Screenshot App for Linux Mint: Built-In Tool, Flameshot, and Shutter

Linux Mint already includes a Screenshot utility for basic full-screen, window, and area captures. If you need arrows, blur, highlighting, keyboard shortcuts, or command-line automation, install Flameshot. Shutter is another feature-focused option.

For most Mint users, the practical choice is:

Mint Screenshot: no installation and the simplest workflow.
Flameshot: the best general-purpose choice for annotated captures, shortcuts, and scripting.
Shutter: a dedicated alternative if its workflow and feature set fit your desktop session.

Which screenshot app should you use on Linux Mint?

Tool	Best for	What it provides	Trade-offs
Mint Screenshot	Occasional captures with zero setup	Included in Linux Mint Cinnamon tooling; captures the screen, a window, or a selected area	Fewer established editing and automation features
Flameshot	Annotated regions, repeat use, shortcuts, and scripts	Free and open source; in-app editing; GUI and command-line modes; packages, AppImage, and Flatpak options	Print Screen may need manual binding; package versions vary by Mint release
Shutter	A dedicated, feature-oriented screenshot workflow	Designed as a more capable alternative to basic desktop tools; supports global-shortcut workflows	Check current features and desktop-session compatibility for your Mint release

The Linux Mint Cinnamon user guide lists Screenshot as the built-in tool for taking screenshots. Flameshot’s official project site describes it as a free, open-source, cross-platform screenshot tool with built-in features, and its documentation covers editing, installation, tray use, and command-line operation.

Use Linux Mint’s built-in Screenshot utility

Start here if you only need a clean capture and do not want another application.

Open the application menu and search for Screenshot.
Choose the capture mode offered by your Mint edition: entire screen, active window, or a rectangular area.
Set any available delay, include or exclude the pointer, and choose where to save the file.
Capture the screen, then open the resulting PNG in your image viewer or editor.

This is the closest equivalent to Snipping Tool for a default Linux Mint installation. Menu names and available options can differ between Mint editions and desktop sessions.

Install Flameshot on Linux Mint

Flameshot is the leading general-purpose third-party choice when you need annotation, repeatable shortcuts, or a command-line workflow.

Option 1: APT package

Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and Debian families, so APT is the first method to check. The official Flameshot installation page documents this command for supported Debian and Ubuntu releases:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install flameshot

Confirm that the package exists for your Mint release before installing. You can also search for flameshot in Software Manager. Start the graphical tool with:

flameshot gui

Option 2: AppImage

Use the AppImage route when you want the release supplied by the project instead of a repository package. Download the AppImage from the official installation documentation, then run:

chmod +x Flameshot-*.AppImage
./Flameshot-*.AppImage

The exact filename changes with each release. Keep the file in a directory you control and launch it with flameshot gui if the AppImage adds the command to your environment.

Option 3: Flatpak

If Flatpak is enabled on your Mint installation, use the package shown by the official Flameshot installation documentation and launch it from the application menu. Flatpak permissions and desktop integration can vary, so test screen capture and shortcut access after installation.

Take and annotate a screenshot with Flameshot

Run flameshot gui, or launch Flameshot from the application menu or tray.
Drag over the region you want to capture.
Use the on-screen tools to draw arrows and rectangles, add text, highlight an area, blur sensitive content, or undo an edit.
Copy the result to the clipboard or save it to a file.

For a full-screen capture from the command line, use:

flameshot full -p "$HOME/Pictures"

For a selected region, use:

flameshot gui

The exact command-line flags available depend on the installed Flameshot version. Run flameshot --help on your system before building scripts around a flag.

Bind Print Screen to Flameshot

Flameshot documents Print Screen for starting the capture tool and Shift+Print Screen for a full-screen capture. Linux users may need to configure these bindings manually.

Open System Settings and open Keyboard or Keyboard Shortcuts.
Find the existing Print Screen action and remove it or assign it another key.
Add a custom shortcut that runs flameshot gui.
Optionally bind Shift+Print Screen to flameshot full -p "$HOME/Pictures".
Press the key and confirm that the Flameshot selection overlay appears.

The exact settings path differs between Mint editions and desktop sessions. If the key still opens Mint Screenshot, another shortcut owns the key; remove that duplicate binding and try again.

Install and use Shutter

Shutter remains a credible alternative for people who prefer a dedicated, feature-oriented workflow. Its project FAQ explains that it was created because standard tools did not provide enough features and documents global-shortcut setup for GNOME.

