Annotator, image annotation tool for Elementary OS, released version 1.2.0 today. Here are the new features and how to install guide for Ubuntu users.

Annotator is a free open-source image annotation tool designed for Elementary OS, but also works in other Linux. By releasing version 1.2.0, it now also supports for taking screenshot for full-screen, current window, and selection area.

User can choose to either use UI button or run command line option to take screenshot, though it so far only works on Xorg session. Meaning Ubuntu, Fedora workstation with default GNOME Wayland session need to switch back Xorg from login screen for this feature to work.

Annotator take screenshot option

When adding and adjusting shapes and arrows on images, user can now right-click on them to ‘Set as Custom’. After that, your custom shapes/arrows will be available in the drop-down menus for quick use.

The release also added a emoji picker when inserting text. Also, right-click on the text insert area to get the option.

Other features in Annotator 1.2.0 include:

• Support for showing and hiding an item’s outline.
• Support for reading an image to annotate from standard input on the command-line.
• Enhance export UI and adding export options for PNG and JPEG types.
• Remove support for elementary OS contracts
• Several UI improvements and various bug-fixes.

How to Install Annotator 1.2.0 in Ubuntu

Annotator has a built-in installer script in the source code. Elementary OS can directly search for and install it from app store.

For Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 22.10, Ubuntu 23.04 and their based systems, the software packages are also available to install via this Ubuntu PPA for both X86 PC/laptop and arm64/armhf mobile devices.

1. Add the PPA

Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run commands to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/annotator

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. Update package cache

Ubuntu 20.04 and higher refresh system package cache automatically while adding PPA, but some Ubuntu based systems may not. To do it manually, run command:

sudo apt update

3. Install Annotator:

Finally, install the app using command:

sudo apt install com.github.phase1geo.annotator

Once installed, search for and open it from start menu (activities overview) and enjoy!

Remove Annotator & Ubuntu PPA:

To remove the Ubuntu PPA, use command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/annotator

And remove the annotation tool via:

sudo apt remove --autoremove com.github.phase1geo.annotator

The popular Qt based screenshot tool KSnip 1.10.0 was released few days ago with some cool new features. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu.

For those never heard of KSnip, it’s a free open-source cross-platform (supports Windows, Linux and MacOS) screenshot tool with some annotation tools, upload options and more.

By releasing the new 1.10.0 release, it adds new command line options:

• -p or --saveto <path> to specify where to save image.
• -o or --upload to upload screenshot via default uploader without opening in editor.

For other command options, simply run ksnip --help in terminal.

With a new OCR plugin, the release now supports for extracting plain text from images. Just open an image, then click on the “Options -> OCR” menu option to use it. Though, it seems to be in very early stage, which is not working in my case.

Other changes in KSnip 1.10.0 include:

• Add FTP uploading support.
• Add debug logging.
• New Save all option.
• Search in preference.
• Add support for RGBA colors with transparency.
• Editing feature improvements.
• And various bug-fixes.

How to Install KSnip 1.10

Option 1: Snap package

The easiest way to install the tool in Ubuntu is using the official Snap packages. Simply open Ubuntu Software, then you can search for and install it via few clicks.

Install Ksnip via Ubuntu Software

Option 2: AppImage / Deb

The software project page also provides AppImage and Deb packages, as well as Windows and Mac OS packages for download under ‘Assets’ section:

For most Linux, you may download the non-install AppImage package, make it executable via right-click menu “Properties” dialog -> “Permissions” tab, and finally click run the package to launch it.

For Debian and Ubuntu based system, download the .deb package and install it by running command in terminal (press Ctrl+Alt+T to open terminal):

sudo apt install ~/Downloads/ksnip-*.deb

NOTE for Ubuntu 22.04, double-click installing this local deb via “Software Install” option may not work properly. It refers to the Snap package, rather than installing the local package.

Option 3: Ubuntu PPA (unofficial)

For those prefer Ubuntu PPA, here’s an unofficial repository with Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 22.04 support.

Simply press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal, and run the commands below one by one will add the PPA and install the screenshot tool from it.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ksnip

sudo apt update

sudo apt install ksnip libkimageannotator0 libkcolorpicker0

Install the OCR plugin:

The OCR plugin is available to install as a separate package. It’s available to download at the link below:

Click to expand the ‘Assets‘ section, download & install the .deb package for Debian and Ubuntu based system.

Uninstall Ksnip

For the snap package, simply click ‘uninstall’ button in Ubuntu Software.

For deb package, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard and run the command below to remove it:

sudo apt remove --autoremove ksnip libkimageannotator0

And, remove the Ubuntu PPA (if added) by running command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ksnip

For those prefer native DEB to Flatpak and Snap packages, here’s how to install the latest ksnip screenshot tool using PPA in Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 21.10.

Ksnip is a free and open-source Qt-based screenshot tool with editing feature. I use the app regularly to add annotations (e.g., arrow, rectangle, border and drop shadow) to my images.

The software is available in Ubuntu universe repositories though it’s always old. The developer team maintains the latest packages via Linux universal Snap (available in Ubuntu Software) and Flatpak that run in sandbox.

Native DEB package is also available to download at github releases page. However, the latest version (v1.9.1 so far) does not work on Ubuntu 20.04 due to outdated QT5 library. It will work on Ubuntu 21.10, though users need to manually install the missing “libqt5x11extras5” package.

To add Ubuntu 20.04 support, I uploaded the software package into this unofficial PPA along with packages for Ubuntu 21.04 and Ubuntu 21.10. Though there’s already an Ubuntu PPA so far contains only Ubuntu 20.04 package.

Install Ksnip for Ubuntu PPA:

Firstly, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open a terminal window. When it opens, run the commands below one by one.

1. Add Ubuntu PPA.

Copy and paste the command below into terminal and hit Enter.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ksnip

It will ask for password authentication without visual feedback. After typing user password and hitting Enter, it adds the PPA into system and updates the package cache automatically.

2. Install / Update Ksnip:

After adding the PPA, run command below to install the screenshot tool as well as dependencies:

sudo apt install ksnip

If an old DEB package exist in your system, you may also launch “Software Updater” to upgrade the app.

Uninstall Ksnip & remove PPA:

To remove ksnip, run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove ksnip

Also remove the Ubuntu PPA by running command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ksnip

Alternatively, remove the repo line using “Software & Updates” under “Other Software” tab.

The official PPA for Shutter screenshot tool is back! So far contains packages for Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 21.04.

Shutter is one of the most popular screenshot tool for Linux. Other than basic screen capturing feature, it supports plugins, profiles, uploading to Imgur, Dropbox, etc., and has a built-in editor.

Shutter PPA was abandoned

The founder of Shutter has abandoned the project as well as the official PPA for many years. Due to the old Gtk2 dependency libraries, it has finally been removed from Ubuntu and Fedora repositories.

Luckily, a third-party PPA by linuxuprising is maintaining the Shutter package for over two years.

The development is back recently and moved to in Github. It now ported to GTK3. And the official PPA finally revived and maintained by the creator of linuxuprising.

Install Shutter via Official PPA:

For Ubuntu 20.04, Linux Mint 20, and Ubuntu 21.04, open terminal from start menu, and run following commands one by one.

1.) To add the official PPA, paste the command below into terminal and hit Enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:shutter/ppa

Type user password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue

2.) Next install the tool via command:

sudo apt install shutter

For Linux Mint, you need to run sudo apt update to manually refresh package cache.

Remove Shutter & Its PPA

You can remove Shutter PPA as well as other PPAs via “Software & Updates” utility under “Other Software” tab.

And remove Shutter if you want, by running command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove shutter