Arch Linux

kjozsa

Member

Registered: 2008-06-05

Posts: 173

gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

GNOME over Wayland on Intel hardware using the XE driver. gnome-screenshot is 1:41.0-1.

$ gnome-screenshot

** (org.gnome.Screenshot:10256): WARNING **: 10:37:19.290: Unable to use GNOME Shell's builtin screenshot interface: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.AccessDenied: Screenshot is not allowed

** (org.gnome.Screenshot:10256): CRITICAL **: 10:37:19.290: Unable to capture a screenshot of any window

Can we set permissions for this somehow?

AgtJackBauer

Member

Registered: 2025-09-24

Posts: 1

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

I have the exact same error in wayland but with AMD drivers.

Last edited by AgtJackBauer (2025-09-24 05:05:50)

spinnau

Member

Registered: 2017-06-05

Posts: 38

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

The gnome-screenshot tool was removed from GNOME core apps and is unmaintained upstream. Thus, access to the private screenshot API was removed:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … uests/3760

GNOME shell has an integrated tool for screenshots and screencasts that can be opened by PrintScreen key. It has almost the same features to capture the whole screen, a window or a selection.

If you want to use the old gnome-screenshot tool, then a workaround is to activate the unsafe mode for GNOME shell in looking glass for the current session. But be aware, that every malicious could then also take screenshots:
Alt+F2
lg + enter
global.context.unsafe_mode = true

andav

Member

Registered: 2006-12-04

Posts: 142

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

The gnome-screenshot tool was removed from GNOME core apps and is unmaintained upstream. Thus, access to the private screenshot API was removed:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … uests/3760

GNOME shell has an integrated tool for screenshots and screencasts that can be opened by PrintScreen key. It has almost the same features to capture the whole screen, a window or a selection.

If you want to use the old gnome-screenshot tool, then a workaround is to activate the unsafe mode for GNOME shell in looking glass for the current session. But be aware, that every malicious could then also take screenshots:
Alt+F2
lg + enter
global.context.unsafe_mode = true

can i make the app that open by PrintScreen key, to let me choose a name for the image i capture?
i miss that option from gnome screenshot.

Last edited by andav (2025-09-24 17:35:32)

spinnau

Member

Registered: 2017-06-05

Posts: 38

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

The screenshots are automatically saved to a fixed directory and name pattern. Choosing a file name isn't possible and also isn't a planned feature:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … te_1447368
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … ssues/5370

andav

Member

Registered: 2006-12-04

Posts: 142

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

thanks.

kjozsa

Member

Registered: 2008-06-05

Posts: 173

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

The gnome-screenshot tool was removed from GNOME core apps and is unmaintained upstream. Thus, access to the private screenshot API was removed:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … uests/3760

GNOME shell has an integrated tool for screenshots and screencasts that can be opened by PrintScreen key. It has almost the same features to capture the whole screen, a window or a selection.

Without a CLI screenshot tool, how is it possible to integrate a screenshot annotation tool?

spinnau

Member

Registered: 2017-06-05

Posts: 38

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

Without a CLI screenshot tool, how is it possible to integrate a screenshot annotation tool?

It seems that's just out of scope for the GNOME shell screenshot tool.

In principle gnome-screenshot could be ported to use the XDG Desktop Portal API instead of GNOME's private screenshot API. That question was also raised in the MR to remove the permissions for gnome-screenshot from gnome-shell:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … te_2478308

Alternatively you could just use a more sophisticated screenshot tool like flameshot, that integrates annotating and editing:
https://flameshot.org/
https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/flameshot/

papodaca

Member

Registered: 2016-10-15

Posts: 7

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

I've for a long time been using ctrl-shift-4 triggering a script that does more or less `gnome-screenshot -a -c` to emulate similar behavior to MacOS.

I've reassigned the interactive screenshot tool, via settings, to ctrl-shift-4. Its more or less the same as I had before, even still saves in my preferred ~/Pictures/Screenshots directory.

Just posting in case this info is useful to other that come here via search.

ico

Member

Registered: 2011-01-25

Posts: 38

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

GNOME shell has an integrated tool for screenshots and screencasts that can be opened by PrintScreen key. It has almost the same features to capture the whole screen, a window or a selection.

Does this support time delay? I can't seem to find this option.

The deprecated GNOME Screenshot app had it.

spinnau

Member

Registered: 2017-06-05

Posts: 38

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

Does this support time delay? I can't seem to find this option.

The deprecated GNOME Screenshot app had it.

There is no option for a time delay and a previous request for implementing this was closed as being out of scope:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … ssues/7720

thepasto

Member

From: trash:///

Registered: 2009-03-16

Posts: 58

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

Without a CLI screenshot tool, how is it possible to integrate a screenshot annotation tool?

It seems that's just out of scope for the GNOME shell screenshot tool.

In principle gnome-screenshot could be ported to use the XDG Desktop Portal API instead of GNOME's private screenshot API. That question was also raised in the MR to remove the permissions for gnome-screenshot from gnome-shell:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-sh … te_2478308

Alternatively you could just use a more sophisticated screenshot tool like flameshot, that integrates annotating and editing:
https://flameshot.org/
https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/flameshot/

Flameshot is buggy in a wayland session. there's currently no valid way to take a screenshot and edit it without opening the saved file with another tool. It's annoying.
I even created a script to make it work using satty, but it's a madness.

amhairghin

Member

Registered: 2015-10-14

Posts: 77

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

For me, the biggest problem with the screen capture feature built into GNOME with the Print Screen key is that, apart from the fact that there is no option to set a delay, it always saves the capture in the images directory. In my particular case, it is very, very strange that I would want this behavior, since the most normal thing is to capture the image to the clipboard and paste it into the application I am using at that moment.

As usual, the folks at GNOME think about everything except the user.

UPDATE: I have opened an issue, but they will likely close it, stating that gnome-screenshot is no longer maintained.

Last edited by amhairghin (2025-10-02 07:13:59)

koboh

Member

Registered: 2024-01-12

Posts: 2

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

Does anybody have a workaround to take a snapshot of a selected area (that works with multiple screens)?
I can't believe they remove this completely and all the 3rd party apps are obviously not up to date to cope with Gnome 49.

I used to use Flameshot and it is now clearly broken as well...

Thanks

gxt25

Member

Registered: 2017-07-05

Posts: 92

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

I use scrot, which can do selected area, but I've never tried it with multiple screens.

---

a man a plan a canal panama

tekstryder

Member

Registered: 2013-02-14

Posts: 449

Re: gnome-screenshot stopped working since Gnome 49 update

Does anybody have a workaround to take a snapshot of a selected area (that works with multiple screens)?

The basic grim+slurp combo handles selection across multiple displays, and all my other screenshot needs, under hyprland & sway.