PIXELKIT(1)

NAME
pixelkit - Linux color picker, magnifier, and screen ruler

SYNOPSIS
pixelkit [settings]
pixelkit color-picker [--image FILE.png]
pixelkit magnifier [--image FILE.png]
pixelkit color-editor [--color HEX]
pixelkit screen-ruler [--image FILE.png]
pixelkit daemon
pixelkit configure-shortcuts

DESCRIPTION
PixelKit is a native system-wide color picker, configurable magnifier, color editor, and screen ruler. It uses direct X11 capture on X11 sessions and freedesktop screenshot and global shortcut portals on Wayland.

COMMANDS

settings
    Open the PixelKit settings and launcher window.

color-picker
    Capture the screen and open the magnified pixel picker. Its loupe can appear as a tooltip or remain centered on the pointer.

magnifier
    Capture the screen and open a magnifier centered on the pointer. Use the mouse wheel to change zoom and Escape or Backspace to close. Centered-grid and tooltip styles, starting zoom, maximum zoom, grid size, cursor behavior, capture behavior, and shortcut are configurable in the settings window.

color-editor
    Open color history, adjustment, format, and export tools.

screen-ruler
    Open the bounds and color-edge measurement overlay.

daemon
    Register configured global shortcuts until the process exits.

configure-shortcuts
    Open the desktop's Wayland shortcut configuration for PixelKit actions that do not yet have an active binding.

formats HEX
    Print all built-in representations for a color.

paths
    Print the settings and history file paths.

ENVIRONMENT

PIXELKIT_FORCE_PORTAL
    Use the screenshot portal even when PixelKit detects an X11 session.

XDG_CONFIG_HOME
    Base directory for settings.json. Defaults to ~/.config.

XDG_DATA_HOME
    Base directory for history.json. Defaults to ~/.local/share.

WAYLAND
Wayland deliberately prevents applications from silently reading arbitrary pixels or grabbing global keys. PixelKit uses xdg-desktop-portal, so the compositor may show a permission or target-selection dialog.

FILES

~/.config/pixelkit/settings.json
    User settings.

~/.local/share/pixelkit/history.json
    Color history.

LICENSE
MIT. PixelKit is independent of Microsoft and PowerToys.