How to Take Screenshots on Arch Linux

Capturing screen on Arch Linux can serve various purposes which include, creating documentation, troubleshooting, demonstrating different features of any application, or capturing evidence. Just like the Windows operating system, every Linux distribution comes with its default screenshot tool based on the desktop environment. However, the default screenshot tool has very limited editing features, which urges the user to install a third-party screenshot tool on Arch.

Outline:

• How to Take Screenshots on Arch Linux
• GNOME Default Screenshot App
• Shutter Screenshot Tool
• GIMP Screenshot Tool
• flameshot App
• Ksnip Screenshot Tool
• Conclusion

How To Take Screenshots on Arch Linux

Screenshots on Arch primarily serve the purpose of providing a visual aid to someone about any new feature, any error, or any evident change in the system performance. The task of just capturing the respective screen doesn’t fulfill the need, but most of the time important information is to be highlighted.

This requires an entry-level editing option in the screenshots tool, which is only present in some. So on Arch, there are various ways to take screenshots some of which will be explained in this guide.

1: Through The GNOME Default Screenshot App

On Arch, if you have installed the GNOME desktop environment, then there will be a pre-installed application for screenshots named Take a Screenshot. To launch it, search screenshot in its show applications menu:

Once you have launched the application, a small menu at the bottom will appear and from there first set your screen selection and then click on the screenshot icon:

After the screenshot is taken, it is saved in the screenshot folder in the home directory:

Alternatively, if you need to take a screenshot of the terminal or console window, then just right-click on it and select Take Screenshot:

Furthermore, you can use the print screen key on the keyboard to launch this screenshot tool as well.

2: Through Shutter Screenshot Tool

If you are always working on multiple windows or executing multiple tasks simultaneously, then try this shutter screenshot tool. It provides the option of selecting any specific window in case of multiple windows, to install it on Arch execute:

Next, launch the shutter screenshot tool on Arch either from the applications menu or execute:

Now here you will see a bunch of options for selecting the windows for screenshot:

If you want to manually select the area for the screenshot, then simply just click on the selection option:

Now drag your mouse cursor to select the area for the screenshot and afterward hit enter:

If you have multiple windows running and want to take a screenshot of any one of them, then just select it from the windowed option:

The same is the case if you are running multiple workspaces:

Now if you want to retake the recent screenshot then simply click on the restart option:

This screenshot tool automatically saves the captured screenshots in the pictures directory of Arch:

3: Through GIMP Screenshot Tool

If you are looking for an extensive range of editing options for screenshots then this is the tool you need to try. It is GNU image manipulation which is free to use, to install it on Arch execute:

Now you can launch it from the terminal by executing the gimp command, to take a screenshot click on the screenshot option in the create menu under the file option. Next set your preference for capturing the screen, to do it manually check to select a region to grab options and then click on Snap:

Now the captured screenshot will appear in the editor and from there you can make all sorts of edits to it:

This tool doesn’t save the screenshots automatically, so you have to save them manually by yourself:

4: Through Flameshot App

Another tool that you can use if you are looking for some basic editing features that are easy to work with is Flameshot, to install it on Arch execute:

Now launch Flameshot on Arch Linux by either the application menu or by terminal:

Here, there is some information about some tasks you can perform, to take the screenshot simply select the specific window:

Now that you have selected the area for the screenshot you can make edits to it like adding colorful arrows, writing any text, or making any symbols. Afterward, save the screenshot to the desired location by clicking on the floppy disk icon:

5: Through Ksnip Screenshot Tool

Last but not least the Ksnip unlike Flameshot provides the feature for editing the screenshot at a later stage as well. It comes with dual monitor support which allows the capturing of rectangular areas across multiple monitors, to install Ksnip execute:

Now launch the ksnip tool on Arch and to take the screenshot click on the New option:

Here, if you have any trouble capturing the corners, this tool provides a magnifying glass for it:

Once the screen is captured, you can do all sorts of editing to the image, and once you are done with editing you can save the screenshot:

Conclusion

Screenshots serve the prime purpose of providing visual aid when it comes to Arch, so like other Linux distributions there are different ways to take screenshots on it. The preference for using the third-party screenshot tool varies some require edits while others don’t. If you don’t need to make little to no editing to the screenshots, then using the default screenshot tool is recommended. However, screenshot editing is required then there are a range of different applications one of which is Flameshot.