Flameshot — Powerful Open-Source Screenshot Tool

Introduction

Flameshot is a free screenshot application with an in-place annotation editor that lets you draw, highlight, blur, and add text before saving or uploading. It integrates with system tray, keyboard shortcuts, and the command line so it fits into any workflow.

What Flameshot Does

• Captures full screen, active window, or custom rectangular regions
• Provides an in-place editor with arrows, circles, markers, blur, and numbering tools
• Uploads screenshots directly to Imgur or custom endpoints via CLI flags
• Supports delayed captures and pin-to-desktop for reference shots
• Offers a full CLI interface for scripting and automation

Architecture Overview

Flameshot is written in C++ using the Qt framework. On Linux it leverages platform-native screen-grab APIs (X11 or Wayland via D-Bus portals). The annotation overlay renders on a transparent full-screen widget, and the final image is composited in-memory before export to clipboard, file, or HTTP upload.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install from your distro's package manager or download binaries from GitHub Releases
• Configure default save path, filename pattern, and UI colors in the settings dialog
• Set a global keyboard shortcut (e.g., Print Screen) to invoke flameshot gui
• Customize upload targets by scripting with flameshot full --clipboard --path /tmp
• On Wayland, ensure xdg-desktop-portal is installed for proper screen capture

Key Features

• Zero-delay annotation: draw directly on the capture before saving
• Pin screenshots as floating always-on-top windows for reference
• CLI-first design enables integration with shell scripts and CI pipelines
• Cross-platform: Linux, macOS, and Windows support
• Lightweight with minimal dependencies beyond Qt

Comparison with Similar Tools

• ShareX (Windows) — more upload targets and workflow automation, but Windows-only
• Greenshot — similar annotation features, primarily Windows
• GNOME Screenshot — minimal built-in tool without annotation
• Spectacle (KDE) — KDE-native, fewer annotation options
• Shutter — feature-rich but heavier and less actively maintained

FAQ

Q: Does Flameshot work on Wayland? A: Yes, via xdg-desktop-portal. Some compositors may require extra configuration.

Q: Can I upload to a custom server instead of Imgur? A: Yes. Use a script with flameshot gui --raw | curl -X POST ... to pipe output to any endpoint.

Q: How do I capture a specific monitor in a multi-display setup? A: Use flameshot screen --number 1 (zero-indexed) or the interactive selector.

Q: Is there a portable/AppImage version? A: Yes. AppImage and Flatpak builds are available on the GitHub Releases page.

Sources

• https://github.com/flameshot-org/flameshot
• https://flameshot.org