How do I copy a screen in Ubuntu?

Copying your screen in Ubuntu, often referred to as taking a screenshot, can be easily done using keyboard shortcuts, the built-in Screenshot tool, or command-line utilities.

Ubuntu provides several straightforward methods to capture your screen, whether you need to grab the entire desktop, a specific window, or just a custom selection. These methods allow you to either save the image as a file or copy it directly to your clipboard for immediate pasting.

Quickest Methods: Keyboard Shortcuts

The fastest way to copy a screen in Ubuntu is by utilizing your keyboard's dedicated keys or simple key combinations.

The Print Screen Key (PrtSc)

As a primary method, you can simply click the Print Screen (PrtSc) button on your keyboard. This key is usually located in the upper-right section of your keyboard, often abbreviated as "PrtSc," "PrntScrn," or "Print Screen."

• Entire Screen (Save to File): Pressing PrtSc by itself will take a screenshot of your entire desktop and automatically save it as a PNG file in your ~/Pictures directory.
• Entire Screen (Copy to Clipboard): To copy the entire screen directly to your clipboard, press Ctrl + PrtSc. You can then paste it into an image editor, document, or chat application.

Capturing Specific Areas or Windows

Ubuntu offers combinations with the PrtSc key for more targeted screen captures:

• Selected Area (Save to File): Press Shift + PrtSc. Your cursor will change into a crosshair, allowing you to click and drag a rectangle around the specific area you wish to capture. Once released, the screenshot will be saved to your ~/Pictures directory.
• Selected Area (Copy to Clipboard): Use Ctrl + Shift + PrtSc to copy a selected area directly to your clipboard without saving it as a file.
• Active Window (Save to File): Press Alt + PrtSc. This will capture only the currently active window and save it as a PNG file in your ~/Pictures directory.
• Active Window (Copy to Clipboard): To copy the active window to your clipboard, press Ctrl + Alt + PrtSc.

Common Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts in Ubuntu

Action	Keyboard Shortcut (Save to File)	Keyboard Shortcut (Copy to Clipboard)
Entire Screen	PrtSc	Ctrl + PrtSc
Selected Area	Shift + PrtSc	Ctrl + Shift + PrtSc
Active Window	Alt + PrtSc	Ctrl + Alt + PrtSc

Using the Built-in Screenshot Application

For more control and options, Ubuntu includes a dedicated Screenshot application.

• Accessing the Tool:
  1. Open the Activities overview (by pressing the Super key, also known as the Windows key).
  2. Type "Screenshot" in the search bar.
  3. Click on the Screenshot application icon.
• Application Features: The Screenshot application typically offers:
  • Selection: Options to take a screenshot of the entire screen, a specific window, or a custom selection.
  • Delay: Set a timer before the screenshot is taken, useful for capturing menus or specific moments.
  • Save Location: Choose where to save the screenshot.
  • Copy to Clipboard: An option to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it.

Advanced Options: Command-Line Tools

For users who prefer the terminal or need to automate screenshots, command-line tools offer powerful alternatives.

• gnome-screenshot: This is the command-line equivalent of the built-in graphical tool.
  • Entire screen: gnome-screenshot
  • Window: gnome-screenshot -w
  • Area selection: gnome-screenshot -a
  • Copy to clipboard: gnome-screenshot -c
  • Delay (5 seconds): gnome-screenshot -d 5
• scrot: A lightweight and fast command-line screenshot utility. If not installed, you can get it with sudo apt install scrot.
  • Entire screen: scrot (saves to current directory)
  • Selected area: scrot -s (allows selection with mouse)

Where are Screenshots Saved?

By default, screenshots taken with the keyboard shortcuts or the built-in Screenshot tool are saved as .png files in your ~/Pictures directory. You can easily access this folder from your file manager.

Tips for Efficient Screen Copying

• Check Clipboard First: If you copied to the clipboard, immediately try pasting (Ctrl + V) into a document or image editor to confirm it worked.
• Custom Save Locations: While the default is ~/Pictures, the Screenshot application allows you to change the save directory for convenience.
• Third-Party Tools: For more advanced features like annotation, scrolling screenshots, or cloud integration, consider third-party applications like Shutter (though its development has slowed) or Spectacle (KDE's tool, can be installed on Ubuntu).

For further reading and official documentation on using Ubuntu, you can visit the Ubuntu Documentation website.