How to Snip in Mac: A Beginner’s Guide

Snipping in Mac is one of the best features that is provided by the macOS to its users. This feature is a real time-saver for all Mac users as it allows them to capture screenshots, edit them, and save them as per their need. Whether you are a student, teacher, business person, or a content creator, you can make the most out of this feature on your Mac. In this article, we will guide you on how to snipping in Mac in a few easy steps.

Steps

Step 1: Understanding the Basics

Before you start snipping in Mac, it is important to know the basic functions. Firstly, press “Command + Shift + 5” on your keyboard to open the Screenshot app. You will see a set of options on the bottom of your screen. The options include Capture Entire Screen, Capture Selected Window, Capture Selected Portion, and Record Entire Screen or Selected Portion. Choose the option that suits your need.

Step 2: Choose the Snipping Option

If you only want to snip a specific part of the screen, select the “Capture Selected Portion” option. This will allow you to choose the part of the screen that you want to snip.

Step 3: Adjust the Selection Area

Once you choose the snipping option, your cursor will turn into a crosshair, and you can select the area you want to snip. Adjust the selection area by dragging the sides or corners of the rectangle until it covers the desired area.

Step 4: Save the Snip

Once you have selected the area to snip, click on the “Save” button on the top of your screen. You can save the snip as a JPG, PNG, or PDF file, or even copy the image to the clipboard.

Step 5: Use Basic Editing Tools

You can use basic editing tools on your snip such as pencil, shapes, text, and color adjustment. You can also crop the image, change its size, and rotate it as per your need.

Step 6: Save the Edited Image

Once you are satisfied with the editing, save your snip by clicking on the “File” option on the top left of your screen. Choose “Save” or “Save As” to save the edited image.

Step 7: Use Keyboard Shortcuts

If you frequently use the snipping tool, it is recommended to use keyboard shortcuts. You can choose your custom shortcuts in the Screenshot app’s options, or use the default ones “Command + Shift + 3” for capturing the entire screen; “Command + Shift + 4” for capturing a selected window; and “Command + Shift + 5” for capturing a selected portion.

Step 8: Make Use of the Snipping Toolbar

The Snipping toolbar is available on the bottom right corner of your screen once you open the Snipping tool. It allows you to capture the screen quickly and edit it without going through the Screenshot app’s options.

Step 9: Use the Preview App for Extra Editing

The Preview app comes pre-installed on every Mac, and it allows you to edit the snip with advanced editing tools, including cropping, color adjustment, and text recognition.

Step 10: Use Third-Party Snipping Tools

Although MacOS has built-in snipping tools, some third-party apps have more advanced features and functionalities. You can search for the best snipping tools online and download the one that suits your requirements.

Step 11: Use Cloud Services for Sharing the Snip

If you want to share the edited snip with your colleagues, friends, or family, you can use various cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud. Upload the snip, create a share link and send it to your desired recipients.

Step 12: Keep Your Mac Up-To-Date

To ensure an optimal snipping experience, always keep your Mac and its apps updated to the latest version. This will not only enhance your snipping experience but also keep your device secure from potential threats.

Explanation

Snipping in Mac is a simple yet powerful feature, and it can help you in your daily tasks more than you can imagine. By using the snipping tool, you can capture important information, explain complex topics to your students, design, and create attractive visual content, and even use it for personal or fun purposes.

In the first step, we explained the basics of snipping in Mac, which are essential to understand how this feature works. The second step focuses on snipping options and how to choose the right option according to your requirements. In the third step, we explained how to adjust the selection area, which is essential to capture only the relevant information.

In the fourth step, we explained how to save the snip and different file formats for saving the snip. In the fifth step, we discussed basic editing tools for editing the snip. While in the sixth step, we explained how to save the edited snip. In the seventh step, we suggested using keyboard shortcuts to save time while capturing the screen.

