How-to / Screenshots
How to crop a screenshot on Mac (4 built-in ways)
Crop a screenshot on Mac with Preview, the floating thumbnail, Photos or by capturing only the area you need. Short steps with the shortcuts, checked October 2026.
To crop a screenshot on a Mac, open it in Preview, choose Tools, Rectangular Selection, drag over the part you want to keep, then press Command, K. If you have not taken the screenshot yet, press Shift, Command, 4 and drag over just the area you need, and there is nothing to crop afterwards.
Disclosure: I am Siddharth Sharma, and I build Znip, an invite-only beta Mac app that is mentioned near the end. The steps below use only built-in macOS tools and follow Apple's own instructions.
Capture only the area you need
The cleanest crop is the one you never have to make. Press Shift, Command, 4, then drag the crosshair over the area you want and release. The screenshot is saved with only that area in it (Apple: take a screenshot on Mac).
While you are still holding the mouse or trackpad button:
- Hold Space to move the whole selection without resizing it.
- Press Esc to cancel and start again.
If you want the capture on the clipboard instead of a file, add Control to the shortcut: Control, Shift, Command, 4. Then paste with Command, V.
Crop an existing screenshot in Preview
Use this when the screenshot is already saved as a file.
- Open the screenshot in Preview. Double-click it, or Control-click and choose Open With, Preview.
- Choose Tools, Rectangular Selection.
- Drag over the part of the image you want to keep. Drag the handles to adjust the edges.
- Choose Tools, Crop, or press Command, K.
- Save with File, Save, or use File, Export to save a copy.
Apple documents the same steps in its Preview guide to cropping images. If the crop is wrong, press Command, Z to undo it and select again.
Preview saves over the original when you choose Save, so duplicate the file first if you may want the uncropped version later. In Finder, select the file and press Command, D.
Crop from the floating thumbnail
After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen. Click it before it disappears and the screenshot opens in Markup, where you can crop and annotate. Click Done to save the result. For arrows, text and highlights, see how to edit, annotate and highlight a screenshot on Mac.
If the thumbnail has already gone, open the saved file in Preview and use the steps above.
Crop a screenshot in Photos
If the screenshot is in your Photos library:
- Open the image and click Edit.
- Choose Crop.
- Pick an aspect ratio, such as Square or 16:9, or leave it freeform, then drag the frame.
- Click Done.
Photos keeps the original, so you can use Revert to Original later. That makes it a safer choice than Preview when you want to undo a crop days afterwards.
Which method to use
- You are about to take the screenshot: use Shift, Command, 4 and select only what you need.
- The screenshot is already a file: crop in Preview with Command, K.
- You noticed the problem right away: click the thumbnail and crop in Markup.
- The image lives in Photos: crop it there.
Where Znip fits
Znip is a Mac app for screenshots, screen recording and sharing. You choose the area, window or full screen when you capture, and the editor has annotation tools for arrows, text and covering private details. It also reads text from an image on your device. It is in invite-only beta, so you can request an invite. You do not need it to crop a screenshot, because the built-in tools above cover that.
If you also need to capture a full page, see how to take a scrolling screenshot on Mac. To capture part of the screen, see how to screenshot part of the screen on Mac.
Frequently asked questions
How do I crop a screenshot on a Mac and copy it?
Press Control, Shift, Command, 4, then drag over the area. The selected area goes straight to the clipboard, ready to paste with Command, V.
How do I crop a screenshot on a Mac and save it?
Press Shift, Command, 4, drag over the area and release. The screenshot is saved to your chosen screenshot location. To crop a file you already have, use Preview and press Command, K.
Can I crop a screenshot on a MacBook Air?
Yes. A MacBook Air uses the same shortcuts and the same apps as any other Mac running macOS.
Can I crop a screenshot in Preview?
Yes. Choose Tools, Rectangular Selection, drag over the area to keep, then choose Tools, Crop or press Command, K.
How do I undo a crop?
In Preview, press Command, Z straight after cropping. In Photos, open the image, click Edit and choose Revert to Original.