Check Software Manager or your enabled repositories for a Shutter package that matches your Mint release. After installation, open its preferences to configure capture modes, save behavior, and global shortcuts. Because package versions and desktop-session behavior change, verify the options shown by your installed release.

Choose the right capture mode

Full screen: useful for bug reports that need the entire desktop context.
Active window: keeps the capture focused on one application.
Rectangular region: best for documentation, support tickets, and sharing a small detail.
Delayed capture: gives you time to open a menu or hover a tooltip before the image is taken.

When sharing screenshots, crop to the smallest useful area and remove tokens, email addresses, private URLs, and other sensitive data before uploading.

Command-line and automation examples

Flameshot can fit simple scripts, but desktop-session access matters. A command launched from a graphical terminal may work while the same command fails from cron, SSH, or a system service because there is no display session.

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

output="$HOME/Pictures/mint-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).png"
mkdir -p "$(dirname "$output")"
flameshot full -p "$(dirname "$output")"
echo "Saved a screenshot in $(dirname "$output")"

For unattended jobs, prefer a virtual display or a service designed for server-side capture. A desktop screenshot tool cannot capture a graphical desktop that is not running and accessible to the process.

Common problems and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Print Screen opens the Mint tool	The existing Mint shortcut still owns the key	Remove that binding, add a custom `flameshot gui` shortcut, then test again
`flameshot: command not found`	Flameshot is not installed or is not on the PATH	Install it with Software Manager, APT, Flatpak, or the official AppImage; then reopen the terminal
The command works in a terminal but not from a script	The script has no graphical display or desktop-session environment	Run it inside the logged-in session, or provide the correct display/session variables and permissions
Capture appears black or incomplete	Desktop-session, compositor, permission, or application-window restrictions	Update Mint and Flameshot, test another window, and check whether the issue is specific to the current session or application
Tray icon is missing	Tray support or desktop integration is unavailable	Launch `flameshot gui` directly and check the project documentation for your desktop session
APT cannot find the package	The repository or package version is unavailable for that Mint release	Check Software Manager, enable the appropriate repositories, or use the official AppImage/Flatpak method
Annotations are not saved	The capture was copied or closed without writing a file	Use the save control and verify the destination directory and file permissions

Performance, reliability, and file formats

PNG: preserves sharp text and interface edges, but files are larger.
JPEG: creates smaller files for photographic content, with lossy compression around text and icons.
WebP: can reduce size while retaining good quality, but check that your documentation or ticketing system accepts it.

Large displays and multi-monitor desktops produce larger images and may take longer to write. Save to a local disk before uploading, and use a predictable directory when scripts or support tools consume the files. For reliable repeat captures, keep the application version fixed, test the shortcut after desktop updates, and confirm that the destination remains writable.

Or skip the browser setup

If your goal is a screenshot of a public web page rather than your Linux desktop, ScreenshotNeo is the first screenshot API to try: it removes cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture, and only clean shots are billed.

One GET request returns PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for all options.

cURL

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" \
  -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY \
  --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com \
  -o shot.webp

Python

import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
    params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
    timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

Node.js

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Screenshot failed: ${res.status}`);
const fs = await import('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));

ScreenshotNeo also supports full-page captures with lazy images loaded, element selectors, dark mode, device presets, custom viewports, retina scale, PDF settings, custom CSS and JavaScript, clicks, waits, blocked resources, headers, cookies, user agents, authorization, timezone, geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, caching with a chosen TTL, signed links, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call, a usage API, and an OpenAPI specification.

Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed. Responses identify the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.

The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; yearly billing gives two months free, and every feature is available on every plan. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.

FAQ

Does Linux Mint have a built-in screenshot tool?

Yes. Mint’s Cinnamon tooling includes a Screenshot utility for basic captures.

Is Flameshot free?

Yes. The project describes Flameshot as free and open source.

Why does Print Screen not launch Flameshot?

Linux Mint may still have its original shortcut assigned. Remove or change that binding, then add a custom shortcut for flameshot gui.

Should I choose Flameshot or Shutter?

Choose Flameshot for annotation, shortcuts, and CLI use. Choose Shutter if its dedicated workflow and features better match your Mint release.

Can a desktop screenshot app capture a website on a server?

Usually not without a graphical session. For server-side website images, use a browser capture service such as ScreenshotNeo or run a browser in a controlled virtual display.