Screenshot leaves a permanent black border until I log out or restart

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Screenshot leaves a permanent black border until I log out or restart

I have a M1 Macbook Air 2020 with the OS 11.4 and whenever I take a screenshot (in the mode where you select the area you want to screenshot), and the black shadow appears around the areas that are left out, the shadow stays even after the screenshot has been made, and the app has been closed.

I have to log out or restart the computer in order for it to go away. I have experienced this for months now over several updates of OS11.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jun 24, 2021 5:35 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Jun 27, 2021 1:44 PM in response to munichms

munichms,

Got it! That does make a bit of a difference. We asked the differentiation because two options make a screen recording and three others make screenshots. With the screen recording option, that shadow will remain until you click the stop button in your menu bar at the top right.

In the first screenshot in this article, How to record the screen on your Mac in the bar that appears above the dock, the fourth and fifth option from the left show a black circle and they are the screen recording options. Are you using the third option when attempting to take a screenshot?

Thanks.

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Answer 2

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Jun 25, 2021 9:41 AM in response to munichms

Hello munichms,

We understand that you’re using Command + Shift + 5 to record your screen and choose a specific area on your screen. However, once you stop the recording (by clicking the stop button in the menu bar) the shadowed area remains. Here’s the article on how to use that feature: How to record the screen on your Mac

If you use Command + Shift + 4, which is how you make a screenshot of a specifically chosen area, not a recording, does anything similar happen? With this method you’ll not see a shadow around the unselected area.

Thanks.

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Answer 3

munichms Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 25, 2021 12:15 PM in response to AnnieL2

Interesting. I used Command + Shift + 5, then clicked the X to leave the app before taking a screenshot of the chosen area, and the shadowed area went away.

However when I click the right-most button (to take a screenshot of the non-shadowed region), no screenshot is taken. Instead, the shadowed area remains permanently. I have to press the button again in order for the screenshot to be taken. At that moment, the shadowed area is twice as dark (since the previous shadow is still there).

Command + Shift +4 doesn't seem to have these bugs, so I will use that in the meantime until this gets figured out. Thanks!

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Answer 4

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Jul 1, 2021 12:51 PM in response to munichms

munichms,

That's fantastic! Thanks for sticking with us through troubleshooting and we're so glad to get to the bottom of things.

Have a great week!

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Answer 5

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Jun 25, 2021 2:16 PM in response to munichms

munichms,

A couple more things to verify. When using Command + Shift + 5 and choosing the 'Capture Selected Portion' option on the bar that appears and clicking the Capture button, is that when you notice the shadowed box stays and darkens? Or does that button say something different, like Record?

In that same bar, to the left of the word Capture is 'Options'. What is the timer set to?

Thank you.

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