What is CleanShot X?
Tired of juggling multiple apps just to take a screenshot or record your screen? CleanShot X for Mac is the all-in-one solution that replaces macOS’s basic tools with powerful, intuitive features designed for real-world workflows. Whether you're a developer, designer, teacher, or remote worker, CleanShot X helps you capture, annotate, and share visuals faster and cleaner than ever.
From scrolling screenshots of long web pages to polished screen recordings with webcam and audio, CleanShot X handles it all—without slowing you down. Plus, it works flawlessly on Apple Silicon Macs and supports the latest macOS Sonoma (formerly Tahoe), so you’re always ready to capture like a pro.
What are the features of CleanShot X?
- Scrolling Capture: Grab entire web pages, chat logs, or code snippets—even if they don’t fit on your screen.
- Advanced Annotation Tools: Highlight, blur, draw, or add text in seconds with an editor users say “beats any other.”
- Screen Recording with Webcam & Audio: Record your screen, microphone, system audio, mouse clicks, and keystrokes—all in one go.
- Desktop Clutter Control: Instantly hide desktop icons or set custom wallpapers for clean, professional-looking shots.
- On-Device OCR Text Recognition: Copy text from images or scanned documents instantly—no internet needed.
- Quick Access Overlay: Save, copy, or drag screenshots directly into other apps without leaving your workflow.
- Pin Screenshots: Keep important references floating above all windows with adjustable size and opacity.
- Built-in Cloud Sharing (Optional): Upload and share with a single click—no account required to use core features.
What are the use cases of CleanShot X?
- A developer captures a full GitHub issue thread using scrolling capture and annotates bugs before sending to their team.
- A YouTuber records a tutorial with webcam overlay, system audio, and highlighted mouse clicks for clarity.
- A designer creates social media posts by adding custom backgrounds and margins to screenshots in seconds.
- A teacher hides desktop icons and uses the self-timer to capture a clean demo for students during screen sharing.
- A support agent uses OCR to extract text from a user’s error message screenshot and quickly responds with a fix.
- A remote worker pins a reference image while writing documentation, keeping it visible but non-intrusive.
How to use CleanShot X?
- Press your shortcut (default: Cmd + Shift + 5) to open CleanShot X’s capture menu.
- Choose between region, window, full screen, scrolling capture, or screen recording.
- After capturing, use the annotation toolbar to highlight, blur, or add shapes/text instantly.
- Drag your screenshot directly from the preview overlay into Slack, email, or Notes—no saving first needed.
- Enable “Hide Desktop Icons” in preferences for distraction-free captures during meetings or demos.
- Use the Pin feature to float a screenshot while working across other apps.
