- To use Apple's built-in snipping tool to take screenshots, press Shift+Command+4 simultaneously on the keyboard, then click and drag the designated area, and a image file will be created on your desktop. Best Snipping Tool for Mac If you want a snipping tool packed with additional features, download Skitch, from the creators of Evernote.
- Snipping tool on Mac hi Experiment and practicals are favorite things for me now i am working on macbook pro for that i am looking for Snipping tool i am windows user and had tried Snipping tool for windows but curious to know about mac Snipping tool.
- Since Snipping Tool only available on Windows, this article reviews five best Snipping Tool on Mac so that you can choose the one which seems best for you.
- This MacBook snipping tool comes with multiple options to magnify the particular object, create stamps, include text and lot more. It is the perfect screen capture Mac tool for content creators, educators, businesses, digital marketers or anyone who wants to develop visually exciting and engaging content.
30 keyboard shortcuts Mac users need to know This collection of keyboard shortcuts for macOS can help users get the most from their iMacs, MacBook Pro and MacBook laptops.
Snipping tool is one of Microsoft's most famous applications, and for good reason. Taking Screenshots has never been easier. But what if you want to use Snipping Tool on Mac? Read on to find out how to take screenshots just like Snipping Tool very easily, along with 10 different applications that you can use as Snipping Tool for Mac to help you.
(The tool used for this article will not be disclosed, but ask nicely and we might give you a hint ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )
Contents
- 2 10 Best Snipping Tools for Mac
Is there a Snipping Tool for Mac?
Even though the exact Snipping Tool software isn't available for Mac, just like Snipping Tool for Windows, Mac OS X presents users with its own Screenshot Utility, ‘Grab'.
Along with Grab, there are tons of other Third-Party applications, each better than the other, available that you can use to make the best out of Screenshots.
10 Best Snipping Tools for Mac
Here are 10 of the best and extremely useful Snipping Tools for Mac:
1. Grab
Grab is the official Screenshot Utility application you get in mac-OS 10.14 and greater versions. It supports various screen captures modes, like capturing a marquee selection, whole window, whole screen, and timed screen. Grab comes with the mac-OS itself, and is extremely user-friendly.
You can use keyboard shortcuts in Grab to take screenshots even quickly and easily. Find it in the Utilities folder in Applications.
3. Monosnap
Monosnap is one of the best third party screenshot apps for Mac. Supporting the usually selected window, Part of the Screen and Full Screen capture modes, it also has annotation tools once you capture your screen.
You can choose the format for the image file, and also send the capture to another application where it can be used, like Adobe Photoshop.
Along with free cloud storage, there is also functionality for you to Capture a Video, and use the Front Facing camera of your Mac with the Screen Video in the Monosnap app. You can also get the Pro Version with added features. Go Check it out on the App Store or:
3. CloudApp
CloudApp is a Mac Snipping Tool equivalent that can capture images, video, webcam, and GIFs and claims to do it up to 300% faster. CloudApp is faster to access as it comes on the toolbar as soon as you download so that ultimately you save as much as a minute and a half on Screenshots. Annotations can be added to the capture. You can upload large files of various types, share your video's link and apply for optional password protection in CloudApp.
Another thing that stands out in this app is the fact that in the collection of images, you can find the relevant image in an organized manner by searching using text, objects or attributes, for example, a certain that you remember being prominent in the image.
How To Use Snipping Tool On Mac
4. SnapNDrag
If you are okay with spending a little more than you normally would for a Screenshot application, SnapNDrag is very useful for you. It costs 10$ for the full version, with added costs for extra features.
However, if you do buy it, you will get amazing features like its convenient Library, which is where your Screenshots would go. You can share the Capture to Mail, Messages, Twitter, Facebook etc., annotate your screenshot, have multiple output formats (PNG, JPEG or TFF). The Pro version comes with features like Border and Scaling option, keyboard shortcuts, batch rename and more.
The highlight of the app lies in its ease of use, ever since SnapNDrag had started out as a small application. Try your hands on the free version, and if you are willing, spend on the Pro version:
5. Lightshot
Lightshot is not as fancy as some of the previously mentioned screenshot applications, and might not have some features, but it is definitely very useful, convenient and worthy of being a Snipping Tool alternative for your Mac.
