How to Crop a Screenshot on a Mac in 2026

The Short Answer: Preview

Preview is the default macOS app for opening images and PDF documents. It is free, already on your Mac, and usually the fastest way to crop a screenshot that exists as a file.

Here is the basic Preview crop:

1. 1Right-click the screenshot file.
2. 2Choose Open With from the context menu.
3. 3Choose Preview.
4. 4Once the image is visible in Preview, press and hold the left mouse button or trackpad button.
5. 5Select the area of the photo you want to keep.
6. 6Click the icon with the pencil in the circle in the toolbar at the top to open the editing tools.
7. 7Click the crop icon in the extra toolbar that appears below.

The last step has two other options: Tools > Crop in the menu bar at the top left, or ⌘K once the selection is made. In each case, Preview saves the change automatically to the current file, so you can close the window and be done.

If you need a separate exported copy instead of changing the current file, use File → Export. In that dialog, you can choose image quality and file format, and Preview automatically shows the estimated file size.

Preview is not fancy, but it is the built-in answer we use first. When the screenshot is brand new, though, there is an even faster place to start.

Crop from the Thumbnail, Immediately After the Shot

The Best Crop Is the One You Don’t Make

Cropping after the shot works but is not always the fastest. If you know which part of the screen you need, capture only that part.

Use these shortcuts:

1. 1Press ⇧⌘4.
2. 2The cursor changes to a crosshair icon.
3. 3Use the trackpad to select the portion of the screen you want to capture.
4. 4Release to take the screenshot.

For a window capture:

1. 1Press ⇧⌘4 then Space.
2. 2The cursor turns into a Camera button.
3. 3Click the window you want to capture.

By default, screenshots are saved to the Desktop, but you often do not need a file. You just need the image on the Clipboard to paste it somewhere.

For that, press ⌃⌘⇧3 to save the whole screen directly to the Clipboard, or ⌃⌘⇧4 to save a selected area directly to the Clipboard.

We cover the built-in shortcuts separately in the guide to taking a screenshot on a Mac. That brings us to the awkward bit. Clipboard screenshots are fast, but edited thumbnail screenshots can behave differently from what you expect.

Why the Crop Disappears When You Copy

This is the problem that makes cropping screenshots on a Mac feel broken.

1. 1Make the crop or markings in the screenshot editing window.
2. 2Press ⌘A.
3. 3Copy.
4. 4Paste into the app you need.

That works when a normal Copy gives you the original uncropped screenshot. It is not elegant but is reliable.

In Preview, the behavior is easier to understand. Preview saves changes automatically to the current file, so when you close the window, the cropped version is the file. When size must be precise, pay attention before applying the crop.

Exact Dimensions and Same Proportions

Sometimes roughly the right area is not enough. You may need screenshots with the same ratio or size each time.

For a rectangular crop:

1. 1Enable rectangular selection.
2. 2Mark the image section by holding down the mouse button.
3. 3Adjust the area at the sides and corners.

Preview displays the exact pixel dimensions as you change the selection size, and that is the part to watch while you drag.

If you need a specific aspect ratio, calculate pixel dimensions in advance. For example, aspect ratio 21:9 and pixel dimensions 3255 x 1395.

When you are working in Photos instead of Preview:

1. 1Open the photo.
2. 2Click the Edit button in the top right.
3. 3Press the Crop tab at the top.
4. 4Use the sliders located at the corners of the image.
5. 5Use the sidebar on the right to select a standard crop format, if needed.
6. 6Click the Auto button, if needed.
7. 7Or provide exact values by filling in the appropriate fields.
8. 8Press the yellow Done button in the top right.

Photos is better when you care about a standard crop format or exact values. For a screenshot you just need to paste, Preview is less work.

Crop Multiple Images at Once

If you need to crop one screenshot, do not complicate it. Use Preview.

When you need to crop a batch of images, use a batch tool. One option is XnConvert. It is free software for basic image editing across common file formats, including batch cropping.

The batch flow is:

1. 1Select the Input tab at the top.
2. 2Drag the images to be cropped into it, or add them by clicking the Add files or Add folder button.
3. 3Go to the Output tab.
4. 4Select the location where you want to save the output files.
5. 5Select the Actions tab.
6. 6Click Add action.
7. 7Choose Transform.
8. 8Choose the crop action you need: use Crop to set the parameters yourself, use Automatic crop to have the operation handled automatically, or use Zealous crop to remove areas deemed unnecessary.
9. 9Fill in the form specifying the dimensions.
10. 10Click the Convert button.

This is not the tool we would use for one screenshot. For a folder of them, it pays for itself the first time.

Crop with a Shape Other Than a Rectangle

Most screenshot crops are rectangles, but sometimes you want a different shape, for example a circle.

In Preview:

1. 1Press the ⌵ button located next to the dotted square icon visible after expanding the Preview toolbar.
2. 2Choose the selection tool you want from the menu that appears.
3. 3Draw the selection area.
4. 4Crop as already explained.
5. 5If you see a warning asking whether you want to convert the document to PNG format, click the Convert button to confirm.

The control is easy to miss because it is tucked behind the selection menu rather than in the toolbar.

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