Snipping Tool for Mac

Does Snipping Tool Work on Mac?

No. Snipping Tool is a Windows-only program from Microsoft. There is no Mac version and it cannot be installed on macOS.

Mac has its own built-in screenshot tool that does the same job. Press Command + Shift + 4 to capture any area of your screen, just like the Rectangular Snip mode in Snipping Tool. You do not need to install anything.

On macOS Mojave (10.14) and later, pressing Command + Shift + 5 opens the full screenshot toolbar with every capture mode, a timer, screen recording, and save options.

Mac Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts work on all Macs running macOS Sierra or later. Screenshots save to your Desktop as PNG files unless you add Control to copy to clipboard.

⌘ = Command key. Add Ctrl to any shortcut to copy to clipboard instead of saving to Desktop.

How to Use the Mac Screenshot App

Pressing Command + Shift + 5 opens the Mac Screenshot toolbar at the bottom of your screen. It is the closest experience to Snipping Tool: one place to choose your capture mode, set a timer, and pick where to save.

1. 1

   Open the toolbar

   Press Command + Shift + 5. A small toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with capture mode icons.

2. 2

   Choose your mode

   Select full screen, window, or selected area for a screenshot, or choose screen recording (MP4 or MOV).

3. 3

   Set your options

   Click Options to change the save location, add a timer delay (5s or 10s), or show the mouse pointer in recordings.

4. 4

   Capture

   Click Capture, or drag to select your area. A thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner for quick annotation.

How to Screenshot to Clipboard on Mac

By default, Mac screenshots save as PNG files on your Desktop. To copy to clipboard instead (so you can paste directly into Slack, email, or a document), hold Control while pressing any screenshot shortcut.

How to Capture a Single Window on Mac

This is the Mac equivalent of Snipping Tool's Window Snip mode. The captured image includes the window border and a drop shadow, with a transparent background.

1. 1

   Press Command + Shift + 4 to enter the selection mode.

2. 2

   Immediately press the Space bar. Your cursor changes to a camera icon.

3. 3

   Move your cursor over any window on screen. The window highlights in blue.

4. 4

   Click the window to capture it. The image saves to your Desktop.

Best Free Screenshot Tools for Mac

The built-in Mac screenshot tool is good enough for most users. If you need extra features like scrolling screenshots or better annotations, these are the best free options.

Frequently Asked Questions