# Snipping Tool for Mac: the built-in shortcuts, and an app that works like it

Mac has no app called Snipping Tool. Press ⇧⌘4 to capture an area (add Control, ⌃⇧⌘4, to copy it instead of saving), or ⇧⌘5 for the capture toolbar. For Snipping Tool-style markup, Screen2Shot's ⌃⇧S preset opens area capture with arrows, text and a pen, for free.

URL: https://screen2shot.com/snipping-tool-for-mac/
Updated: 2026-10-06 · facts checked on 2026-09-29

## Windows shortcuts on a Mac

| Task | Windows Snipping Tool | macOS built-in | Screen2Shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capture an area | Win+Shift+S | ⇧⌘4, then drag | ⌃⇧S preset (default ⇧⌘9), then drag |
| Copy it | Ctrl+C | ⌃⇧⌘4 copies instead of saving | ⌘C, ⌃C or Return |
| Save it | saved to the Screenshots folder automatically; Ctrl+S | saved to the desktop automatically | ⌘S opens a save panel |
| Whole screen | PrtSc, to the clipboard | ⇧⌘3; ⌃⇧⌘3 to copy | the shortcut, then F (the display under the pointer) |
| One window | Alt+M, Window mode | ⇧⌘4, then Space | ❌ |
| Delay | Alt+D, 1–5 seconds | ⇧⌘5 → Options → timer | ❌ |
| Copy text from the image | Text actions | Live Text, in an image you open in Preview | ⇧⌘C on the selection (PRO) |
| Record the screen | Win+Shift+R | ⇧⌘5, then a record button | ⌥⇧⌘9 (macOS 15 or later) |

*Checked on 2026-09-29. Sources below.*

## Take a screenshot with the built-in shortcuts

1. Press ⇧⌘4. The pointer turns into a crosshair.
2. Drag over the area you want. Hold Space while dragging to move the selection; press Esc to cancel.
3. Release the mouse or trackpad button. A thumbnail appears in the corner: click it to mark up the screenshot, or wait and it saves to the desktop.
4. To copy the area instead of saving it, press ⌃⇧⌘4 in step 1.
5. For the capture toolbar, press ⇧⌘5. It has area, window and full-screen capture, screen recording, and an Options menu with a timer and the save location.

## Where Mac screenshots are saved

The built-in shortcuts save to the desktop, named "Screenshot [date] at [time]" on macOS 13 and later ("Screen Shot" on earlier versions), per Apple's Mac User Guide. To use another folder, press ⇧⌘5, open **Options** and choose a location. Windows saves snips to the Screenshots folder automatically; on a Mac the shortcut saves to the desktop, and adding Control copies instead.

Screen2Shot copies instead of saving on its own. ⌘C puts the screenshot and your drawings on the clipboard, and a "Copied" capsule confirms it. ⌘S opens a save panel in the last folder you used, or in Pictures the first time.

## What the built-in tool does not do

- **Pin a screenshot above other windows.** The thumbnail stays only while the pointer is over it. Screen2Shot's [Pin to Screen](/features/pin-screenshot/) keeps a screenshot above every window (PRO).
- **Hide text by pixelating it.** Apple's screenshot page lists no redaction tool. In Screen2Shot, press B and drag over the area to [pixelate it](/features/blur-screenshot/) (PRO).
- **Copy text while you capture.** Live Text copies text from an image you open in Preview, so you save the file first. Screen2Shot's [Copy Text](/features/copy-text/) reads the text and QR codes in a selection with ⇧⌘C, without saving an image (PRO).

## Use Screen2Shot like Snipping Tool

1. Click the Screen2Shot icon in the menu bar, open **Shortcut ▸** and choose ⌃⇧S. The ⌃⇧9 preset is there too, for Windows habits.
2. Press ⌃⇧S from any app. The screen freezes under a dim mask; drag an area and its size in pixels shows beside it.
3. Mark it up with the pen, marker, arrow, rectangle or text in five colours. ⌘Z undoes.
4. Press ⌘C, ⌃C or Return to copy, or ⌘S to save a PNG. Esc closes without saving.

Screen2Shot needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later on Apple silicon. The tools above are free, with a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom of free screenshots; PRO removes it and costs 5.99 USD a month or 79.99 USD once on the website. See [pricing](/pricing/).

## FAQ

### Is there a Snipping Tool for Mac?

Not under that name. macOS has the Screenshot app: ⇧⌘4 captures an area, ⇧⌘3 the whole screen, and ⇧⌘5 opens a toolbar with area, window and full-screen capture, a timer and screen recording.

### What is Win+Shift+S on a Mac?

⇧⌘4 selects an area and saves it to the desktop; ⌃⇧⌘4 copies it to the clipboard instead. In Screen2Shot you can set the ⌃⇧S preset, which uses the same keys as Windows with Control in place of the Windows key.

### Is Screen2Shot free?

Area screenshots with the pen, marker, arrow, rectangle and text tools are free, and so is screen recording up to 1080p. Free screenshots and videos carry a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom. PRO removes it and adds Pixelate, numbered steps, Copy Text, Pin to Screen and Recent Screenshots: 5.99 USD a month or 79.99 USD once, bought on the website.

### Where do screenshots go on a Mac?

The built-in shortcuts save to the desktop by default, and you can pick another folder in the ⇧⌘5 Options menu. Screen2Shot saves nothing on its own: ⌘C copies the screenshot, and ⌘S opens a save panel in the last folder you used.

### How do I record the screen on a Mac, like Win+Shift+R?

Press ⇧⌘5 and choose a recording button. System audio is built in from macOS 27 Golden Gate; earlier versions record a microphone only. Screen2Shot records with ⌥⇧⌘9 on macOS 15 Sequoia or later, with switches for system audio and the microphone.

## Sources

- [Apple Support: Take a screenshot on Mac (published 2026-09-14, checked 2026-09-29)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646)
- [Apple Support: How to record the screen on Mac (published 2026-09-14, checked 2026-09-29)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618)
- [Apple: Interact with text in a photo using Live Text in Preview on Mac (checked 2026-09-29)](https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/interact-with-text-in-a-photo-prvw625a5b2c/mac)
- [Microsoft Support: Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (checked 2026-09-29)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-to-capture-screenshots-00246869-1843-655f-f220-97299b865f6b)