How to screenshot on a Linux laptop
Linux shortcuts depend on your desktop environment, not your distribution. Ubuntu and Fedora behave the same because both run GNOME; Kubuntu differs because it runs KDE.
The short answer
- PrtScWhole screen — GNOME and KDE alike
- Shift + PrtScSelect an area on GNOME
- Ctrl + Shift + PrtScArea to clipboard on GNOME
Find your desktop, not your distribution#
This is the thing that makes Linux guides confusing. "How to screenshot on Ubuntu" and "on Fedora" have the same answer, because both ship GNOME. Kubuntu, KDE neon and openSUSE with Plasma have a different answer. Mint's Cinnamon differs again.
To check which you have, open a terminal and run echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP.
GNOME — Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian default#
Recent GNOME versions open an interactive overlay rather than capturing instantly, much as Windows 11 now does.
| Keys | Result |
|---|---|
| PrtSc | Opens the screenshot overlay |
| Shift + PrtSc | Select an area |
| Alt + PrtSc | The active window |
| Ctrl added to any | Copies to clipboard instead of saving |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + R | Start or stop screen recording |
Files land in Pictures › Screenshots with a dated filename.
KDE Plasma — Kubuntu, KDE neon#
KDE uses Spectacle, which is the most capable of the built-in tools on any operating system.
- PrtSc opens Spectacle with a preview and options.
- Shift+PrtSc captures the full screen straight to a file.
- Meta+Shift+PrtSc captures to the clipboard.
Spectacle can capture a region, a window, the window under the cursor, or a whole virtual desktop, and it has a delay timer plus an option to include or exclude the mouse pointer. It also remembers your last region, which makes repeated captures of the same area quick.
Cinnamon and XFCE — Mint, Xubuntu#
Both follow the traditional pattern: PrtSc for the full screen, Alt+PrtSc for the active window, Shift+PrtSc for a region, each opening a small save dialog.
Command line#
Useful in scripts, and when a keyboard shortcut is unavailable.
gnome-screenshot -a— interactive area selectiongnome-screenshot -w -d 5— the active window after a five-second delayspectacle -r -b -n— region capture, no GUI, on KDEimport screen.png— from ImageMagick, works almost everywheregrim -g "$(slurp)" shot.png— the Wayland equivalent, needing grim and slurp
Wayland changes what is possible#
Most current distributions default to Wayland rather than X11, and Wayland deliberately prevents applications from reading the screen without permission. That is a security improvement, and it breaks older tools.
If a screenshot utility that used to work now produces a black image or an error, this is almost certainly why. The fix is a Wayland-aware tool — grim, or your desktop's own built-in capture — rather than an X11-era one such as scrot or import.
Check which session you are in with echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE.
Flatpak and Snap applications#
Sandboxed applications sometimes cannot capture the screen even when the desktop tool can, because the sandbox withholds the necessary portal permission. Granting it with Flatseal, or installing the tool from your distribution's repository instead, resolves it.
Questions people actually ask
Why doesn't my old screenshot tool work any more?
Almost certainly Wayland. It blocks applications from reading the screen without an explicit permission portal, which breaks X11-era tools such as scrot. Run echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE to confirm, then switch to a Wayland-aware tool like grim or your desktop's built-in capture.
Is the shortcut different on Ubuntu and Fedora?
No. Both ship GNOME, so both behave identically. What changes the shortcut is the desktop environment, not the distribution — Kubuntu and Ubuntu differ sharply despite the shared base.
How do I take a scrolling screenshot on Linux?
No desktop environment does it natively, same as Windows and macOS. Use your browser's own full-page capture for web pages, or Flameshot for other content. Browser methods.
Where are Linux screenshots saved?
Pictures › Screenshots on GNOME, and usually Pictures on KDE, though Spectacle lets you set it. Command-line tools write to whatever path you give them, or the current directory.