TechSmith Snagit 2018 for Mac is a powerful screen capture and image editing software. It not only supports high-quality static screenshots and screen recording, but also includes an intuitive and professional editor, allowing users to quickly annotate, crop, add effects, and share after capturing. This guide will introduce its core interface, complete workflow, and practical tips in detail.
1. Detailed Explanation of the Core Interface and Workspace
The main interface of Snagit 2018 consists of three core parts: the Capture Panel, the Editor Window, and the Library.
1.1 Capture Panel
After launching the software, it floats above the screen or docks in the menu bar by default. It contains the following main areas:
- Preset Buttons: Provide one-click selection of common capture modes such as “Full Screen,” “Region,” “Window,” and “Scrolling Window.”
- Capture Type Toggle: Switch between “Image Capture” and “Video Capture.”
- Configuration File Dropdown Menu: Customize and save complete capture profiles including capture area, effects, and output destination.
- Red Circular Capture Button: Click or use the global shortcut key to start capturing.
1.2 Editor Window
After capture is complete, the image or video will automatically open here. The editor is the core functional area, mainly divided into:
- Top Toolbar: Contains basic tools such as Save, Undo, Redo, Crop, and Zoom.
- Left Tool Panel: Provides a rich set of annotation tools (arrows, shapes, text annotations, step annotations, callouts, etc.), drawing tools, and stamp tools.
- Right Properties Panel: When you select any element in the editor (such as the image itself, an arrow, or a text box), its detailed properties (color, line thickness, font, shadow, etc.) are displayed here for adjustment.
- Bottom Timeline (Video Only): Used for video trimming, adding audio, transitions, and cursor effects.
- Canvas Area: The central main area that displays and edits the captured content.
1.3 Library
You can open it via the menu bar Window > Show Library. It saves all historical capture projects in chronological order for quick search, reuse, or management.
II. Complete Workflow: From Capture to Export
2.1 Step One: Create/Start a Capture
Method 1: Use the Capture Panel
- Make sure Snagit is running (its icon is shown in the menu bar).
- In the capture panel, select the desired capture mode (e.g., “Area”).
- Click the red Capture button or press the default global shortcut
Shift+Command+5.
Method 2: Use Global Shortcuts
- Default image capture:
Shift+Command+5. Pressing it immediately enters region selection mode. - Default video capture:
Shift+Command+6. - Shortcuts can be customized in
Snagit > Preferences > Shortcuts.
2.2 Step 2: Perform the Capture
Taking “region capture” as an example:
- After pressing the shortcut, a crosshair cursor and magnifier appear on the screen.
- Drag the mouse to frame the target area. While dragging, the magnifier shows a pixel-level preview.
- Release the left mouse button to complete the capture. The captured content will automatically open in the editor window.
- (For “scrolling window” capture): Move the cursor over a scrollable window (such as a web page). When an orange arrow appears, click it, and the software will automatically scroll and capture a long image.
2.3 Step 3: Process in the Editor
The captured image/video has already opened in the editor, where you can perform the following operations:
Basic adjustments:
- Crop: Click the “Crop” tool in the top toolbar (or press
C), drag the borders to adjust the range, and press Enter to confirm. - Resize: Menu bar
Image > Image Size....
Add annotations and effects:
- Add arrows/shapes: Select the “Arrow” or “Shape” tool in the left toolbar and drag on the canvas to draw. Adjust the color, line style, etc. in the properties panel on the right.
- Add text annotations: Select the “Text” tool (or press
T), click on the canvas, and type. Use the right-hand panel to change the font, size, and color. - Blur or mosaic sensitive information: Select the “Blur” or “Mosaic” tool and paint over the area you want to obscure.
- Add step callouts: Select the “Step” tool and click on the canvas to add numbered callout boxes.
2.4 Step 4: Save and export
Save the project file:
- From the menu bar, choose
File > Save(orCommand+S) to save as a.snagprojfile, which preserves all layers and editing information for future changes.
Export to a universal format:
- From the menu bar, choose
File > Export(orShift+Command+E). - In the dialog that appears, choose the format (PNG, JPEG, PDF, MP4, etc.), quality, and save location.
- Click “Export” to finish.
