Are you a new Mac user confused about how to crop your screenshots? Or do Apple’s editing tools seem a bit complicated? Then worry no more. This guide will provide all the answers to your crop-related queries.
Whether you’re an amateur or a tech geek, completing the simplest tasks can sometimes become gruesome.
Yes, every laptop has a few built-in cropping and editing features. But, the user-friendly interface and task-completion abilities set Apple apart from the competition.
The same goes for cropping screenshots.
Learning how to crop a screenshot on Mac is a simple process. It is as easy as pressing the ‘shift, command, and 4‘ keys together. But did you accidentally take a wider-than-required screenshot? No worries, the post-capture editing tools will instantly help you fix the issue.
Keep reading to know more about cropping methods!
Cropping screenshots
Screenshots are a lifesaver. Yes, you heard that right. From instantly capturing what’s on the screen to save essential images from the web, a screenshot will always come in handy.
But, sometimes, a screen capture has more than the required detail. In that case, cropping becomes essential. Unfortunately, users can get confused about how to crop a screenshot swiftly. Therefore, we have listed four easy ways of doing that.
How to crop a screenshot on Mac
1. Use short commands
Macs are built to provide all kinds of features to the user. It involves saving their time and energy. That is the reason Macs are packed with short command keys and touch bar features. The same goes for cropping a screenshot.
Apple Inc. has provided a bunch of short commands to take a cropped screenshot in no time. The best part? These features are inbuilt and require any installation of an application/software.
Here are all the ways users can snap their displays.
Whole screen capture
- First, To take a screenshot of the displayed screen, click the ‘Shift + Command, and 3‘ keys together.
- This will take a screenshot. The image will appear as a diagonal box on the bottom right of the screen
- Click on it and then press the crop icon to cut it to your desired size
Partial screen capture
If cropping a screenshot seems tiring, you can capture the screen partially. It will allow you to select the display area you want to capture. To take a partial screenshot, follow these steps:
- Press the ‘Shift + Command, and 4‘ keys together. A new bullseye-shaped pointer will appear.
- You can click and drag the pointer over the area you want to capture
- Once you release the tap, it will instantly take a screenshot
- Again, you can open the image to make any further edits or crops
- Selected window capture
If you desire to capture a specific window or menu on your Mac, this feature will help you. Follow these steps to take a cropped screenshot of a window:
- Press the ‘shift + command + 4 and space bar‘ keys together. A camera-shaped pointer will appear.
- Move the pointer over the window you want to capture and release the tap
- The tool will take a screenshot. You can then perform post-capture edits by clicking on the image
2. Use Snipping tool
The Macs Snipping tool is Apple’s built-in screenshot app. It is excellent for taking screenshots of the whole and partial screens. Additionally, it can do screen recording and has the feature of timer-based screen capture.
Follow these steps to use this tool to take cropped screenshots:
- Press the ‘Shift + Command, and 5‘ keys together
- A new window will appear. You can select the orientation and take a screenshot of:
- Whole screen
- Partial screen
- Selected window
- You can even select different choices from the Options tab like image location, self-timer, and selection history
- Lastly, click the ‘capture‘ button to take a screenshot
3. Photos application
Photos application is Apple’s inbuilt software for all its devices. Apart from many other benefits, this app can instantly help users crop images or screenshots. But wait- there’s more. This app is preinstalled on all devices, so you don’t need lengthy procedures to start.
Want to learn how to crop a screenshot on Mac using the Photos app? Keep on reading
- Open the Photos app using the Launchpad or the Dock
- Click on the screenshot you want to crop
- Then click on the edit tab and press ‘crop‘
- You can then cut the image, change its ratio or flip it using the editing tool
- Once you have completed the changes, press ‘done’ to save the edited file
Also Read: How to Take a Scrolling Screenshot on Mac | 3 Easy Ways
4. Third-party tools
Mac’s built-in features provide adequate support to do basic editing and cropping. However, are you interested in various post-capture edits and changes? That’s when some third-party applications can come in handy.
These tools are free and easy to use. Below are two practical applications you can download on your Mac to simplify the screenshotting process.
i. Movavi
The Movavi Screen recorder is a straightforward and simple-to-use tool for screenshots. The best part? It’s optimized for Macs and offers screen recording and editing in addition to taking screenshots.
Just visit ‘movavi.com’ and follow the instructions to download the app.
ii. Vidmore screen recorder
Vidmore screen recorder is another third-party app that works flawlessly on macOS. Apart from cropping the screenshot, users can also edit it and save it as any extension (including . JPEG, GIF, etc.)
Wait, it gets better. Users are not required to register or make an account to use this tool. Just download it and get started right away.
Conclusion
There are various methods of cropping a screenshot on Mac. For example, users can capture an already cropped image or cut it during post edits.
Nothing beats Macs shortcut keys; you can do almost anything by tapping a few buttons. Similarly, the most popular method of cropping screenshots is tapping hotkeys. So, are you ready to crop images like a pro?