In the eighth and ninth steps, we talked about the snipping toolbar and the Preview app, which provides advanced editing features. In the tenth step, we discussed using third-party snipping tools that may offer more advanced features. In the eleventh step, we discussed using cloud services for sharing the edited snip with others. And finally, in the twelfth step, we highlighted the importance of keeping your Mac up-to-date to get the best experience out of snipping.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use the Drag and Drop Feature

You can drag and drop the snip directly to the desired application, saving your time.

2. Create Custom Folder For Snips

Create a folder for your snips, and save them in that folder. This will help you organize the snips better and retrieve them quickly.

3. Use the Snipping Tool for Presentations

Snipping tool is a great asset for giving visual presentations or explaining complex topics.

4. Use Color Adjustment for Eye-Pleasing Snips

Color adjustment can give a more appealing look to your snips, make use of it.

5. Use the Screenshot App’s Timer Feature

The Timer feature in the Screenshot app can help you to capture the screen in a time interval, especially when capturing changing screen content.

6. Use Markup to Highlight Important Information

Markup is an easy way to highlight important information in your snips.

7. Use the Snipping Tool for Social Media Posts

Snipping tool can create attractive thumbnail images for social media posts.

8. Use the Snipping Tool for E-Learning

Snipping tool is perfect for capturing images or diagrams to explain complex topics in e-learning courses.

9. Use the Snipping Tool for Customer Support

Snipping tool is useful for capturing screenshots that can be used to solve customer queries.

10. Use the Snipping Tool for Personal Use

Snipping tool can also be used for personal purposes like creating memes, editing photos, etc.

In conclusion, snipping in Mac is a useful tool that makes capturing and editing screenshots much easier. By following the above-mentioned steps and tips, you can master the art of snipping in no time. So go ahead and start creating your snips like a pro!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Snipping on Mac

Snipping, also known as the screenshot, is a feature that allows Mac users to capture and save an image of their computer screen. This feature has become increasingly popular among users and is commonly used for work, personal projects, and social media. However, just like any other feature, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using snipping on Mac.

Advantages

Advantages of Snipping on Mac
1. Quick and Easy: Snipping is a quick and easy way to capture images on your screen, without the need for any additional software.
2. Time-Saving: Snipping enables users to capture vital information or important details on their screen and save it for future reference, which is time-saving.
3. High-Quality Images: Snipping produces high-quality images of your screen, which can be used for presentations or other professional purposes.
4. Productivity Boost: Snipping in Mac helps users to quickly grab information from their screen, which saves time, boosts productivity, and allows users to focus more on their work.
5. Flexible Recording Options: Mac users can choose different recording options, such as capturing a whole screen, a specific window, or element of a screen. This allows users to capture exactly what they need with precision.
6. Easy To Share: Snipping makes it easy to capture and share images with others. This helps teams to collaborate efficiently and effectively.
7. A Universal Feature: Snipping is a universal feature that is available on all Macs, which means there is no need to download and install any third-party software.
8. Multi-Purpose Feature: Snipping can be used for different purposes, such as creating tutorials, demonstrating a problem, creating graphics, and much more.
9. User-Friendly: Snipping is a user-friendly feature that is easy to learn and use. Even new Mac users can take screenshots with ease.
10. Easy To Edit: Snipped images can be easily edited with built-in Mac tools, such as Markup, which means you can quickly highlight or add annotations.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of Snipping on Mac
1. Limited Editing Tools: Although Mac has built-in editing tools, they are limited in their functionality.
2. Not Suitable for Video: Snipping is not suitable for recording videos, which can be a disadvantage for users who need to record and capture videos.
3. Space-Consuming: Snipped images take up space on your Mac, which can be an issue if you have limited storage.
4. No Audio Recording: Snipping does not record audio, which can be a disadvantage when audio recording is required.
5. Not Suitable for Dynamic Pages: Snipping is not suitable for capturing dynamic pages that change frequently, as it is only a snapshot in time.
6. Can Be Time-Consuming: Although snipping is quick, it can be time-consuming if you need to take multiple screenshots.
7. No Instant Recording: Snipping does not provide instant recording, which can be frustrating for users who need to record things quickly.
8. Limited Compatibility: Snipped images may not be compatible across all devices and platforms.
9. Limited Sharing Options: Snipping may have limited sharing options, as users may need to save the image to their computer before sharing it with others.
10. No Cloud Backups: Snipped images are not automatically backed up in the cloud, which can be an issue if you lose data due to hardware failure.

