How to take a scrolling screenshot on Mac (2026)

A scrolling screenshot is one image of content that is longer than your screen, captured as it scrolls. macOS does not have one built in. Its Screenshot app has 3 capture modes (entire screen, window or portion), and none of them scrolls (Apple Support). For a long webpage, your browser can capture the full page for free. For chats, documents or any other app, you need a capture app that scrolls for you.

Here is every method I use, starting with the free ones.

What macOS can and cannot do

Apple's Screenshot app can capture the entire screen, a window or a selected portion, and record video (Apple Support). None of its options scrolls. If what you need fits on one screen, see my guide to screenshotting part of the screen on Mac instead. Every built-in capture key is in my Mac screenshot shortcuts guide.

Full page screenshots of a webpage (free)

Safari: export the page as a PDF

1. Open the page in Safari.
2. Choose File > Export as PDF.
3. Save the file. You get the whole page as one long PDF, which you can open in Preview.

This is the quickest built-in option. The layout can differ slightly from what you see on screen, because Safari prepares the page like a document.

Chrome: Capture full size screenshot

1. Open the page and press Option, Command, I to open Developer Tools.
2. Press Shift, Command, P to open the command menu.
3. Type screenshot and choose Capture full size screenshot.

Chrome saves a PNG of the full page to your Downloads folder.

Firefox: Save full page

1. Right-click an empty part of the page and choose Take Screenshot.
2. Click Save full page at the top right.
3. Choose Download or Copy.

Scrolling screenshots in any app

For a Slack thread, a long document, code, a settings window or anything outside a browser, a browser trick will not help. You need an app that scrolls the window and joins the views together.

Disclosure: Znip is the app I build.

• Znip captures scrolling screenshots vertically or horizontally. You can let it scroll automatically or scroll by hand while it stitches the views. Automatic scrolling needs Accessibility permission and works best on stable, scrollable pages (Znip FAQ). Znip is in invite-only beta for Apple silicon Macs on macOS 15 or later.
• Shottr takes scrolling screenshots of "a long web page or capture conversation in a chat. Any app, any window" (shottr.cc). It is free to use, and a $12 one-time licence is needed for commercial use.
• CleanShot X has Scrolling Capture and costs $35 once with a year of updates (CleanShot pricing). I compare it with other options in the best CleanShot X alternatives.

Tips for a clean scrolling capture

• Close pop-ups first. Cookie banners and sticky headers can repeat down the image.
• Scroll slowly and steadily if you are scrolling by hand.
• Avoid moving content such as videos, animations and live feeds, which confuse stitching.
• Check the end of the image. Some pages load more content as you scroll, so the capture may stop early or run long.
• Redact before you share. Long captures often include names, emails and messages you did not mean to show.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take a scrolling screenshot on Mac without an app?

Only for webpages. Use Safari's Export as PDF, Chrome's Capture full size screenshot or Firefox's Save full page. Other apps need a capture tool.

Does macOS 27 add scrolling screenshots?

No. The Screenshot toolbar in macOS 27 offers the same capture modes as before: entire screen, window and selected portion.

How do I screenshot a long chat on Mac?

Use a capture app with scrolling capture, such as Znip, Shottr or CleanShot X, and scroll the chat while it captures.

Why does my scrolling screenshot have repeated parts?

Sticky headers, floating buttons or content that loads while scrolling usually cause repeats. Hide them, scroll more slowly, or try automatic scrolling.