[Step-by-Step Guide] How To Use the Snipping Tool on Mac?

When it comes to sharing information, providing technical support, or simply documenting your screen for personal use, Mac offers a powerful built-in feature: snipping. This tool allows you to effortlessly capture screenshots and make annotations.

In this step-by-step guide, we will delve into the various features of the snipping tool on Mac. Regardless of whether you own a MacBook Pro, Air, an iMac, or any other model, this guide will help you become a snipping tool expert, capable of capturing, editing, and sharing your Mac's screen with ease.

5 Different Methods of Snipping on a Mac

In this section, we'll explore five distinct methods for snipping on MacBook, each with its own advantages and use cases.

Method 1: Snipping on MacBook Using the Shortcut

The quickest way to capture your entire Mac's screen is by using the built-in keyboard shortcut.

This method is ideal when you need to quickly take a screenshot of your entire desktop, without the need for any additional software or settings. It's a simple and efficient way to screen snip Apple Mac, whether you're troubleshooting a technical issue or sharing information with colleagues.

1. Press the Command + Shift + 3 keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
2. Your screen will flash, indicating that a screenshot has been captured.
3. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file, named with the date and time. You can also further edit the screenshot.

Method 2: Snip a Portion of the Screen

If you only need to capture a specific area of your Mac's screen, the Mac snipping tool offers a selection mode that allows you to choose the exact region you want to screenshot. This is particularly useful when you need to highlight a specific element or detail, without including the entire desktop. The process is straightforward and can be completed in just a few steps.

1. Press the Command + Shift + 4 keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
2. Your cursor will turn into a crosshair tool.
3. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture.

   

4. Release the mouse or trackpad when you've selected the desired region.
5. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file.

Method 3: Take a Snip on Mac With Screenshot Menu

For more advanced snipping options, you can access the Mac snipping Screenshot Menu. This menu provides additional tools and settings, such as the ability to capture a timed screenshot or save the image to the clipboard instead of the desktop.

1. Press the Command + Shift + 5 keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
2. The Screenshot Menu will appear, offering various options for capturing your screen.
3. Select the desired screenshot mode from the menu.

   

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to capture your screenshot.
5. The screenshot will be saved according to your chosen settings.

Method 4: Snip on a Mac Using the Touch Bar

If your Mac is equipped with a Touch Bar, you can use the Snipping Tool to capture a screenshot of this specialized input area. This can be useful when you need to document or share the contents of your Touch Bar.

1. Press the Command + Shift + 6 keys simultaneously on your keyboard.

   

2. The screenshot of your Touch Bar will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file.

Method 5: Screenshot a Whole Web Page on a Mac

While the native screenshot tools on macOS excel at capturing visible screen content, they fall short when it comes to taking full-length screenshots of lengthy web pages. To overcome this limitation, you can leverage the power of third-party web-based Mac snipping tools designed specifically for this purpose.

One such tool is DemoAir - Screenshot. This online application enables you to easily capture complete renderings of any webpage, regardless of its size or length. Here are some of its key features:

• Full-page screenshots of websites
• Capture specific sections or the entire page
• Edit screenshots with cropping, resizing, and blurring
• Save to local or cloud storage

Steps to take a full webpage screenshot using this Mac snipping tool:

1. Visit the DemoAir - Screenshot website.
2. Enter the URL of the webpage you want to capture.
3. Select the Full-page Screenshot option.

   

4. Click Done to generate the screenshot.

   

5. Preview, edit, and save the screenshot.

How To Add the Snipping Tool to the Touch Bar?

For MacBook users with a Touch Bar, you can further enhance your screenshot-taking experience by adding the Snipping Tool directly to the customizable Touch Bar. This allows you to quickly access the snip screenshot functionality with just a tap, without having to remember keyboard shortcuts or navigate through menus.

1. Open the System Preferences on your Mac. Click on the Keyboard option.
2. In the Keyboard settings, locate the Touch Bar shows dropdown and select App Controls. Click on the Customize Control Strip button.

   

3. In the customization window, find the Screenshot option and drag it to the desired position on the Touch Bar.
4. Click Done to save the changes.

Custom Settings – Get Snipping Tool on Mac Work Better for You

While the default settings of the Snipping Tool on Mac are already quite powerful, you can further customize the tool to suit your specific needs and preferences. By adjusting the various settings, you can streamline your screenshot-taking process and take your productivity to the next level.

1. Change the Screenshot Formats

By default, the Snipping Tool saves your screenshots as PNG files, but you can also choose to save them in other formats, such as JPEG or GIF. This can be particularly useful if you need to share your screenshots with someone who may have limited storage space or if you want to optimize the file size for web use.

To change the screenshot format, follow these steps:

1. Open the Screenshot in the Preview app for which you want to change the format.
2. Go to File and click on Export.
3. In the end select the desired format and click Save.

2. Adjust the Screenshot Delay

Sometimes, you may need to capture a specific moment or action on your screen, such as a menu opening or a notification appearing. The Snipping Tool on Mac allows you to set a delay before the screenshot is taken, giving you time to prepare your screen.

To set a screenshot delay:

1. Open the Screenshot Menu by pressing Command + Shift + 5.
2. Click on the Options button in the menu.
3. In the Timer dropdown, select the desired delay time (e.g., 5 seconds).

Where to Find the Screenshots and How to Change the Location for the Screenshots

Finding Your Screenshots

After taking a screenshot on Mac using the Snipping Tool, you may be wondering where the image file is saved. By default, all screenshots taken with the Snipping Tool are saved to your desktop as PNG files.

To locate your screenshots:

1. Look on your desktop. The screenshot files will be named with the date and time the image was captured, such as Screenshot 2023-04-09 at 12.34.56 PM.png.
2. Alternatively, you can open the Finder and navigate to your desktop folder to view the screenshots.

Changing the Screenshot Save Location

If you prefer to save your screenshots to a different location, you can easily change the default save location in the Snipping Tool settings.

Here's how to change the screenshot save location:

1. Open the Screenshot Menu by pressing Command + Shift + 5.
2. Click on the Options button in the menu.
3. In the Save to dropdown, select the desired location for your screenshots. You can choose from options like: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, iCloud Drive, and other location (allows you to browse and select a custom folder)
4. Once you've selected the new save location, click Done to apply the changes.

Now, all of your future screenshots will be saved to the location you specified, making it easier to organize and manage your captured images.

Summing Up

The snipping tool on Mac is a powerful and versatile screenshot utility that offers numerous ways to capture your screen, from full-page captures to targeted selections. By mastering the various methods outlined in this guide, you'll be able to streamline your workflow and improve your productivity.

However, for those instances when you need to capture an entire webpage, the built-in Snipping Tool falls short. This is where third-party tools like DemoAir - Screenshot shine. By allowing you to take full-length screenshots of any website, DemoAir provides a comprehensive solution that complements the Mac's native screenshot capabilities.