Install Spectacle when you want KDE’s screenshot application for a full desktop, one monitor, an active window, a window under the pointer, or a selected region. The package name changes by distribution, which is why an old command can fail even though Spectacle is available.
Choose the package name for your distribution
On Debian 13 and current Debian-family repositories, the package is named kde-spectacle. Fedora and Arch publish it as spectacle. Check the command for your distribution before pasting it, rather than assuming every repository uses the upstream application name.
| Distribution family | Repository package |
|---|---|
| Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint | kde-spectacle |
| Fedora | spectacle |
| Arch Linux, Manjaro | spectacle |
Install Spectacle on Debian, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint
Start with the package index, then install kde-spectacle. Debian’s current package page lists kde-spectacle as the screenshot capture utility, so use that package name instead of spectacle on these systems.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install kde-spectacle
Open Spectacle from your desktop’s application launcher after the package manager finishes, because a headless server can install the package but cannot capture a desktop image.
Fedora, Arch Linux, and Manjaro package names
Fedora and Arch Linux package the application as spectacle. Use your distribution’s package manager or software center with that exact name, then confirm the package page for your enabled repository before installing.
What Spectacle can capture
KDE documents capture modes for the entire desktop, a single monitor, the active window, the window under the mouse pointer, and a rectangular region. That distinction matters when you need a clean crop from one application instead of an image of every display.
- Use the full-screen mode when the whole desktop is the subject.
- Use a rectangular region when you need only part of a window or page.
- Use an active-window capture when background windows must stay out of the image.
Open Spectacle’s settings from its window to select save behavior, file naming, shortcuts, and the capture mode it offers at launch. The available controls can vary with the installed Spectacle and KDE Plasma versions.
Why Spectacle may not work in a terminal-only session
Spectacle captures a graphical desktop, not a terminal buffer. A package installation can succeed on a remote server, container, or SSH session while the application cannot connect to a display.
For a remote system, use the screenshot feature of the local desktop client or connect through a graphical remote-desktop session.
Verify the package before you install
Package names are distribution decisions, not a promise from the upstream project. Check your repository before installing if your distribution is not listed above.
apt-cache policy kde-spectacle
If there is no candidate package, refresh your package sources or use the software center provided by your distribution.
Conclusion
Use kde-spectacle on Debian-family systems and spectacle on Fedora or Arch-family systems. Then launch it from a graphical session and choose the capture mode that matches the image you need.
For the capture modes and settings supported by your installed build, consult the KDE Spectacle documentation. KDE’s Spectacle application page, the Debian package page, the Fedora package page, and the Arch package page are the authoritative places to confirm availability for each distribution.