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User profile for user: adhesive_stranded
adhesive_stranded Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

screenshot open in preview not working properly

When you take a screenshot with the "show floating thumbnail" option enabled, if you right-click on the thumbnail in the bottom-right of the screen after taking a screenshot, it opens a menu with several options to either save or open the file. The "Open in Preview" option is not working correctly on my machine.


When I try to "Open in Preview", if the Preview app is not already running, then I simply get the system dialog to choose a file to open in Preview, and my screenshot seemingly is lost. If Preview is already open, then the screenshot is sent to Preview as desired, however the dialog to choose another file to open still appears, and thus I have to cancel out of it before I can do anything with the screenshot.


I have restarted my computer, and the issue persists. I took a screen recording illustrating the problem, but I can not upload it here.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Oct 13, 2021 7:26 PM

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User profile for user: Luis Sequeira1
Luis Sequeira1
User level: Level 9
67,882 points

Posted on Oct 14, 2021 3:43 AM

You can also select "Preview" under "Save To" so it goes directly to Preview without having to click the thumbnail or choose anything else.

True, the problem when Preview is not already running still exists if you do it this way, if you do this often I suggest you just select Preview (command-shift-5, click Options, Save To->Preview) AND keep Preview running. Maybe this will be fixed in the upcoming OS.

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User profile for user: Luis Sequeira1
Luis Sequeira1
User level: Level 9
67,882 points

Oct 14, 2021 3:43 AM in response to adhesive_stranded

You can also select "Preview" under "Save To" so it goes directly to Preview without having to click the thumbnail or choose anything else.

True, the problem when Preview is not already running still exists if you do it this way, if you do this often I suggest you just select Preview (command-shift-5, click Options, Save To->Preview) AND keep Preview running. Maybe this will be fixed in the upcoming OS.

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User profile for user: adhesive_stranded
adhesive_stranded Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 13, 2021 7:43 PM in response to Meg The Dog

Thank you, but this only works for the thumbnail which appears on the desktop if you (1) have your screenshots set to save on the desktop (which I do not), and (2) have the "Show floating thumbnail" option from the Cmd+Shift+5 option menu turned off (I have it turned on).


If you double click on the floating thumbnail, it opens the screenshot in the "Markup" tool, not in preview. You can not print from the Markup tool, but you can from Preview.

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User profile for user: adhesive_stranded
adhesive_stranded Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 14, 2021 7:24 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks! I am glad to hear the issue is not unique to my machine. This Save to > Preview solution is working for me. I have to make sure to keep preview open with at least one image, otherwise my screenshots still trigger the choose file dialog, but I guess it will work for now.


edit: I will mention also, I only found the save to > Preview option in my Touch Bar menu on my MacBook, it did not appear as an option on the main screen menu.

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screenshot open in preview not working properly

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