Master Linux Screenshots: 3 Simple Tools to Capture Anything

When documenting software on Linux, clear screenshots are essential. Below are three practical ways to take screenshots using tools that are already available on most Linux distributions.

1. GNOME

Press the PrtScr key to open GNOME’s built‑in screenshot dialog. By default it captures a selected region: move the highlighted frame to the desired area and adjust its size with the surrounding circles. You can also capture the entire screen or a single window using the icons.

The screenshot is saved automatically in the Pictures/Screenshots folder.

2. GIMP

For more control, use the image editor GIMP . Open GIMP, go to File → Create → Screenshot . The dialog lets you capture a single window, the whole screen, or a custom region.

After capturing, the screenshot opens as a new image that you can edit and then save to any location.

3. Firefox

Firefox includes a native screenshot utility. Right‑click anywhere on a webpage and choose Take Screenshot . A mode window appears, allowing you to click or drag to select an area, capture the entire page, or save only the visible portion.

Firefox highlights block elements (e.g., <div>) as you move the mouse; clicking one captures that element. The resulting image is saved to the system’s Downloads folder or a custom download location.

These three tools—GNOME, GIMP, and Firefox—provide flexible options for capturing anything on your Linux desktop.