---
name: "slurp"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "slurp"
version: "1.5.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slurp"
---

# slurp(1)

select a region in a Wayland compositor

## NAME

slurp - select a region in a Wayland compositor

## SYNOPSIS

**slurp** \[options...\]

## DESCRIPTION

slurp is a command-line utility to select a region from Wayland compositors which support the layer-shell protocol. It lets the user hold the pointer to select, or click to cancel the selection.

If the standard input is not a TTY or the -r option is used, slurp will read a list of predefined rectangles for quick selection. Each line must be in the form "\<x\>,\<y\> \<width\>x\<height\> \[label\]". The label is optional and can be any string that doesn't contain newlines. It can be accessed using the "%l" sequence in a format string.

If the *Esc* key is pressed, selection is cancelled. If the *Space* key is held, the selection is moved instead of being resized.

## OPTIONS

- **-h**

  Show help message and quit.

- **-d**

  Display dimensions of selection.

- **-b** *color*

  Set background color. See **COLORS** for more detail.

- **-c** *color*

  Set border color. See **COLORS** for more detail.

- **-s** *color*

  Set selection color. See **COLORS** for more detail.

- **-B** *color*

  Set color for highlighting predefined rectangles from standard input when not selected.

**-F** *font family*

Set the font family name when displaying the dimensions box. Only useful when combined with the -d option. The available font family names guaranteed to work are the standard generic CSS2 options: serif, sans-serif, monospace, cursive and fantasy. It defaults to the sans-serif family name.

- **-w** *weight*

  Set border weight.

- **-f** *format*

  Set format. See **FORMAT** for more detail.

- **-p**

  Select a single pixel instead of a rectangle. This mode ignores any predefined rectangles read from the standard input.

- **-o**

  Add predefined rectangles for all outputs, as if provided on standard input. The label will be the name of the output.

- **-r**

  Require the user to select one of the predefined rectangles. These can come from standard input, if **-o** is used, the rectangles of all display outputs. This option conflicts with **-p**.

- **-a** *width*:*height*

  Force selections to have the given aspect ratio. This constraint is not applied to the predefined rectangles specified using **-o**.

## COLORS

Colors may be specified in #RRGGBB or #RRGGBBAA format. The # is optional.

## FORMAT

Interpreted sequences are:

%x	The x-coordinate of the selection

%y	The y-coordinate of the selection

%w	The width of the selection

%h	The height of the selection

%X	The x-coordinate of the selection with coordinates relative to the output

containing the top left corner.

%Y	The y-coordinate of the selection with coordinates relative to the output

containing the top left corner.

%W	The width of the selection cropped to the output containing the top left

corner.

%H	The height of the selection cropped to the output containing the top left

corner.

%l	Label included with region from stdin

%o	The name of the output containing the top left corner, or "\<unknown\>" if

not known

The default format is "%x,%y %wx%h\\n".

## KEYBOARD CONTROLS

The following keyboard actions can be used during selection:

**Escape**	Cancel the selection and exit slurp

**Space**	 If currently making a selection, while space is held down, move the entire selection rather than change the selection's size as you move the pointer.

**Shift**	Experimental. If the **-a** option wasn't specified, then set the aspect ratio to 1:1 while shift is held down, releasing it restores the un-constrained aspect ratio. **Note:** This behavior may change in the future depending on feedback.

## AUTHORS

Maintained by Simon Ser \<contact@emersion.fr\>, who is assisted by other open-source contributors. For more information about slurp development, see https://github.com/emersion/slurp.