# Greenshot — Fast Open Source Screenshot Tool for Windows

> A lightweight screenshot utility for Windows that captures regions, windows, or full screens with built-in annotation, obfuscation, and direct export to editors or cloud services.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Greenshot — Fast Open Source Screenshot Tool for Windows

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install via Chocolatey
choco install greenshot
# Or via winget
winget install Greenshot.Greenshot
# Or download the installer from https://getgreenshot.org
```

## Introduction
Greenshot is a free, open-source screenshot tool for Windows designed for productivity. It lives in the system tray and captures screenshots with a single hotkey, then lets you annotate, highlight, or obfuscate areas before saving or sharing. It is widely used by developers for bug reports and documentation.

## What Greenshot Does
- Captures full screen, active window, or custom rectangular regions via hotkeys
- Provides a built-in image editor with arrows, text, highlights, and shapes
- Obfuscates sensitive information with blur or pixelation tools
- Exports directly to clipboard, file, printer, email, or cloud services
- Supports plugins for Imgur, Jira, Confluence, Office, and more

## Architecture Overview
Greenshot is a .NET Framework (C#) Windows Forms application. It registers global hotkeys via the Windows API and uses GDI+ for screen capture and image manipulation. The plugin system uses a simple interface-based architecture allowing third-party export destinations. The editor operates on a layered canvas model where annotations are separate objects on top of the captured image.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via Chocolatey, winget, or the .exe installer from the official site
- Runs in the system tray; right-click the icon to access settings
- Configure hotkeys for different capture modes in Preferences > Hotkeys
- Set default output destination (clipboard, file, editor) in Preferences > Output
- Install plugins for Jira, Confluence, Dropbox, or Imgur via Preferences > Plugins

## Key Features
- Instant capture with configurable global hotkeys (default: Print Screen)
- Built-in editor with professional annotation tools
- Obfuscation (blur/pixelate) for hiding sensitive data in screenshots
- Plugin architecture for direct upload to issue trackers and cloud storage
- Lightweight system tray app with minimal resource usage

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **ShareX** — More features (screen recording, OCR) but more complex; Greenshot is simpler and faster to use
- **Snipping Tool** — Built into Windows but lacks annotation and plugin support
- **Lightshot** — Simpler but proprietary and ad-supported
- **Flameshot** — Linux-focused open source alternative with similar annotation features
- **Snagit** — Professional-grade with more features, but expensive and proprietary

## FAQ
**Q: Is Greenshot available on macOS or Linux?**
A: The main version is Windows-only. A macOS port existed but is no longer actively maintained.

**Q: Can Greenshot capture scrolling pages?**
A: The open source version does not support scrolling capture. Use the Internet Explorer capture plugin for web pages.

**Q: How do I upload screenshots directly to Jira?**
A: Install the Jira plugin from Preferences > Plugins, configure your Jira URL and credentials, then select Jira as the export destination.

**Q: Does it support delayed capture?**
A: Yes. Use the region capture with a delay setting in the preferences to capture tooltips or menus.

## Sources
- https://github.com/greenshot/greenshot
- https://getgreenshot.org

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-88b4cba7
Author: Script Depot