linux for work and support
Screenshots are part of everyday digital communication. A developer shows an application error, a customer shows a website problem, a teacher explains a software feature, and a teammate shares a visual example in a discussion. The process stays simple: capture the screen, upload the image, copy the link, and share it where it's needed.
Conclusion
Knowing how to take a screenshot on Linux is useful for almost every Linux user. Ubuntu and Fedora have convenient built-in tools, KDE has Spectacle, and apps like Flameshot add more control. Once your screenshot is ready, sshot.online makes sharing simple: upload without signing up, get a shareable link, and use the direct image link when you need to place the screenshot in documentation or a conversation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I take a screenshot on Linux?
On Ubuntu and Fedora, press Print to open the screenshot tool, then choose a selection, the whole screen, or a window. Shift+Print captures the whole screen and Alt+Print captures the current window immediately. On KDE Plasma, Print opens Spectacle.
How do I screenshot just one window or a specific area?
On current Ubuntu and Fedora, Alt+Print captures the active window, and Print opens the screenshot tool where you can drag to select an area. On Ubuntu 20.04 and earlier, Shift+Print selects an area.
Where are Linux screenshots saved?
On current Ubuntu and Fedora with GNOME, screenshots are saved to
~/Pictures/Screenshots and also copied to the clipboard. Older versions save
to ~/Pictures. File names include the date and time, such as
Screenshot from 2026-10-17 14-35-42.png.
Can I share a Linux screenshot with a link?
Yes. Paste or upload your screenshot on sshot.online and you get a shareable link and a direct image link, without creating an account.
Does sshot.online require registration?
No. You can upload screenshots and create shareable links without signing up.
What image formats does sshot.online support?
PNG, JPG, GIF, and WebP images up to 3 MB per file.
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