Take a screenshot

General Help
1

In Zorin 18 I have noticed that when using the integrated screenshot tool via the taskbar or start menu, the window is always captured as an inactive window, which means that it is faded and difficult to read. However, if you take the screenshot using the Print key on the keyboard, the window is captured in a focused state.
Is it possible to configure the tool so that you get sharp screenshots even when you call it up via the taskbar or startmenu?

This problem only exists when you use the integrated screenshot tool of Zorin/Gnome. With gnome-screenshot (which I always install) this doesn't happen - there the window is focused when only one window is opened.

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2

I don't think there is a possible way to change that, but you can use prt sc key as a alternative

3

It is not possible, since the integrated tool is a part of Gnome Shell.
When launched from the panel, that provides focus to the shell.

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4

Thank you! However, that's not very practical. Fortunately, there are other ways.

5

You can set a screenshot key actually.

I use flameshot.

Steps:

# Install Dependencies:

# Compile-time
sudo apt install g++ cmake build-essential qt6-base-dev qt6-tools-dev-tools qt6-svg-dev qt6-tools-dev

# Run-time
sudo apt install libqt6dbus6 libqt6network6 libqt6core6 libqt6widgets6 libqt6gui6 libqt6svg6 qt6-qpa-plugins

# Install Flameshot:
sudo apt install flameshot

My flameshot:

sglbl@ddspc:~$ which flameshot && flameshot -v
/usr/bin/flameshot
Flameshot v13.3.0 (88c951e7)
Compiled with Qt 6.4.2

Set this shortcut from Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Custom Shortcuts:

Name: flameshot
Command: /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/flameshot gui'
Shortcut: Ctrl <

My system:

sglbl@ddspc:~$ inxi -S && echo "  Session: $XDG_SESSION_TYPE"

System:
  Kernel: 6.17.0-14-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64
  Desktop: GNOME v: 46.0 Distro: Zorin OS 18 noble
  Session: x11

This way, when you take a screenshot, the window won't dim.

image
image1919×1079 127 KB

But I agree about when there are multiple windows the window and content dim. I hope this will be fixed so other themes won't be necessary.

https://forum.zorin.com/t/dont-fade-other-windows-if-theyre-not-focused/59467

6

Personally, Shutter on Gnome offers the most options. I used Shutter to create an Inkscape Manual on how to create accessible images for students with low and no-vision.

But as I use Spectacle these days on Plasma, I get the best screencapture experience.

7

Thank you very much for your contributions. My concern is how to improve the functionality of the integrated screenshot tool.

8

As Aravisian has explained, that is down to Gnome who seem to think they know better than Devs or Users.

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9

To be honest, I don't quite understand what You mean with ''captured as an inactive window'' and "the window is captured in a focused state".

When I use it, it doesn't look different for me.

10

That is a screenshot started from taskbar:

Bildschirmfoto vom 2026-02-25 11-50-16
Bildschirmfoto vom 2026-02-25 11-50-161600×780 88.8 KB

Nautilus is the only opened window, but it is displayed as inactive window, not focused.

That is a screenshot like it looks with print key or gnome-screenshot tool. The Nautilus window is focused there.

Bildschirmfoto vom 2026-02-25 11-51-34
Bildschirmfoto vom 2026-02-25 11-51-341600×780 91.3 KB

11

Ah, okay. Now I understand. So, You click on the Quick Settings and then on the Screenshot Icons, yes? And here is the Reason for that. You click on the Quick Settings - and because You click on that, the Focus goes to that. When You press the Prnt Key this doesn't happen.

12

Yes, exactly.

13

Well, that is not directly a Problem with the Screentshot Tool. It is because You make a Click-Action and so the Window is no longer in Focus.

Maybe it changes when You go to Zorin Appearance and there to the Wondows Tab. There are Settings for Window Focus. By default Click to Focus should be active. You could set it to Hover and see if it behaves different.

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14

Unfortunately, that doesn't help, also not launching the tool from app grid by pressing super key.
So the only solution seems to use other screenshot tools or to use the print key.

As the print key makes problems if you are in virtual machines (then the screenshot is made in the host and not in the guest), I searched for a way to get better screenshots from the taskbar quick settings.
I tested now with a custom shortcut for the integrated screenshot tool to avoid the print key, and that also worked.
So this could be also a solution for virtual machines, but it is much easier just to install gnome-screenshots which also works for screenshots of some context menus where the keyboard keys as print key or other custom shortcuts don't work and you need a time delay.

15

This is a bit strange, I just tried the same and it does not make the window inactive.

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image1920×1080 145 KB

I'm under Wayland.

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16

Ah, good to know. I tested it only with Xorg.

17

Is it possible to set an environment variable or similar for the integrated screenshot tool in Xorg so that only the screenshot tool is launched in Wayland? Or would it help to add a variable for Xorg?

18

How were you able to get Microsoft 365 apps on your desktop?

19

These are Web Apps; running the application using online web browser.

Web Apps are included in Zorin OS 18.

20

@Aravisian Actually they are not web apps. I use wine layer. It has most of the office functionalities except the ones require internet.

@hunt4trouble I prepared a guide on this github repo:

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