In conclusion, while snipping provides many benefits to users, it also has its drawbacks. Evaluating these advantages and disadvantages can help you decide if snipping is right for your needs. Regardless of the cons, the pros of snipping on Mac outweigh its limitations.

FAQ

1. What is screen snipping?

Screen snipping refers to capturing a screenshot of a specific area of your computer screen.

2. How do I snip a screenshot on a Mac?

Mac users can use the built-in shortcut key: Command + Shift + 4. This will activate the snipping tool where you can select the specific area you want to capture.

3. Can I capture screenshots of full windows or the entire screen?

Yes, Mac users can use Command + Shift + 3 to capture the entire screen, or use Command + Shift + 4 and then press the spacebar to capture a full window.

4. Where are my screenshots saved on my Mac?

Your screenshots will be saved on your desktop by default, in a file format of ‘Screen Shot [date] at [time].png’.

5. Can I specify where my screenshots are saved?

Yes, you can. After activating the snipping tool with Command + Shift + 4, you can add the Control key to save your screenshot to the clipboard instead. You can then paste it into a program of your choice, like Preview or Photoshop, and save it as desired.

6. Is there a way to edit my screenshots on a Mac?

Yes, Mac users can use the Preview application to make basic edits, such as cropping, resizing, and annotating their screenshots.

7. Can I snip a screenshot using my mouse?

Unfortunately, Mac users cannot use their mouse to snip screenshots. They can only use the shortcut keys to activate the snipping tool.

8. What file format are my screenshots saved as?

Mac users’ screenshots are saved as PNG files by default. However, they can change the file format to JPEG, GIF, BMP, or TIFF in the Terminal application.

9. How do I change the file format of my screenshots on a Mac?

Open the Terminal application and type in: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type [file format]. Replace ‘[file format]’ with the preferred file format you want (eg. JPG, GIF, BMP, or TIFF). Press ‘enter’ and then type in: killall SystemUIServer and press ‘enter’ again to apply the change.

10. How do I disable the camera shutter sound when taking screenshots on a Mac?

Open the Terminal application and type in: defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-sound -bool true. Press ‘enter’ and then type in: killall SystemUIServer and press ‘enter’ again to apply the change.

11. Can I snip screenshots of videos on a Mac?

Yes, Mac users can use the snipping tool to capture screenshots of videos by pausing the video at the desired moment and then activating the tool with Command + Shift + 4.

12. Can I use third-party snipping tools on a Mac?

Yes, Mac users can download and use third-party snipping tools such as Snagit, Lightshot, and Jing if they prefer more advanced features than the built-in snipping tool.

13. How can I share my screenshots on a Mac?

Mac users can share their screenshots via email, messaging, or social media by clicking ‘Share’ in the Preview application, which will open up a share sheet with various sharing options.

How to Snipping in Mac

Snipping, or taking screenshots, is a crucial feature in any operating system. In Mac, there are various ways to take a screenshot, and it can be tricky to remember which techniques to use. However, in this article, we will show you how to snipping in Mac quickly and easily.

Conclusion

In summary, taking a screenshot in Mac is relatively easy. You can use the built-in tools, such as the Grab application, which provides various functionalities to capture your screen. Alternatively, you can use shortcut keys, such as Command+Shift+4, to take screenshots of a selected area on your screen. With these tips, you can quickly and easily take screenshots to share with your colleagues, friends or family.

Closing

Thank you for reading this article on how to snipping in Mac. We hope that it has been informative and helpful for you. Enjoy taking screenshots and sharing them with your loved ones! Until next time, take care and stay safe.