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Is there the equivalent of the "Snipping Tool" for Mac computers?

Is there the equivalent of the "Snipping Tool" for Mac computers?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Feb 16, 2014 9:57 AM

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Posted on Mar 17, 2017 8:28 PM

press command control shift and "4" all at the same time. This puts a + on your screen. It lets you outline what you want to "snip" with your touchpad. When you release the pressure on your touchpad, the computer takes a screenshot only of the area you outlined. You can then press "command" "v" to paste the "snipped" portion into a Word document or email or message.

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Mar 17, 2017 8:28 PM in response to Daiza Diva

press command control shift and "4" all at the same time. This puts a + on your screen. It lets you outline what you want to "snip" with your touchpad. When you release the pressure on your touchpad, the computer takes a screenshot only of the area you outlined. You can then press "command" "v" to paste the "snipped" portion into a Word document or email or message.

Feb 16, 2014 5:24 PM in response to Daiza Diva

Daiza Diva wrote:


So, There is no ap for that! Too bad, trying to remember all those key board short cuts takes some of the glamor out of Apple. I did try that and it did work. Thanks.

Yes, there is an app for that. You got an incomplete answer. When people tell you the Mac keyboard shortcuts for screen shots, those are actually only the shortcuts to a much deeper set of screen shot capabilities.


The fact is that the Mac came out with a "snipping tool" app way, way before Windows ever did. OS X comes with an app called Grab (as in "screen grab"), in your Utilities folder. It will let you do screen shots with your mouse instead of having to memorize the shortcuts. Just click the Capture menu and you will have the commands Selection, Window, Screen, and Timed Screen. The Grab screen shot app has been around for many years (maybe 10 or more) while I believe the Windows Snipping Tool was not built into Windows until Windows Vista.


Also, note that the Window option means if you want to take a picture of just a single window or palette, you do not have to laboriously draw a selection around it. With the Window option, you just click that window and it's the only thing that will be captured, you'll get a nice clean grab of just that.


In addition to Grab, Apple added similar commands to the Preview app which is in your Dock or Applications folder. After starting up Preview, just choose File/Take Screen Shot and you have three commands: From Selection, From Windows, or From Entire Screen.


Furthermore, if you are enough of a geek to prefer typing in Unix commands, those screen shot choices can also be executed from the Terminal program by typing in the proper commands.


And if you ever wanted to record a video of your screen or audio from your microphone, you can do it with the QuickTime Player on your Mac.


So yes, there is an app for that, actually, several apps. 🙂

Feb 16, 2014 5:37 PM in response to Daiza Diva

You Don't Need an App. It is built into OS X. Press the Shift key and the Command key and the # 4 key at the same time and the cursor will change to a Cross hairs with circle. Place that changed cursor at the start point of the windows you want to draw and Click and hold the trackpad and Drag to the other side of the window you want to draw. Release the trackpad. What was inside that box you drew will be made into a .PNG file and placed on your desktop.


There is no Glamour in OS X. But you can't get any simpler than that key combo to do exactly the same thing as the Snipping tool in Windows and without ever having to open any App/Program.


How hard is it to remember Shift Command 4. Write it 50 times and you'll never forget it.

Shift Command 4

Shift Command 4

Shift Command 4

Shift Command 4

Shift Command 4

Daiza Diva wrote:


So, There is no ap for that! Too bad, trying to remember all those key board short cuts takes some of the glamor out of Apple. I did try that and it did work. Thanks.

Feb 16, 2014 6:30 PM in response to LowLuster

Yes but some of the appeal of OS X is that you don't have to remember things like command lines and keyboard shortcuts because all of your choices can be presented in a friendly GUI, like you find in Grab and why Apple also decided to them to Preview.


I'm a big keyboard shortcut guy, but even I recognize that some people want an app because that is the entire point of why the Mac was invented in the first place: For everyone who prefers a nice friendly GUI because they don't want to have to memorize computery combos just to do simple tasks.

Feb 18, 2014 12:13 AM in response to Daiza Diva

Daiza Diva wrote:


Your answer sounded so informed, but by now you know that I am a real newbe to Apple! You mentiioned an 'Applications' folder and a 'Utilities' folder, niether of which I could find.

I found what I thought was 'Preview', but it only wanted me to look into iCloud... nothing else.


You can find Appllications and Utilities where LowLuster said, and also, if you are in the Finder (desktop), both of those folders can be reached from under the Go menu.


User uploaded file


The Preview shortcut should also be in the Dock, but if it's been removed the original lives in the Utilities folder.

User uploaded file

Apr 28, 2015 1:00 AM in response to Daiza Diva

Actually there are many Snipping Tool alternative on Mac, such as the built-in Grab for Mac, it can be used to take screenshots on Mac, but it can automatically save screenshot in TIFF format. You need to use the "Preview" app to change the format. Other Snipping Tool for Mac options like Skitch, Jing, Monosnap also works better in taking screenshots and making quick edits.

Is there the equivalent of the "Snipping Tool" for Mac computers?

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