A Linux desktop recording starts with choosing an app and an install route supported on your system. Blue Recorder records a screen, window or area and lets you choose audio inputs.
I’ll show you how to install Blue Recorder with Flatpak or Snap and make a short test recording with the capture settings you need.
TL;DR
Install Blue Recorder from Flathub with Flatpak or from the Snap Store, then open the app and make a short sample to check the screen, sound and saved file.
- Flatpak ID: sa.sy.bluerecorder.
- Snap package: blue-recorder.
- Choose screen, area or window capture and select the audio inputs you need.
What Is Blue Recorder?
The project began as Green Recorder and was rewritten in Rust. Blue Recorder uses GTK4 for its interface and FFmpeg for media handling.
Choose Blue Recorder for a direct desktop clip because its controls group the capture source and output settings. For scenes, overlays or streaming, use OBS Studio, which provides a wider production workflow.
| Part | What it means for your recording |
|---|---|
| GTK4 | The toolkit used for the desktop interface. |
| FFmpeg | The media framework used to encode output. |
| Capture source | Select a screen, a window or a region before recording. |
| Audio input | Choose an available input source. microphone and speaker capture have separate controls. |
How to Install and Use Blue Recorder on Linux
Choose one package route that is already supported on your distribution, install Blue Recorder, then launch it from the desktop menu or its package command. Keep the app open while setting the capture source, sound and destination for a short test.
Step 1: Choose Snap or Flatpak
Both routes are published. Choose Flatpak when Flathub is configured on your system, or Snap when snapd is set up, instead of building from source for a standard install.
- Already use Flathub? Pick the Flatpak route and use the exact ID sa.sy.bluerecorder.
- Already use Snap? Pick the Snap package named blue-recorder.
If neither package system is set up, follow the distribution-specific steps in our Flatpak setup guide or Snap installation guide first. These package systems are separate from APT, DNF and Pacman, so a package command for one cannot install the other.
Step 2: Install Blue Recorder
Run only the command for the package route you chose. The Flatpak command identifies both the Flathub remote and app ID. The Snap command uses its Store package name.
flatpak install flathub sa.sy.bluerecorder
Or, for Snap, use:
sudo snap install blue-recorder
Use only the installer command for your chosen package. Follow its package-manager prompts and confirm the application appears in the desktop menu before opening it.
Step 3: Launch the application
Open Blue Recorder from the applications menu, or start it from a terminal with the command matching the package you installed. The Flatpak app ID is also its run target.
flatpak run sa.sy.bluerecorder
For Snap, use:
blue-recorder
Launching starts the graphical app rather than recording immediately. Check that its window appears and that the settings controls are visible before choosing what to capture.
Step 4: Set the capture and output options
Choose the screen, window or area to capture, then decide whether the clip needs video, microphone audio or speaker audio. Set a filename and output folder you can find after the recording ends. For a first test, use one display and the default save folder so there are fewer settings to check.
| Setting | Use it to |
|---|---|
| Screen, window or area | Choose how much of the desktop appears in the clip. |
| Microphone | Include narration from the selected input. |
| Speaker | Include playback audio from the desktop. |
| Filename and folder | Find the saved clip after recording. |
Select the intended audio source when several appear, such as a USB microphone and the system default. Leave the frame-rate setting unchanged for the first sample.
Frame rate measures captured frames per second. A higher rate can preserve smoother motion but asks the recorder to process more frames. Delay gives you time to arrange windows before recording begins, but does not change the selected source.
Flathub says interface choices are saved for the next launch. Review them at the start of a session because a prior recording may have left microphone capture off or a different save folder selected.
| Formats | Source-listing detail |
|---|---|
| MKV, AVI, MP4, WMV, GIF and NUT | Listed by Flathub and the project README. |
| WebM | Flathub names it for GNOME Wayland. The project README lists it generally. |
Use a format your intended player supports, then check playback with a short sample before recording for longer.
Step 5: Record, stop and check a short clip
Press Record after selecting the intended source. Make a brief sample that includes the movement and audio you need, then stop it from the recording indicator or the app’s available stop control.
The Flathub description documents right-clicking the notification icon and choosing “Stop Record”. Middle-clicking the notification icon works only on some interfaces. Use the stop control your desktop exposes, then play the saved file and verify the picture, sound and destination before making a longer capture.
If your next step is extracting the narration or soundtrack, our FFmpeg audio extraction guide covers that separate task. For a broader comparison of Linux capture tools, see our Linux screen recorder roundup.
What to Check Before Recording
A missing capture option or silent clip can point to the desktop session, selected input or package permissions rather than the video filename. Check the session and chosen input first because those choices decide what the app can capture. Inspect package access only if the source remains unavailable.
| Symptom | What to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Flatpak install cannot find the app | Confirm Flathub is configured and the ID is sa.sy.bluerecorder. | Use the Flathub setup guide, then retry the install command. |
| Snap cannot install the package | Check that snapd is available on the distribution. | Follow the distro-specific Snap setup before installing. |
| Screen or area capture is unavailable on Wayland | Compare your desktop session with the app listing. Flathub names GNOME Wayland support. | Try the distribution’s supported session or choose a recorder documented for your compositor. |
| Microphone or speaker audio is missing | Choose the intended input and enable its separate recording control. | Make a short sample and play it back before a full recording. |
| Snap cannot access an input | Inspect the app’s connections with snap connections blue-recorder. | Follow current Snap Store guidance for any disconnected interface. do not assume a manual connection is needed. |
| Recording saves in an unexpected format | Check the selected format and session-specific support. | Choose a format listed for your package and test playback in your target player. |
The Snap Store describes audio-record and screencast-legacy connections, and a Snapcraft discussion records approval for auto-connect. That history makes old blanket instructions to run manual connection commands unreliable. Check snap connections blue-recorder and follow the current package guidance if an expected input remains disconnected.
Conclusion: Make a Short Test Recording
Before a longer session, make a short clip and confirm that its picture, selected sound and file location match the plan. That check catches a wrong input or destination before a longer recording depends on it.
Use the official Flathub listing and project README to check current package details before installing.
FAQ
These answers cover the package names and platform questions that come up when choosing an install route.
What is the Flatpak ID for Blue Recorder?
The Flathub application ID is sa.sy.bluerecorder. Install it with flatpak install flathub sa.sy.bluerecorder and launch it with flatpak run sa.sy.bluerecorder.
How do I launch Blue Recorder after installing it?
Open it from the desktop applications menu, run blue-recorder for the Snap package, or run flatpak run sa.sy.bluerecorder for Flatpak.
Does Blue Recorder support Wayland?
The Flathub description specifies Wayland support for GNOME. The project README also names KDE, so check the current package listing and test your compositor before relying on a particular capture mode.
Can Blue Recorder capture microphone and speaker audio?
The interface provides separate microphone and speaker recording controls and lets you choose an audio input source. Make a short sample and play it back to verify the selected sources.