By default the screenshot you capture on Mac is in .png file format. The .png file format supports lossless data compression which means that the screenshot size is on the higher side, well thats not bad for some but for those who are uploading them to web would not prefer it. The good news is that you can change the default file format to any other file format of your choice like gif, jpg or even pdf. In this guide, I will share how you can change the default file format of screen captured on Mac.
Changing screenshot file format
To change the default file format, you need to use the Terminal (also referred as command line) on Mac. To open terminal go to Applications ❯ Utilities ❯ Open Terminal.
To demonstrate I’m changing the default file format to jpg. To change from .png to .jpg type the following command in terminal and hit enter.
Now verify the change by taking a screenshot, press
Similarly to change in other file formats, type the following commands in terminal.
Change Screenshot Format to JPG in Mac With Ease. Well, those were some simple methods to change the screenshot format to JPG in Mac. Terminal is the way to go if you wouldn’t regularly change the screenshot format on your Mac but if you are someone who tends to change screenshot formats often. You can try out a third party app like Monosnap. Grab does support PNG. After you capture an image using Grab, the options to save include jpeg, png, and tiff. To save as png, just select that as your file format. If you’re not seeing these option, use Terminal to change the default format. Open Terminal and type in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png. Hope this helps!
How to Change a Screenshot to JPG and Other File Formats. By default, Macs save screenshots as PNG files, which are usually larger than JPG files. Both can be used for social media, but JPGs are more universally accepted. To save a screenshot as a JPG, use the Terminal to override the default format setting. Click the window or menu to capture it. To exclude the window's shadow from the screenshot, press and hold the Option key while you click. If you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit the screenshot. Or wait for the screenshot to save to your desktop.
Change to .gif
Change to .pdf
You can switch between these file formats any number of times as per your requirement.
Reverting the changes
If at some point you choose to go back to .png file format then type the following command in terminal:
Part 2. FAQs of Cropping a Screenshot on Mac
Can I use Photoshop to crop my screenshots on Mac?
Yes, Photoshop is an excellent image editor that allows you to crop the image with ease. But it is not the default application on Mac, you need to download and install it before using it to resize your shortcuts. The easiest way to crop a screenshot on Mac is to use the default application like Preview.
Where do screenshots go on Mac?
By default, Mac screenshots are saved automatically on your desktop with the name ”Screen Shot [date] at [time].png.” In macOS Mojave or later, you can change the default location of saved screenshots from the Options menu in the Screenshot app. You can also drag the thumbnail to a folder or document.
How do I copy a screenshot to the Clipboard?
Mac Screen Capture Save As Jpeg File
To copy a screenshot to the Clipboard, press and hold the Control key while you take the screenshot. You can then paste the screenshot somewhere else. Or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on another Apple device.
Conclusion
Mac Screen Capture Save As Jpeg Download
With the inbuilt photo editing apps of Preview and Photos, you don’t need to install a complicated image editing program to crop and resize screenshots on your Mac and you can easily get the image cropping job done. It’s just a matter of knowing how to use them and you can start enjoying them for free.
What do you think of this post?
Excellent
Rating: 4.7 / 5 (based on 114 votes)Follow Us on
- How to Capture Still Image from Video in Windows Media Player
How do I capture a still image from a video? How do I take a picture from a video in Windows 10? How to capture a Windows Media Player screenshot? This post will show you how to capture still image from video in Windows Media Player in details.
- Where Are Screenshots Saved in Windows 10/8/7 PC
Where are screenshots saved? Where do you find the screenshots on your computer? This post will show you the location of the screenshots folder in Windows 10/7/8 PC.
- How to Access Steam Screenshot Folder
Where did my screenshots go? Where are Steam screenshots saved? Where are F12 screenshots saved? This post will tell you where to find your Steam screenshots in Windows, macOS and Linux. Also, you can get a better way to capture your Steam gameplay.