It is fast, you can annotate very easily, and basic customization is available for your Captures. The Screen Editor, once you capture the screen is pretty decent. In short, LightShot does justice to its name: light application, quick and extremely user-friendly.
If you are comfortable with an easy basic software dedicated to capturing Screenshots, get LightShot over here:
6. Snagit
Snagit is a powerful Screen Grabber that supports mostly all features previously mentioned, including sophisticated Image editing and Screen Recording. It is the most powerful software in this list.
One of the highlights of this software is its aesthetic interface which is important to a lot of users. The software is used by Businessmen, Content Creators, etc. Using it is convenient to maximize your reach, for whatever purpose you capture your screen. It encompasses more annotation and other features than you can imagine, allowing to customize pretty much anything you want.
For Users that are interested in the full range of features, you have to pay the amount of 50$, but for the most powerful equivalent of Snipping Tool for Mac, the price is definitely worth it.
7. Jing
Jing is another useful Snipping software for your Mac. It can be described as slightly a less powerful Snagit, but features like History, instant saving to video, and being discreet make it a decent piece of software from Techsmith to get for your Mac. You can also share your capture once you take the Screenshot on the Jing app.
Note though, it is prone to crashes and is considered weak when it comes to resizing your captured images. You can still try it out to see if it suits you here:
8. Snapz Pro X
Arguably one of the oldest Screenshot applications to be used on Mac platforms, Snapz Pro X has been used by old as well as new Mac users. It is extremely powerful, and creating capture videos is especially convenient in this application, hence it is used extensively to create content that requires screen captures such as tutorials etc.
The Screenshot you take can be edited, annotated with a wide range of powerful customization. This piece of sophisticated software, however, does come at a whopping sophisticated price of 69$.
If you have been using previous versions of this application and feel comfortable with it, it might be for you.
9. Jshot
Jshot is a pretty basic screen grabber software but has decent use. It takes screenshots faster and processes it faster than a lot of its other competitors. It has annotation features, with functionality to share your Capture very easily.
However, it doesn't support custom shapes and images. Also, the Mac version of this software lacks some features, so it can pretty much satisfy your basic needs-just don't expect anything too fancy from this software.
10. Skitch
Annotation features. Anyone familiar with the software will let you know annotation as its selling point. Creating annotations on your captured image is extremely smooth, and Skitch has a very decent screen capturing interface otherwise.
Some users go as far as to use it just for the Annotation features. If you are a user or content creator for whom annotation is extremely important, definitely go for this:
How to use Snip or Capture the Screen Using any Tool (Basic Steps)
- Open your desired Mac Snipping Tool for capturing Screenshots.
- Select the mode of Capture (Entire Screen, Window, Rectangular, Free Form etc.).
- Where it is required, select the area of the screen to be captured using the crosshair.
- Click on Capture.
- Annotate your image (if functionality exists), or edit it with the tools present in your Snipping Tool equivalent.
- Save your image with the desired Format.
All Set! You have successfully taken a screenshot with your Macbook snipping Tool.
Also Read: How to Print Screen on Mac
Final Take!
I hope by reading this article, you have successfully picked out the best Snipping Tool for Mac according to your preference and requirements, and you have learned how to take a Screenshot on Mac using any of these applications.
If you have any further queries regarding Screen grabbing on Mac, or these tools and their usage, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to respond back to you with a relevant answer. Keep browsing our website for more interesting articles.
Related Posts:
Looking to capture images, video clips, or your favorite websites? We'll help you pick the right snipping tool for Mac.
You're probably familiar with the incredibly handy Windows snipping tool. It's awesome, right? Wouldn't it be amazing if you could have a similar tool on your Mac?
We have some good news. We've covered how to capture screenshots on a Mac using snipping tool shortcuts before:
CMD + SHIFT + 3
makes capture a full-screen screenshot
CMD + SHIFT + 4
helps you capture selected area as a screenshot
CMD + SHIFT + 5
captures only an active window that you choose
Today, we'll go over some of the best snipping tools for Mac to make taking screenshots easy as pie. They include:
Best Snipping Tools for Mac in 2020
Snipping tools enable you to capture much of what you do every day on your computer screen. Some of the reasons you might need a snipping tool include:
- Making visual tutorials
- Sharing your screen with friends
- Sending screenshots for work
- Keep a record of important documents that you cannot download.
