How to change screenshot application to Flameshot on Ubuntu 18.04?

Question

I needed to highlight some text in my screenshots and I did not know how to do it with the default screenshot app. Flameshot is a solution. I installed it.

How can I replace the PrtScr shortcut-key so that it launches Flameshot?

Solution 1

If you need or want to replace the PrtScr shortcut do the following:

1. Release the PrtScr binding by this command

   gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys screenshot '[]'
   

2. Go to Settings -> Devices -> Keyboard and scroll to the end. Press + and you will create custom shortcut.
   

3. Enter name: "flameshot", command: /usr/bin/flameshot gui.

4. Set shortcut to PrtScr (print).

That is it. Next time you push PrtScr flameshot will be launched.

---

Source: Posted in the question by OP which should have been posted as an answer instead.

Solution 2

Install and setup flameshot via terminal ... if there is no custom0 shortcut / binding configured

Install flameshot:

sudo apt install flameshot

Release the PrtScr binding by this command:

Ubuntu 19.10 (Credits: @jobou's comment)

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys screenshot '[]'

Older Ubuntu versions:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys screenshot ''

Set new custom binding:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys custom-keybindings "['/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/custom0/']"

Set name:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys.custom-keybinding:/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/custom0/ name 'flameshot'

Set command:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys.custom-keybinding:/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/custom0/ command '/usr/bin/flameshot gui'

Set binding:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys.custom-keybinding:/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/custom0/ binding 'Print'

Solution 3

In case you installed Flameshot via snapcraft.io and not via standard sudo apt install flameshot, then the path /usr/bin/flameshot gui will not work, because the path is different.

1. So, first run command type flameshot (for Ubuntu 18.04 and higher). This will show you the path where app is installed.

2. Copy this path.

3. Press Super and search for keyboard shortcut.

4. Find word screenshot

   

5. Edit it (in my case, I assigned Shift+Ctrl+Alt+~ as I have never used this key combo)

6. Then go back, click + symbol and add the path you have copied to command.

   

Solution 4

This is tested on Ubuntu 20.04

1. Disable PrtScr or Print shortcut by opening the Keyboard Shortcuts Settings

2. Navigate to Keyboard Shortcuts on bottom left menu, then select Print shortcut which is to Save a screenshot to Pictures

   

3. Hit Backspace to disable the current keyboard shortcut so that we can use this for Flameshot later.

4. Hit Set to apply/confirm it.

   

5. Identify Flame binary location with which command

   $ which flameshot
   /usr/bin/flameshot
   

6. Then, scroll down to the bottom and select + symbol to add new shortcut.

   

7. Add Custom Shortcut

   • Name: Flameshot
   • Command: /usr/bin/flameshot gui
   • Shortcut: Print

   

That's it

Solution 5

Or simply set any shortcut (including PrtScr) to flameshot gui: as indicated in the other answers, only without the need for any other setting. You will be asked if you want to remap the key (in Xfce at least, but I guess it's the same in most desktops).

You might consider keeping PrtScr for the default screenshot tool and use other shortcuts for flameshot, at least two I mean, because you can also capture screen with delay: for a 5-second delay, use flameshot gui -d 5000.

More here.

View more solutions

Comments

[dsSTORM]

You should cut out everything from the second sentence onward, post it as an answer and delete it from the question so that the Q&A format is mantained.

[pomsky]

Since Ask Ubuntu is a question and answer site, you should post the answer separately as @dsSTORM said. I have removed the answer part from the question, but you can find it here. Please post the answer in "Your Answer" section below. It's completely fine to answer your own question.

[jobou]

On Ubuntu 19.10, I had to release the PtrScr binding with this command gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys screenshot '[]'

[Khongor Bayarsaikhan]

You need [] inside the '' so it should be '[]'. Otherwise this should be accepted as the correct answer.

[Rocky Kev]

This worked on Fedora 31!

[43Tesseracts]

Worked on Ubuntu 20.04

[43Tesseracts]

Works in Ubuntu 20.04

[naim5am]

works on Elementary OS, Hera 5.1

[Niclas Lindgren]

If it's installed as a snap just set the command to flameshot gui (without the path)

[Coder Guy]

Strange that Flameshot has configuration options for a myriad of keyboard shortcuts except for the most important one.

[Vladimir Kovalchuk]

works perfectly

[mekb]

which also works as well as type, but it won't say if it's a terminal command if it is

[Akhil]

Working in my PopOS 21.04. Thanks!

[Andrea Moro]

And depending on how you installed Flameshot, check the path. With Snapshot this will be /snap/bin/flameshot

[Matt Welke]

Worked well for me, except I was using snap, so I had to use /snap/bin/flameshot gui, and the way to get to the setting through Settings was a bit different than described here since I am using Ubuntu 21.10. But it wasn't too hard to find.

[questionto42standswithUkraine]

This is the Linux answer, only commands, no clicking, works.

[Admin]

Also verified works on Ubuntu 22.04