Quick sharing:
- Click the “Share” button on the right side of the toolbar at the top of the editor to send the finished image directly via email or messages, or upload it to a specified cloud service (requires prior setup).
III. Advanced Tips for Common Features
1. Combined capture and “Include All” effect
Before capturing, enable “Include All” in the “Effects” menu of the capture panel. After capturing, the software automatically adds a thin border and a subtle shadow to the screenshot, giving it a more three-dimensional, professional look in documents or presentations.
2. Create Custom Presets (Configuration Files)
When you frequently use the same settings (e.g., fixed-area screenshots, auto-save to desktop), you can click the dropdown arrow next to “Configuration Files” in the capture panel, select “Manage Configuration Files” > “+”, set the area, effects, and output destination (e.g., “Save to File”), and then save. After that, you can invoke the entire workflow with a single click.
3. Batch Processing and Consistent Annotation Styles
In the editor, after setting the style (color, thickness, shadow) for the first annotation (e.g., an arrow), right-click on that annotation and select “Set as Default Style.” Subsequently, newly created tools of the same type in the current session will automatically apply this style, ensuring consistent styling across multiple annotations.
4. Cursor Highlight and Click Effects in Video Capture
When recording instructional videos, select the video track on the timeline at the bottom of the editor and click the “Cursor Effects” button to add highlights and magnification effects to the mouse pointer, as well as visual/audio feedback on clicks, greatly enhancing the clarity of your demonstrations.
IV. Common Issues and Solutions
Issue 1: Unable to Capture Menus or Dropdown Lists
Symptom: When trying to capture an open menu, the menu disappears after pressing the shortcut key.
Solution: Use the “Delayed Capture” feature. In the capture panel, click the small arrow next to the “Capture” button and set a delay time (e.g., 3 seconds). After initiating the capture, you will have enough time to open the menu, and the capture will complete once the delay ends.
Issue 2: Scrolling capture (long screenshot) fails or captures incompletely
Symptom: Scrolling stops automatically, or content is missing.
Solution: Make sure the target window/area has its own independent scrollbar. Some complex web pages (e.g., those with multiple embedded iframes) may interfere. Try scrolling to the starting position first, placing the cursor over the scrollbar area rather than the content, or switching to “Panoramic” capture mode for manual control.
Issue 3: Global shortcuts not responding
Symptom: Pressing shortcuts such as Shift+Command+5 has no effect.
Solution:
- Check whether Snagit is running in the background (check the menu bar or Dock).
- Go to
System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibilityand make sure Snagit is checked; otherwise, it cannot control the computer to perform captures. - In Snagit’s
Preferences > Shortcuts, check and reset the shortcuts, as they may conflict with the system or other apps.
Issue 4: Editor opens slowly or the library loses history
Symptom: The editor starts slowly, or previously captured content is gone.
Solution: This is usually related to an oversized or corrupted library file. You can try “rebuilding the library”: quit Snagit, go to ~/Library/Application Support/TechSmith/Snagit, rename the SnagitLibrary.tlslibrary file to SnagitLibrary_old.tlslibrary, then restart Snagit and it will create a new empty library. History will be lost, but saved project files will not be affected.
V. Snagit 2018 for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Summary
| Function Category | Action Description | Shortcut (Mac) |
|---|---|---|
| Global Capture | Start image capture | Shift+Command+5 |
| Start video capture | Shift+Command+6 | |
| Show/hide capture panel | Control+Shift+S | |
| Cancel capture in progress | Esc | |
| Editor Operations | Save project | Command+S |
| Export as image/video | Shift+Command+E | |
| Copy to clipboard | Command+C | |
| Undo | Command+Z | |
| Redo | Shift+Command+Z | |
| Select all | Command+A | |
| Editing Tools | Selection tool | V |
| Crop tool | C | |
| Text tool | T | |
| Arrow tool | A | |
| Step annotation tool | B | |
| Shape tool (rectangle/ellipse) | U | |
| Pen tool | P | |
| Highlight tool | H | |
| Canvas Controls | Zoom in | Command+plus sign (+) |
| Zoom out | Command+minus sign (-) | |
| Fit to screen | Command+0 | |
| Element Operations | Bring selected element to front | Shift+Command+right bracket (]) |
| Send selected element to back | Shift+Command+left bracket ([) | |
| Delete selected element | Delete |
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