Made for Ubuntu Wayland
Runs as a normal transparent desktop app, so you can draw over what you already have visible and capture the result with the built-in screenshot workflow.
Open Source Ubuntu Annotation App
Draw over your screen without leaving your flow.
WayMakeup is a transparent desktop window for Ubuntu Wayland that lets you sketch arrows, rectangles, circles, and styled text over whatever you are showing on screen.
GitHub Releases shows a download count for each release asset, so visitors can see how many times each packaged version has been downloaded.
Released under the MIT License. Anyone can use, modify, and share it.
Explain this flow
Fast annotation tools
Use arrows, circles, rectangles, multiline text, toolbar collapse, corner movement, and smart toolbar avoidance while drawing.
Open on GitHub
The project is fully open source, so anyone in the community can browse the code, download it, and contribute improvements.
Security
Works with Wayland's security model
No special screen-sharing permissions
WayMakeup does not require extra screen capture permissions or setup through xdg-desktop-portal or PipeWire.
No screen capture
The app does not capture, record, or read back your screen. It only draws in its own transparent Wayland window.
Compatible with Wayland protections
Because WayMakeup is not a screen-grabber, it stays compatible with Wayland security features that restrict access to the rest of the desktop.
Use your usual screenshot flow
When you want an image, use Ubuntu's built-in screenshot tool or your preferred capture workflow after placing your annotations.
Quick Start
Use WayMakeup in a few minutes
Download and unpack
Download the latest package from GitHub Releases, unzip it on your Ubuntu machine, and open the project folder in a terminal.
Launch the app
python3 /path/to/wymakeup/app.pyOptional keyboard shortcut
bash -lc 'python3 /path/to/wymakeup/app.py'Add that command in Ubuntu Settings under custom keyboard shortcuts for one-key launching.
Instructions
What the app can do
Draw
Pick arrow, rectangle, or circle, then click and drag.
Add text
Open the text editor, type multiple lines, set the font size, then press Drop and click where the preview should land.
Keep the toolbar out of the way
Use Move Bar, collapse it to WayMakeup, or let it move automatically when you draw near it.
Capture your result
When the screen looks right, use Ubuntu’s built-in screenshot shortcut or your preferred capture flow.
Community
Follow the project on GitHub
Want to share WayMakeup or help improve it? The source code lives on GitHub for easy access, issue tracking, and contributions.