How to Use the Snipping Tool on Mac: A Quick Guide

What is Snipping Tool?

The Snipping Tool is a handy feature that enables you to capture screenshots of your computer screen. It is particularly useful when capturing a specific area, an open window, or the entire screen for sharing, documentation, or reference.

The Snipping Tool application is built-in on Windows computers, making it easy to access and use. However, there isn’t a separate “Snipping Tool” application for Mac users. Instead, the macOS system has a built-in capability called Screenshot that functions similarly.

To access the Screenshot tool on a Mac, press the Shift+Command+5 keys simultaneously. This will bring up a toolbar containing various screenshot options. From this toolbar, you can select the type of screenshot you wish to capture, such as a full-screen capture or a custom-selected area.

In addition to the basic screenshot functionality, your Mac also supports a range of keyboard shortcuts for more precise screen capturing. For instance, you can press Shift+Command+4 to select a particular portion of the screen or Shift+Command+4 followed by the Spacebar, to capture a specific window.

The captured screenshots are automatically saved on your desktop, but you can save them in a different location or copy them directly to your clipboard. Using this built-in Screenshot tool on your Mac, you can quickly and effortlessly capture important information from your screen, share it with others, or use it for personal reference.

How to Locate the Snipping Tool on Mac

Accessing through Finder

To locate the Snipping Tool on your Mac, you can use Finder. Open a new Finder window and navigate to the Applications folder. Look for an application called “Screenshot” or “Grab,” depending on your macOS version. Double-click on the application to open it and start capturing screenshots.

Using Spotlight Search

Another easy way to locate the Snipping Tool is by using Spotlight Search. Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search. Type “screenshot” or “grab” in the search bar, depending on your macOS version, and the relevant application should appear in the search results. Click on it to launch the Snipping Tool and take screenshots on your Mac.

Basics of Using the Snipping Tool on Mac

This section will cover how you can use the built-in snipping tools on your Mac to capture different types of screenshots. We will go through the following methods:

Capturing Full Screen

To capture your entire screen, follow these steps:

1. Press Command + Shift + 3 simultaneously.
2. The screenshot will be saved automatically to your Desktop or Screenshots folder as a .png file.

It’s simple, quick, and can capture your screen in seconds.

Capturing Selected Window

To capture a specific window on your screen, follow these steps:

1. Press Command + Shift + 4 simultaneously. The cursor will change into a crosshair.
2. Press the Spacebar. The cursor will change into a camera icon.
3. Hover the camera icon over the window you want to capture and click on it.
4. The screenshot of the selected window will be saved automatically to your Desktop or Screenshots folder as a .png file.

This method is perfect for focusing on a single window and not the entire screen.

Capturing Selected Portion

To capture a selected portion or area of your screen, follow these steps:

1. Press Command + Shift + 4 simultaneously. The cursor will change into a crosshair.
2. Click and drag the crosshair to outline the desired area you want to capture.
3. Release the trackpad or mouse button.
4. The screenshot of the selected portion will be saved automatically to your Desktop or Screenshots folder as a .png file.

Annotating and Editing the Screenshot

Adding Text

To add text to your screenshot, select the text tool, represented by a “T” icon, in your editing software. Click on the area where you’d like to insert the text, and begin typing. Choose your preferred font, size, and color to customize the appearance of the text. Remember to save your changes as you annotate your screenshot.

Drawing on Screenshot

If you want to add drawings or shapes to your screenshot, look for a drawing or pen tool within the software. Select your desired color and size, and start drawing directly on the screenshot by clicking and dragging your cursor. You can create simple shapes, like arrows or rectangles, or draw freeform lines to draw attention to specific screenshot areas.

Erasing Edits

Most editing software comes with an eraser tool if you make a mistake or want to remove an annotation. Select the eraser tool and adjust its size, then click and drag over the areas you want to remove. Ensure that you save your changes to maintain the updated version of your annotated screenshot.

Saving and Sharing the Screenshot

Saving the Screenshot

To save your screenshot on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Press Shift + Command + 4 simultaneously to activate the snipping tool.
2. Drag the crosshair to capture a specific portion of the screen. The part of the screen to be captured will darken.
3. Release the mouse button or trackpad to take the screenshot.

The screenshot will be saved in the PNG format on your desktop by default. To change the location where your screenshots are saved, you can follow these steps:

1. Press Shift + Command + 5 to bring up the screenshot toolbar.
2. Click on Options.
3. Under the Save to section, select the desired location for your screenshots.

Sharing the Screenshot

Once you have saved a screenshot, you may want to share it with others. Here’s how to do that on a Mac:

1. Locate the screenshot file. It will appear on your desktop by default, unless you have changed the save location.
2. Right-click on the screenshot file and hover over Share in the context menu.
3. Select the method you want to use for sharing the screenshot. Some common options include AirDrop, Messages, Mail, and Notes.

You can also share the screenshot directly from the editing interface if you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen after taking the screenshot:

1. Click the thumbnail to open the screenshot in the editing interface.
2. Click on the Share button at the window’s top right corner.
3. Choose the desired sharing method from the options provided.