If you're looking for the perfect snipping tool Mac, check out our list below.
1. Snagit
We have to admit, Snagit is the gold standard of screen capture software. It's very popular with corporate customers for its aesthetic interface and powerful features. The editing and screen recording capabilities are pretty impressive. One of the highlights of the app is the intuitive user interface.
A small control panel appears at the top of your screen. It allows you to capture screenshots, change settings, and customize hotkeys. The editor features nifty tools like callouts, arrows, blur, and others. You can also create animated gifs and videos straight from the app. The process of capturing and editing images and videos is so seamless the average Mac user will take to it like a duck to water.
Snagit allows you to capture your screen in several ways. You can capture the entire screen, a specific region, or a specific application. You can also import images from scanners and cameras. One of the coolest features of this snipping tool for Mac is the ability to capture text from an image and paste it into a text editor. To access the full range of features, you have to pay $50, which is a tad expensive when compared to other tools.
So, what's our verdict?
We love Snagit. It's hands down the best Mac snipping tool on the market. The software comes with tons of features and is easy to use. It's our macOS snipping tool of choice.
✅ PROS:
- Easy to use
- Feature-rich
⛔️ CONS:
- Video editing is cumbersome.
2. Lightshot
Lightshot is an extremely lightweight screen capture tool. It's also one of the easiest to use. If you're worried about how to use snipping tool on Mac, then this is the right tool for you. All you do is press the print screen button on your keyboard and select your area of interest. The app will do the rest.
You can edit your screenshots by adding text, colors, shapes, and others. The software has a simple interface that you only interact with on the screen capture screen itself. The most outstanding feature is the ease with which you can capture, save, and upload screenshots. In fact, it's the only tool that allows you to take one screenshot after the other in quick succession. The tool is completely free and enables you to:
- Print screenshots
- Search for a similar image on Google
- Upload images to Prntscr.com
- Copy and save
So, what's our verdict?
Lightshot is a great snipping tool on macOS. It can be used by any person with a basic knowledge of computers. Even though it's not as feature-rich as some of the options on our list, it's still useful and convenient. The app even earned a place in our list of top 10 snipping tools in 2020.
✅ PROS:
- Lightweight and easy to use
- It's fast
- It's free
- Ability to save to social media or the cloud
Snipping Tool In Macbook Pro
⛔️ CONS:
- Does not have capture modes.
- Doesn't have a separate editing screen with advanced tools.
3. SnapNDrag
SbapNDrag is a handy MacBook snipping tool that allows you to grab a snapshot of the full screen, a window, or a specific section of the screen without worrying about key combinations.
You can use the free version or fork out $10 for the pro version. The pro version allows you to resize images, assign global hotkeys, and turn off adverts. Some of the features in the pro version include:
- A library for our screenshots
- Sharing your screenshots to Twitter, Facebook, email, and more.
- Annotate your screenshots
- Multiple output formats (PNG, JPEG or TIFF)
- Border and scaling
- Batch rename
- Custom keyboard shortcuts.
If you use screenshots in your work, then the paid version would be a perfect choice.
✅ PROS:
- Easy to use
- Free version available
⛔️ CONS:
- Limited features on the free version.
4. Monosnap
Monosnap is an online service that doubles as cloud storage, a secure content management system, and snipping tool for Mac. It also works on Windows and Chrome. Using Monosnap, you can instantly capture your entire screen or a portion of it and then use the built-in editing tools to mock-up and share your masterpiece.
Earning 4.3 stars in the Apple App Store, Monosnap might just be the best snipping tool out there for mac.
✅ PROS:
- Customizable hotkeys
- Rich editing tools
- Hide private information with a blur tool
- Free cloud storage space
- Create video and animated GIFs
- Multiple save and share options
⛔️ CONS:
- A possibly overwhelming user interface for some users
- Pushy upgrade ads
- Users complain that it stops working and locks up
5. Greenshot
Greenshot is a popular screen capture tool. It includes dozens of useful features like hotkey combinations, the ability to copy your image to the clipboard, or send it directly to a cloud-based program like Confluence, Box.com, Dropbox, Flick, Imgur, JIRA, Picasa-Web, or your printer. You can even edit screenshots on the fly with the built-in editor. To make this sweet package even better, Greenshot allows you to blur areas of your screenshot to keep things private. You can customize and personalize many of the default settings and use your own hotkey combinations for better functionality.
