Taking screenshots is an important task for many Mac users. The Snip Tool Mac provides a fast and easy way to capture images of your Mac’s screen. This built-in utility allows you to take screenshots of application windows, menus, entire screens, and more.
In this guide, you’ll learn all about using the Snip Tool on Mac to take customized screenshots and recordings.
What is the Snip Tool?
The Snip Tool is a utility that comes standard on all modern versions of macOS and OS X. It provides basic screenshot capturing and editing functionality in OS X without needing to install third-party apps.
Key features and capabilities include:
- Taking screenshots of rectangular regions, windows, full screens, and menu bars
- Drawing, arrows, shapes, text boxes to annotate screenshots
- Saving screenshots as PNG image files to your desktop
- Recording videos of on-screen activity
For quick captures and edits, the Snip Tool offers a streamlined workflow compared to more complex screenshot software.
Why Use the Snip Tool?
Here are some of the main benefits of using the Snip Tool for screenshots on a Mac:
- It’s free – Already built into macOS, no purchase required
- Lightweight – Small storage footprint and resource requirements
- Fast setup – Launch with a keyboard shortcut whenever needed
- Easy to use – Simple interface and straightforward workflow
- Sharing – Saves editable image files for attaching to emails, documents, etc.
- Annotations – Drawings and text boxes help highlight areas of interest
While basic, the Snip Tool excels at capturing and making quick edits. It’s not meant as a full-featured screenshot program.
How to Access the Snip Tool
There are two main ways to access the Snip Tool on a Mac:
Keyboard Shortcut
Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard. This launches the Snip Tool instantly.
Applications Folder
The Snip Tool application is located in Applications > Utilities. Open Finder, navigate to Utilities, then double-click the Snip Tool icon.
Once launched, you’ll see a small toolbar with options for capturing different types of screenshots.
How to Take Screenshots with the Snip Tool
The Snip Tool makes it easy to take customized screenshots. Follow these instructions to use the various capture options:
Capture Your Entire Screen
- Launch the Snip Tool
- Select the button for “Entire Screen”
- Click the Capture button at the bottom
- Your full screen will briefly flash, capturing the contents
- A screenshot image will appear on your desktop
Capture a Rectangular Region
- Launch the Snip Tool
- Choose “Rectangular Region”
- Click and drag your mouse on screen to select the desired area
- The selected portion will be outlined in blue
- Click Capture to take the screenshot
You can also hold down Shift while selecting to lock proportions or sizes of the rectangular region.
Capture a Window or Menu Bar
- Launch the Snip Tool
- Select either “Window” or “Menu Bar”
- Hover your mouse over the window you want to capture
- The window will be highlighted
- Click Capture to take the screenshot.
This method is great for capturing application windows. The same method works for the menu bar by choosing that option.
How to Save Screenshots
By default, screenshots taken with the Snip Tool are saved to your desktop as PNG images. The filenames contain a timestamp of when you took the screenshot.
You can change the save location to your Documents folder by choosing Options > Always Save To > Documents Folder.
How to Edit Your Screenshots
The Snip Tool also provides basic annotation features allowing you to add drawings, text, and highlights directly on your screenshots:
Tools Available
- Pen for freehand drawing
- Line tool to draw straight lines
- Shape tools like arrows, rectangles, ovals
- Text boxes for adding labels
- Colors palettes for changing brush and text colors
To annotate a screenshot:
- Take a screenshot with the Snip Tool
- The screenshot will open automatically into the editor
- Select annotation tools on the toolbar like Pen or Text
- Add markings and text as desired
- Click the Done button when finished to save
Make sure to use annotations purposefully to call out areas of interest on your screenshots.
How to Record Video With the Snip Tool
In addition to static screenshots, the Snip Tool also allows you to record video of your screen activity.
To record video:
- Launch the Snip Tool
- Choose “Record Video” from the capture options
- Select microphone, camera, and quality options
- Click Record and record for the desired duration
- Click Stop when finished recording
- The video will be saved to your desktop
Recording videos enables you to capture animated content and voiceovers.
Tips for Using the Snip Tool Effectively
Follow these tips for faster capturing and better quality screenshots with the Snip Tool:
- Learn keyboard shortcuts – Assign shortcuts for all capture types to optimize workflow
- Use annotation tools purposefully – Don’t overcrowd screenshots, focus on key areas
- Open screenshots into Preview for quick edits before sharing
- Use other apps for complex edits – Snip Tool excels at fast captures
Comparison to Other Screenshot Tools
The Snip Tool shines if you need:
- Quick rectangular region, window captures
- Annotate screenshots with basic shapes and text
- Record short duration screen videos
- Small sized editable image files
For advanced features like image enhancement, batch editing, format conversion, and storage consider higher end tools like:
- Skitch
- Snagit
- Lightshot
However, the Snip Tool cannot be beaten in terms of convenience and integration with macOS.
Conclusion
The Snip Tool offers an easy built-in option for capturing customized screenshots on your Mac. It’s perfect for quick captures, basic annotations, and screen recordings. With a little practice, you’ll be able to save and edit screenshots in no time without installing additional software.
The simple and lightweight Snip Tool lowers the barrier for taking screenshots on macOS. While limited compared to paid solutions, its straightforward approach helps you focus on just the essential screenshot tasks.