As professionals in the field of photography, we dedicate ourselves to mastering the art of capturing and editing breathtaking portraits and picturesque landscapes. However, there’s another realm that often goes unnoticed but is equally important: the world of screenshots. Surprising as it may seem, mastering the art of taking and customizing screenshots can significantly enhance our ability to convey ideas effectively, whether it’s through emails, PDF designs, or presentations. Fortunately, you don’t need extensive practice to achieve this. All you need are the right tools at your disposal.
Built-in Snipping Tools: Windows and Mac
Windows Snipping Tool
The Windows Operating System comes equipped with its own built-in snipping tool, offering a convenient way to capture and edit screenshots. Here’s how you can access it:
- Windows 10: Click the “Start” button on the taskbar and type “Snipping Tool” in the search box. Select the Snipping Tool from the search results.
- Alternatively, you can press the Windows + Shift + S keys simultaneously to instantly launch the program.
The Windows Snipping Tool is user-friendly, and for Windows 10 users, the Snip & Sketch app provides even more advanced features. You can choose from various snip styles and utilize a wide variety of markup tools to enhance your screenshots.
Mac Snipping Tool
Mac devices also come with their own snipping tool, making it easy for Mac users to capture screenshots and screen recordings. Here’s how to access it:
Press and hold the following combination of keys: Shift+Command+5. The Mac snipping tool offers options for capturing the entire screen, a specific window, or a portion of the screen. You can also record the screen for 5 or 10 seconds and choose where to save the screenshot or recording.
Best Snipping Tools for both Mac and PC
While the built-in snipping tools for Mac and Windows are commendable, there might be instances where they lack certain features you desire. To cater to diverse needs, we’ve compiled a list of the best snipping tools for both Mac and PC, encompassing both free and paid options.
1. EaseUS ScreenShot
EaseUS, renowned for its data recovery software, presents a straightforward yet versatile snipping/screenshot tool exclusively for PC users. EaseUS ScreenShot, a free software, empowers you to capture customizable screenshots of your PC screen and subsequently annotate, edit, and enhance them swiftly and efficiently.
Pros:
- 100% Free
- Ability to set hotkeys
- Extensive annotation options including text, arrows, highlights, watermarks, shapes, and more.
Cons:
- Limited to PC users
2. Snagit
Snagit, a well-known and user-friendly snipping tool, is a paid application that offers a comprehensive range of features. It includes an all-in-one capture feature that allows you to capture various areas, such as the entire desktop, a specific region, a window, or even a scrolling screen.
Among its standout features, Snagit boasts the Grab Text capability, enabling you to extract text from captured screens or files, making it easily transferable to other documents. Additionally, Snagit offers screen recording, webcam and audio recording, and iOS screen recording. A recent update for Snagit 2021 introduced several enhancements, including pre-made templates, enterprise-sharing options, and the ability to create GIFs.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- Supports integrations
Cons:
- Requires payment
3. Greenshot
Greenshot, a portable and free screenshot software, is available for both Windows and Mac users. It excels in swiftly creating screenshots of selected regions, full screens, or even scrolling web pages.
One of Greenshot’s unique features is its open-source nature, making it an ideal choice for software developers, project managers, or anyone seeking a free and uncomplicated way to create screenshots.
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Ability to obfuscate screenshots
Cons:
- Infrequent updates
4. LightShot
LightShot takes simplicity to a new level, enabling you to capture and customize screenshots in just two clicks. This user-friendly application caters to both Windows and macOS users and offers a distinctive “similar image” search feature, allowing you to identify and delete duplicate or near-duplicate images.
LightShot provides a range of editing tools accessible at your fingertips, allowing you to annotate and enhance your screenshots. Moreover, it seamlessly integrates into web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera.
Pros:
- Intuitive user interface
- Free
Cons:
- Limited capture modes
5. Gemoo Snap
Gemoo Snap, a free and lightweight screenshot tool, boasts features like Quick Screenshot, Screenshot & Feedback, Screenshot & Beautify, Pin Screenshot, Screenshot to Clipboard, and Text Recognition from Images (OCR). You can capture a portion of the screen, the entire screen, or even scroll to capture an entire web page. Following the screenshot, you can immediately add comments and enhance the image with text, graphics, mosaics, arrows, numbers, lines, backgrounds, and more. Moreover, you can pin screenshots as floating windows for quick reference.
Pros:
- Multi-platform support: Windows, Mac, Online tool, and Chrome extension
- Rich annotation tools for image enhancement
- Efficient feedback communication
- Free to use
Cons:
- Not suitable for mobile devices
6. Monosnap
Monosnap stands out as one of the more popular snipping tools, boasting over 1 million users worldwide. It allows you to capture screenshots and videos, edit and annotate your captures, and store them securely on the application’s cloud storage.
Monosnap serves as a versatile and secure collaboration service, facilitating teamwork, idea sharing, feedback, and collaborative project work. With its annotation capabilities, Monosnap offers a concise means of conveying vital information, facilitating communication among colleagues and team members.
Furthermore, Monosnap enables you to capture screenshots, record short videos, or create GIFs during meetings, ensuring you can revisit key discussions. It emphasizes data security, employing encrypted data transfer and storage, guaranteeing the protection of your information, even in high-security environments.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Fast and unlimited monthly uploads for paid versions
Cons:
- Free version limited to single users
7. ScreenRec
For Windows users seeking a straightforward snipping tool, ScreenRec is a compelling option. It ranks among the simplest and most uncomplicated software available, requiring just one keyboard shortcut (Alt-S) to initiate. Like other tools on this list, it allows you to annotate and mark up your screenshots.
ScreenRec offers the additional convenience of automatically uploading your screenshots to the cloud and designating them as private to prevent public access. This software is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
8. ShareX
ShareX emerges as a strong contender among the best snipping tools, boasting a feature-rich, free application equipped with an array of productivity tools, destination options, upload methods, and capture modes.
Much like the previously mentioned snipping tools, ShareX offers a variety of capture methods, including a quick task menu and optical character recognition (OCR) for text extraction.
ShareX’s extensive array of snipping and markup tools includes rectangle, cursor, outline, freehand, smart eraser, and blur, among others.
Pros:
- Open source
- Ad-free
Cons:
- Complex user interface
9. Picpick
Lastly, Picpick stands out as a comprehensive screen capture tool that not only allows you to capture and enhance your images but also enables easy sharing across multiple platforms. Picpick offers a range of screen capture modes and includes various other tools such as an image editor, color picker, color palette, pixel ruler, magnifier, crosshair, protractor, and whiteboard.
Pros:
- Feature-rich program
- Free for personal use
Cons:
- Paid version licenses are not transferable
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether you operate on Windows or Mac, the snipping tools listed above will empower you to swiftly capture and edit screenshots, thereby enhancing your presentations and facilitating clearer communication. While the built-in tools in your respective operating systems are commendable, exploring these alternative snipping tools can elevate your screen-capturing capabilities to new heights. Boost your productivity and communication by choosing the snipping tool that aligns with your unique needs and preferences.
