CleanShot X: Mac Screenshot and Recording Tool

CleanShot X is the best screenshot and screen recording tool for Mac. It replaces macOS’s built-in screenshot tools with faster workflows, more capture modes, and professional features like scrolling screenshots, background removal, and instant cloud sharing. The interface stays out of your way until you need it, then gives you annotation tools, image editing, and shareable links in seconds. For designers who capture screens daily, CleanShot X saves hours over native tools.

Key Specs

How Designers Use CleanShot X

CleanShot X fits into multiple stages of design work. Here’s where it shows up in common workflows.

For Design Documentation and Handoff

Capture design mockups, interface states, or competitor research with scrolling capture. Annotate directly on screenshots with arrows, text, and shapes. Use the background removal tool to extract UI elements without opening Photoshop. Export as PNG with transparency or share via CleanShot Cloud link for instant developer access.

For Bug Reports and QA Feedback

Record a 15-second screen recording showing a bug in action. CleanShot X captures the video, lets you trim it, and uploads it to Cloud with one click. Share the link in Linear, Jira, or Slack. Faster than writing paragraphs explaining visual issues. Developers see exactly what’s broken.

For Client Presentations and Walkthroughs

Record a product demo or prototype interaction. Add webcam overlay to show your face while presenting. Export as MP4 or self-playing GIF. CleanShot X’s recordings are cleaner than Zoom screen shares and easier to embed in Notion or Loom alternatives.

For Quick Feedback and Iteration

Screenshot a design, draw markup with CleanShot’s annotation tools, and paste directly into Slack or email. The built-in history keeps your last 100+ screenshots accessible with one click. No more hunting through Desktop screenshots named “Screen Shot 2025-12-15 at 3.42.18 PM.png.”

CleanShot X vs. Alternatives

How does CleanShot X compare to other screenshot tools? Here’s a quick breakdown.

Choose CleanShot X if: You’re a Mac user who takes frequent screenshots and wants the fastest, most powerful tool with modern features.

Choose macOS Native if: You rarely screenshot and the built-in tools are enough. Free is hard to beat if you don’t need advanced features.

Choose Skitch if: You’re already using Evernote and need basic markup without paying. But it’s outdated; CleanShot X is worth the upgrade.

Choose Snagit if: You need cross-platform support (Mac + Windows) and work in environments where both platforms matter.

Getting Started with CleanShot X

A 10-minute quick start to replacing your screenshot workflow:

Step 1: Install and set keyboard shortcuts

Download CleanShot X from cleanshot.com and install. It automatically takes over macOS’s default screenshot shortcuts (Cmd+Shift+3/4/5). Open preferences to customize shortcuts or keep defaults. The shortcuts are identical to macOS, so muscle memory transfers.

Step 2: Take your first screenshot

Press Cmd + Shift + 4 to capture an area. Drag to select. Release and the screenshot appears in CleanShot’s quick access overlay (bottom-right corner). Click to annotate, copy, or share. Press S while dragging to enable scrolling capture, which auto-scrolls and stitches the full page.

Step 3: Annotate and share

Click the screenshot thumbnail to open the editor. Add arrows, text, blur sensitive info, or remove backgrounds. Click “Copy” to paste into any app, or click “Upload” to get a CleanShot Cloud link (requires Cloud subscription). For local saving, click “Save” and choose your folder.

CleanShot X in Your Design Workflow

CleanShot X is a utility tool that connects to other parts of your process.

• Before design: Competitor research screenshots, inspiration boards, reference captures
• During design: Documenting states, capturing mockups for feedback, bug reporting
• After design: Creating handoff documentation, recording product tours, client presentations

Common tool pairings:

• CleanShot X + Figma for documenting design decisions and capturing competitor UIs to reference
• CleanShot X + Linear for attaching visual bug reports with recordings
• CleanShot X + Notion for embedding screenshots in design docs without manual uploads
• CleanShot X + Slack for rapid feedback loops with annotated screenshots

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

These issues come up regularly. Here’s how to solve them.

“CleanShot X conflicts with other screenshot tools”

If you have Skitch, Snagit, or other screenshot apps installed, they may fight for the same keyboard shortcuts. Disable or uninstall competing tools. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots and ensure CleanShot X is the default handler. You can only have one tool managing screenshot shortcuts.

“Scrolling capture doesn’t work on this page”

Some websites block scrolling capture using JavaScript or iframes. Try capturing the full window instead, or use the browser’s built-in full-page screenshot (in Firefox or Chrome DevTools). For design tools like Figma, switch to manual capture or export the full frame instead.

“Images are too large for sharing”

CleanShot X defaults to Retina resolution (2x pixel density). This creates large file sizes. Go to Preferences > General and enable “Optimize PNG size” to compress images automatically. Or use the editor’s resize tool before sharing. For web use, most screenshots don’t need full Retina resolution.

“CleanShot Cloud uploads are slow”

Check your internet connection. CleanShot Cloud uploads depend on your upload speed. If you’re on slow Wi-Fi, use “Copy” instead and paste screenshots directly into Slack or email (they handle uploads). Or switch to the Classic license and save files locally.

“Can’t find my screenshot history”

CleanShot X keeps your last 100+ screenshots in the history panel. Press Cmd + Shift + H to open it. You can search by date, app, or content. If history is empty, check Preferences > History to ensure it’s enabled. History doesn’t sync across devices; it’s local to your Mac.