How to Edit a Screenshot on Mac

Editing a screenshot on a Mac can be a useful way to enhance and annotate images for various purposes. Whether you’re editing screenshots for work, personal projects, or just for fun, Mac provides several built-in tools that make the process quick and easy.

Step 1: Taking a Screenshot on Mac

If you haven’t taken a screenshot yet, you can do so by using the following keyboard shortcuts:

• Capture the entire screen: Press Command + Shift + 3
• Capture a selected portion of the screen: Press Command + Shift + 4, then click and drag to select the desired area.
• Capture a specific window or menu: Press Command + Shift+→, then press the Spacebar and click on the window or menu you want to capture.

Step 2: Opening Screenshots in Preview

The captured screenshots are automatically saved as image files on your desktop. To open them in Preview, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your desktop:
• In Finder, click on the desktop icon in the sidebar.
• If your desktop is cluttered with files, press ⌘+⌃+↑.
2. Locate the screenshot file:
• Look for files starting with “Screen Shot” followed by the date and time.
3. Double-click on the screenshot file:
• This will open the screenshot in Preview, the default image viewer on Mac.

Step 3: Editing Screenshots in Preview

Now that you have your screenshot open in Preview, you can start editing it using various tools available. Here are some options:

Crop and Resize

If you want to focus on a specific part of the screenshot or change its dimensions, follow these steps:

1. Select the Crop tool:
• In the toolbar at the top of Preview, click on the rectangular icon.
• You can also use the keyboard shortcut by pressing ⌘+K.
2. Drag to select the desired area:
• Click and drag to create a selection rectangle around the area you want to keep.
• You can adjust the selection by dragging its edges or corners.
3. Crop or resize:

You have two options here:







• Crop: Press ⌘+K or click on “Tools” in the menu bar, then select “Crop”.






• Resize: Click on “Tools” in the menu bar, then select “Adjust Size”. Enter the desired dimensions and click “OK”.

Annotate and Highlight

If you want to draw attention to specific parts of the screenshot or add textual annotations, follow these steps:

1. Select the Markup tool:
• In the toolbar at the top of Preview, click on the toolbox icon.
• You can also use the keyboard shortcut by pressing ⌘+T.
2. Annotate and highlight:

You have several options here:







• Draw shapes: Select a shape tool (e.g., rectangle, ellipse) from the toolbar and draw it on the screenshot.






• Add text: Click on the “Aa” icon in the toolbar, then click on the screenshot to add a text box.






• Highlight: Use the marker tool from the toolbar to highlight parts of the screenshot.

Once you’ve finished editing your screenshot, don’t forget to save your changes. Simply go to “File” in the menu bar and click on “Save” or press ⌘+S.

With these simple steps, you can easily edit and enhance your screenshots on a Mac using built-in tools. Whether you need to crop, resize, annotate, or highlight, Preview provides a versatile platform to make your screenshots more informative and visually engaging.