The program installs quickly, and the interface is easy to use. After you select your area, it turns green, and then you hear a shutter sound, so you know it took the shot. You can even choose your image format (BMP, GIF, JPEG, and PNG) and then mark it up with the built-in tools.
Greenshot was primarily a Windows-based application, but they recently released a snip tool for Mac as well. Although users rave about the Windows version, they are less impressed with the macOS alternative. So, for now, no one will be calling Greenshot the best free snipping tool for Mac, but you never know what the future holds.
✅ PROS:
- Open Source
- Easy to Use
- Freezes Screen When You Capture
- Allows Annotating, Highlighting and Obfuscating Screenshots
⛔️ CONS:
- Rarely Updated
6. Loom Screen Recorder
Loom Screen Recorder allows you to communicate quickly and effectively by taking screenshots or shooting quick videos to send to colleagues, friends, or family. In the time it takes you to type an email or mock-up an idea, you can create a video or screenshot to say it all. Loom offers both a free and paid version. Loom works on Windows, Chrome, Mac, and iOS.
If you are looking for the best free snipping tool for Mac that also records video, look no further, Loom is it! Using quick video recordings and screenshots, you can improve productivity, streamline your workflow, and boost customer satisfaction all at once.
✅ PROS:
- Rich interface with many options
- Supports multiple platforms and even has a Google Chrome extension
- Simple, lightweight, and easy to use
- Screen recording to create quick tutorials on how to do something
- Create videos, screen shares, and even GIFs on the fly
⛔️ CONS:
✅ PROS:
- Easy to use
- Feature-rich
⛔️ CONS:
- Video editing is cumbersome.
2. Lightshot
Lightshot is an extremely lightweight screen capture tool. It's also one of the easiest to use. If you're worried about how to use snipping tool on Mac, then this is the right tool for you. All you do is press the print screen button on your keyboard and select your area of interest. The app will do the rest.
You can edit your screenshots by adding text, colors, shapes, and others. The software has a simple interface that you only interact with on the screen capture screen itself. The most outstanding feature is the ease with which you can capture, save, and upload screenshots. In fact, it's the only tool that allows you to take one screenshot after the other in quick succession. The tool is completely free and enables you to:
- Print screenshots
- Search for a similar image on Google
- Upload images to Prntscr.com
- Copy and save
So, what's our verdict?
Lightshot is a great snipping tool on macOS. It can be used by any person with a basic knowledge of computers. Even though it's not as feature-rich as some of the options on our list, it's still useful and convenient. The app even earned a place in our list of top 10 snipping tools in 2020.
✅ PROS:
- Lightweight and easy to use
- It's fast
- It's free
- Ability to save to social media or the cloud
Snipping Tool In Macbook Pro
⛔️ CONS:
- Does not have capture modes.
- Doesn't have a separate editing screen with advanced tools.
3. SnapNDrag
SbapNDrag is a handy MacBook snipping tool that allows you to grab a snapshot of the full screen, a window, or a specific section of the screen without worrying about key combinations.
You can use the free version or fork out $10 for the pro version. The pro version allows you to resize images, assign global hotkeys, and turn off adverts. Some of the features in the pro version include:
- A library for our screenshots
- Sharing your screenshots to Twitter, Facebook, email, and more.
- Annotate your screenshots
- Multiple output formats (PNG, JPEG or TIFF)
- Border and scaling
- Batch rename
- Custom keyboard shortcuts.
If you use screenshots in your work, then the paid version would be a perfect choice.
✅ PROS:
- Easy to use
- Free version available
⛔️ CONS:
- Limited features on the free version.
4. Monosnap
Monosnap is an online service that doubles as cloud storage, a secure content management system, and snipping tool for Mac. It also works on Windows and Chrome. Using Monosnap, you can instantly capture your entire screen or a portion of it and then use the built-in editing tools to mock-up and share your masterpiece.
Earning 4.3 stars in the Apple App Store, Monosnap might just be the best snipping tool out there for mac.
