How to edit a screenshot

If you want to post a screenshot that contains information you don't want to appear on this site, you can use OS X's Preview app to delete or obscure that information prior to posting it. No special software is required.

For example: you took a screenshot of an email message such as the following, but you don't want the sender's name to appear when you post it to Apple Support Communities.

Open the screenshot on your Desktop by double-clicking it or selecting Open from the Finder's File menu.

• If that action does not cause it to be opened with OS X's native Preview app, control-click (or right click, or two-finger tap) the screenshot, and from the contextual menu that appears, select Open With > Preview.

Preview will open with the screenshot as in the following:

Select the Edit tool (circled):

The editing toolbar will appear with a variety of tools from which to choose. The one indicated below is the "Shapes" tool. Select it.

A dropdown selection will reveal a variety of shapes from which to choose. Choose the one that looks like a line:

You may also choose from a variety of line thicknesses and arrowheads by selecting the "Shape Style" tool:

Selecting that icon will reveal a submenu containing a variety of line thicknesses and other effects. To obscure a line of text, choose a thick line:

Draw a line by dragging your cursor over the text you wish to obscure:

Save the edited screenshot by selecting Save from Preview's File menu. The edited version will replace the original one on your Desktop.

Insert the screenshot into your question or reply using the "camera" icon that appears above the text entry field. The edited image example above will appear in your post like this:

Drag the screenshot on your Desktop to the Trash when you no longer need it.

Other Preview tools are available for entering a variety of open or solid shapes, text entry fields, and image editing. You can use any number of them to erase or obscure personal information.