Taking screenshots on a Mac is simple and efficient, and macOS provides several built-in methods to capture exactly what you need. But what if you want to crop or capture only a part of the screen? Luckily, macOS makes it easy to crop screenshots either during the capture process or afterward. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to screenshot and crop on a Mac using macOS tools.
1. Capture a Selected Area: Command + Shift + 4
The quickest way to take a cropped screenshot on your Mac is to use the Command + Shift + 4 shortcut. This allows you to capture only a specific area of the screen, so you won’t need to crop it later.
Steps:
1. Press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor will turn into a crosshair.
2. Click and drag the crosshair to select the area you want to capture. You’ll see a gray box appear, allowing you to see what’s included in the screenshot.
3. Release the mouse or trackpad to take the screenshot. The image will be saved to your desktop automatically (or another location you’ve specified).
With this method, you can capture a precise area on the screen, so you don’t need to crop afterward. If you want to adjust the selection while dragging, hold down the Spacebar to move the selection box around.
2. Use the Screenshot Tool for Additional Options: Command + Shift + 5
If you want more control over your screenshots, Command + Shift + 5 opens the Screenshot Tool. This tool offers several capture modes, including options for cropping during and after the capture.
Steps:
1. Press Command + Shift + 5. The screenshot toolbar will appear at the bottom of the screen.
2. Choose the Capture Selected Portion option (the third option from the left). This will allow you to select a specific area of the screen.
3. Click and drag to create a selection box around the area you want to capture.
4. Once you’re satisfied with the selection, click the Capture button.
Using this tool allows you to preview your selection before taking the screenshot, which can help you get the right crop without needing further adjustments.
3. Cropping a Screenshot After Capture Using Preview
If you’ve already taken a screenshot and want to crop it afterward, you can easily do so in the Preview app, which is the default image viewer on macOS.
Steps:
1. Double-click the screenshot to open it in Preview.
2. In Preview, select the Markup Toolbar by clicking the pencil icon at the top.
3. Click and drag across the area you want to keep. A selection box will appear around the chosen portion.
4. Go to Tools in the top menu and select Crop. This will remove everything outside the selection box.
5. Save the cropped image by pressing Command + S or selecting File > Save.
4. Cropping with Photos App
Another way to crop a screenshot after taking it is to use the Photos app. This is especially useful if you organize and edit photos directly within macOS Photos.
Steps:
1. Open Photos, then drag your screenshot into the app to import it.
2. Double-click on the image, then click Edit.
3. Select Crop from the tools on the right side and adjust the frame to your desired area.
4. Once cropped, click Done and save the image.
Capturing and cropping screenshots on a Mac is easy with macOS’s built-in tools. Whether you use Command + Shift + 4 for an immediate cropped capture, adjust selection in the Screenshot Tool, or edit afterward in Preview or Photos, you have multiple methods to get the exact screenshot you need. Familiarizing yourself with these options can help you work more efficiently and customize screenshots to your preferences.