How to Install Flameshot on Ubuntu 22.04 and Enable Its Annotation Features

Introduction:

Flameshot is a powerful and feature-rich screenshot tool that allows you to capture screens, edit, and annotate the captured images. However, if you are using Ubuntu 22.04 and have noticed that some annotation features are missing, it is likely due to compatibility issues with the Wayland display server. In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Flameshot on Ubuntu 22.04 and enable its full range of features.

Step 1: Install Flameshot To install Flameshot on Ubuntu 22.04, open a terminal window and enter the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install flameshot

This will update your package list and install Flameshot.

Step 2: Switch from Wayland to Xorg As Flameshot does not fully support Wayland, you will need to switch to the Xorg display server. To do this, edit the /etc/gdm3/custom.conf file with the following command:

sudo nano /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

Locate the line #WaylandEnable=false and uncomment it by removing the '#' symbol, so it becomes WaylandEnable=false. Press Ctrl+X, followed by Y, and then Enter to save and exit the file.

Step 3: Add the QT_QPA_PLATFORM Environment Variable To ensure Flameshot works correctly with Xorg, you will need to add the QT_QPA_PLATFORM environment variable. Open your .bashrc or .zshrc file, located in your user's home directory, with the following command:

For .bashrc:

nano ~/.bashrc

For .zshrc:

nano ~/.zshrc

Add the following line to the end of the file:

export QT_QPA_PLATFORM=xcb

Press Ctrl+X, followed by Y, and then Enter to save and exit the file.

Step 4: Restart Your System Restart your system for the changes to take effect:

sudo reboot

Step 5: Launch Flameshot and Use Annotation Features Now you can launch Flameshot from the application menu or by running the following command in the terminal:Copy code

flameshot gui

With Flameshot now fully compatible with Ubuntu 22.04, you should have access to all its annotation features, such as marking text, highlighting, and more.

Now we need to free up the shortcut, execute on terminal:

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

If you are using versions of Ubuntu earlier than 20.04, run this command:

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

Once done, go to Settings > Devices > Keyboard Shortcuts and scroll down to the bottom of the tab. There you will find a + button; click on it to add a new shortcut.

Enter the name: “flameshot”, command: /usr/bin/flameshot gui

Below in “Set a shortcut”, choose the PrtScr key.

That’s it, when you press the key to printscreen, Flameshot will automatically run.

Conclusion: By following this tutorial, you have successfully installed Flameshot on Ubuntu 22.04 and enabled its full range of features. Enjoy using Flameshot to capture, edit, and annotate your screenshots!