✅ PROS:
- Customizable hotkeys
- Rich editing tools
- Hide private information with a blur tool
- Free cloud storage space
- Create video and animated GIFs
- Multiple save and share options
⛔️ CONS:
- A possibly overwhelming user interface for some users
- Pushy upgrade ads
- Users complain that it stops working and locks up
5. Greenshot
Greenshot is a popular screen capture tool. It includes dozens of useful features like hotkey combinations, the ability to copy your image to the clipboard, or send it directly to a cloud-based program like Confluence, Box.com, Dropbox, Flick, Imgur, JIRA, Picasa-Web, or your printer. You can even edit screenshots on the fly with the built-in editor. To make this sweet package even better, Greenshot allows you to blur areas of your screenshot to keep things private. You can customize and personalize many of the default settings and use your own hotkey combinations for better functionality.
The program installs quickly, and the interface is easy to use. After you select your area, it turns green, and then you hear a shutter sound, so you know it took the shot. You can even choose your image format (BMP, GIF, JPEG, and PNG) and then mark it up with the built-in tools.
Greenshot was primarily a Windows-based application, but they recently released a snip tool for Mac as well. Although users rave about the Windows version, they are less impressed with the macOS alternative. So, for now, no one will be calling Greenshot the best free snipping tool for Mac, but you never know what the future holds.
✅ PROS:
- Open Source
- Easy to Use
- Freezes Screen When You Capture
- Allows Annotating, Highlighting and Obfuscating Screenshots
⛔️ CONS:
- Rarely Updated
6. Loom Screen Recorder
Loom Screen Recorder allows you to communicate quickly and effectively by taking screenshots or shooting quick videos to send to colleagues, friends, or family. In the time it takes you to type an email or mock-up an idea, you can create a video or screenshot to say it all. Loom offers both a free and paid version. Loom works on Windows, Chrome, Mac, and iOS.
If you are looking for the best free snipping tool for Mac that also records video, look no further, Loom is it! Using quick video recordings and screenshots, you can improve productivity, streamline your workflow, and boost customer satisfaction all at once.
✅ PROS:
- Rich interface with many options
- Supports multiple platforms and even has a Google Chrome extension
- Simple, lightweight, and easy to use
- Screen recording to create quick tutorials on how to do something
- Create videos, screen shares, and even GIFs on the fly
⛔️ CONS:
- Can't add audio or music separately
- Users complain that it is glitchy at times
- Can't customize the interface
7. CloudApp's Mac Screenshot App and CloudApp for iOS
Another option in our Mac snipping tool lineup is CloudApp's screenshot App. CloudApp is a heavy hitter when it comes to software. They provide solutions for designers, developers, executives, marketing professionals, sales, support, and even production people. You can use CloudApp on the web, or download it to Mac, Windows, Linux and even use it on iOS devices.
Mobile game on pc play software. Across the board, CloudApp gets high marks from reviewers and users. It's a sophisticated product that allows you to capture and share your screen using an enterprise-level app. As a bonus, use the built-in analytical tools, white-label capabilities, and secure sharing along with controlled access features.
✅ PROS:
- Excellent support
- Easy to use and learn
- Quick GIF or video creation
- Uploads screenshots and videos automatically to the cloud
- Share links included
⛔️ CONS:
- No full-screen, screen capture, have to select an area
- Some users experienced lock-ups or glitchy video
- Saving to the desktop could be easier
- Needs more powerful annotation tools
- No video editing features
8. Skitch
If you are in the business of taking screenshots and marking them up for your team, Skitch is going to be the best snipping tool for Mac that you can find. Skitch was designed by and is owned by Evernote. If you don't use Evernote, you won't enjoy the push to integrate the two. That being said, Skitch is a simple, elegant, effective snipping tool and markup editor for macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. It has only seven tools, but honestly, why would you need more?
You can quickly add text, shapes, arrows, highlighting, color, draw on your image, and even add blurring to obscure areas. It's so easy to use; you can figure it out within seconds. When taking a screenshot, you select your area, which lights up, making it easy to see what will and will not be included.
