What is the best screenshot tool for Arch Linux?

Use Spectacle on KDE Plasma, the built-in overlay on GNOME, or grim with slurp on Sway and Hyprland. Choose Screenix when you want capture, annotation, and video tools together.

How do I take a screenshot on Arch Wayland?

The method is compositor-specific. GNOME and Plasma provide desktop tools. On wlroots compositors, ArchWiki documents grim for capture and slurp for interactive region selection.

Is Flameshot in the official Arch repository?

Yes. Arch packages Flameshot in the Extra repository. Its package metadata lists grim and xdg-desktop-portal as optional Wayland dependencies.

The complete Linux workflow

Screenshot Tools for Arch Linux

Use Spectacle on Plasma, GNOME's built-in overlay, or grim plus slurp on wlroots. Choose Screenix when screenshot editing, polished recordings, and video share links need to live in one Arch workflow.

Why Screenix is the better value

One Linux app. $39/year or $59 once.

Record, polish, edit, transcribe, and share without stacking separate tools or giving up local ownership.

Native Linux

Direct X11 and portal-based capture on supported Wayland desktops

One complete workflow

Record, polish, edit, transcribe, and share

Your files, your choice

Keep recordings local, use hosted sharing, or bring your own storage

Simple pricing

$39/yr with hosted sharing or $59 lifetime with your own storage

5 Best Arch Linux Screenshot Tools

Compared for Plasma, GNOME, Sway, Hyprland, Wayland, and X11

Best polished workflow

Screenix

Best for captures that need annotation or a finished video

Arch Linux (AUR), supported Wayland desktops and X11$39/yr or $59 lifetime

Pros

Captures screens, windows, and regions
Built-in arrows, lines, shapes, blur, pixelation, and crop tools
Installs from the AUR as screenix-bin
Also records and edits video in the same app

Cons

Paid after the trial: $39/yr or $59 lifetime
No livestreaming mode

See How It Works

Spectacle

Best integrated choice for KDE Plasma

KDE PlasmaFree and open source

Pros

Captures the full desktop, monitors, windows, and rectangular regions
Official Arch package in Extra
Native Plasma integration and annotation tools

Cons

Wayland capture requires a running Plasma session
Less suitable outside KDE

Flameshot

Flexible annotation-first screenshot utility

Wayland and X11Free and open source

Pros

Interactive region selection with drawing, blur, and clipboard actions
Official Arch package in Extra
Can use grim on wlroots Wayland

Cons

Wayland needs xdg-desktop-portal plus the correct backend
ArchWiki documents compositor-specific multi-monitor and shortcut caveats

grim + slurp

Best scriptable capture for wlroots compositors

Sway, Hyprland, wlrootsFree and open source

Pros

grim captures Wayland outputs
slurp supplies an interactive region
Composes cleanly with wl-copy or swappy

Cons

Command-line workflow
Not a general solution for GNOME or Plasma
Annotation requires another program

GNOME screenshot overlay

Fastest zero-install option on GNOME

GNOMEFree, built in

Pros

Print Screen opens area, screen, and window capture
Copies the image and saves it under Pictures/Screenshots

Cons

No built-in annotation workflow
Tied to GNOME

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Ready to make the switch?

Capture and Annotate on Arch Linux

Capture and annotate screenshots, then create polished videos in the same Arch app for $39/year or $59 lifetime.

7-day trial, no credit card. Instant shares have no watermark. Edited exports include a small trial watermark.