The only drawbacks are the color chooser is limited to only eight colors. There aren't any special effects or filters, and you cannot save files locally. You must choose between emailing them, sending them as a text message, pulling them into Evernote, or sending them to your photos app. Other than that, we give Skitch a big thumbs up!
✅ PROS:
- Integrates with Evernote
- Supports PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, and PDF formats
⛔️ CONS:
- Doesn't offer to save a note when quitting the app
9. Recordit
Recordit is a simple, plugin-style Mac snipping tool that you install on your Mac or Windows machine to create quick screencasts of your entire screen or just a portion. Users love the simplicity and lightweight model, affording you the ability to multi-task while screencasting.
Easily showcase software or tutorials right on your desktop and then share them with your entire office. You can download the free version or pay for the full version for even more features.
✅ PROS:
- Minimalistic snip tool for Mac using virtually no memory
- Lives in the taskbar on Mac
- Dozens of upload and share options
- Customizable hotkeys
- Free cloud storage and management of screenshots
- GIF, and Twitter support
⛔️ CONS:
- Limited to 5 minutes of recording time with the free version
- It requires an internet connection
- The free version is feature-limited
How to Snip on Mac
When you transition from a Windows PC to a Mac, one question that might have you stumped is how to take a screenshot on the Mac. The Mac keyboard doesn't have a Print Screen button but don't worry; there are still plenty of tricks to take a screenshot when you need one fast.
CMD + SHIFT + 3
Probably the fastest way to take a screenshot, especially when time is limited, and you are trying to capture something temporary, is to use the CMD + SHIFT + 3 method. Hold down all three keys simultaneously; you will hear a camera sound and a screenshot of your entire screen will instantly be created and copied directly to your desktop. In macOS, these keyboard shortcuts are the Mac snipping tool, similar to the one used in Windows.
After you hear the camera sound, you will see a thumbnail preview of your screenshot in the lower, right-hand corner of the screen. If you click this tiny image, it brings up the entire snipping tool for Mac, and you can edit, annotate, rotate and make other changes to the image before it saves to your desktop.
CMD + SHIFT + 4
Another convenient way to take a screenshot on the Mac with even more precision is to use CMD + SHIFT + 4. This method allows you to select an area around the portion of the screen that you need to capture. You can get very specific about exactly what you want to be copied to the desktop. To use this method, follow the steps below:
- Hold down the CMD + SHIFT + 4 keys simultaneously. You will see a tiny bullseye on the screen.
- Now use your mouse or trackpad to click the top-left corner of the area you want to select.
- Hold and drag until you draw a rectangle around the entire area you want to be selected.
- Let go of the mouse, you will hear the camera sound, and the screenshot will copy to your desktop.
Again, you will see a tiny preview of the screenshot in the lower, right-hand corner of your screen. You have a couple of seconds to click that image to open up the snipping tool and make edits. If you make a mistake, close the box, and the original will be copied to your desktop.
You might have to try this method a few times until you get good at it, but it's worth it for the precision it offers.
If you have a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, you can use the Touch Bar to choose Selected Portion, Window, or Entire Screen and designate where to save the copy.
CMD + SHIFT + 5
New to macOS Mojave, is the CMD + SHIFT + 5 feature. When you use this option, it pops open an overlay window so you can choose full-screen, a window, or a selection screenshot.
This cool new feature also allows you to record a video of your whole screen or just a portion of it. Two additional options are that you can select where to save the file, and you can also set a handy delay of 5 or 10 seconds to line things up quickly before the screenshot takes a picture.
One More Hidden Trick - Preview Screenshot
So now you know how to use the snipping tool on the Mac. But there is also one more hidden trick we want to share. Buried in the Preview menu, there is a screenshot option. With a PDF or image file open in Preview, simply select File, Take a Screenshot, and then choose 'From Selection,' 'From Window,' or 'From Entire Screen.'
These menu items replace the keyboard shortcuts, but after that, you will have the same options and follow the same instructions above.
Learn more about snipping tools or screen capture software and check out the list of the best snipping tools for Mac to take screenshots of images, video clips, or your favorite websites as easy as pie.
That's it! Now you are an expert at taking screenshots on a Mac.
Conclusion
Taking screenshots on your Mac need not be complicated. You don't even have to memorize shortcuts. Our carefully selected list of tools will help you get the job done without breaking a sweat.
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