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You are here: Home / Mac / How To Use macOS & Mac OS X Grab Utility To Take Screenshots

How To Use macOS & Mac OS X Grab Utility To Take Screenshots

By SK 35 comments Last updated January 9, 2019

I love my Mac’s Utilities folder (Applications > Utilities)! It’s one of Apple’s hidden treasures. Tucked away inside your Mac’s Applications folder, Utilities is the land of Apple’s most dependable apps that never get to your Mac’s main stage, the Applications folder.

How To Use macOS & Mac OS X Grab Utility To Take Screenshots

It’s the place where you find the guts! Where apps like Disk Utility, Terminal, Activity Monitor, Console, and Keychain Access live. Talk about your powerhouses! Alongside its brothers and sisters is a little known Mac app called Grab.

Quick Tips 

Follow These Quick Tips To Take Screenshots on Your Mac Using Grab

  • Grab is no longer available for macOS Mojave (10.14) and above. Instead, Apple introduced its new Screenshot App
  • Use Grab to Capture the entire screen. Just open Grab and choose Capture > Screen
  • Want just a part of the screen? Choose Capture > Selection and drag the pointer across the area you want to capture, then release
  • Or take a screenshot of just one window by using Grab > Capture > Window
  • Need some time to set-up your shot? Use Choose Capture > Timed Screen and click Start Timer
  • Even include your pointer in the screenshot! Choose Grab > Preferences and select a pointer you like
  • Wanna share your screenshot immediately? Just press File > Share
  • Easily save your Grab screenshots by choosing File > Save, enter a name, even add a tag, then select a destination folder and select your file type (JPEG, PNG, or TIFF)

Related Articles

  • How To Use Screenshot features in macOS Mojave
  • The One-Handed Way to Capture Screenshots on iDevices
  • Change the Default Folder for your Screenshots

Grab Utility in macOS Mojave and Above

In macOS Mojave and above, the Screenshot app replaces the Grab app from earlier versions of macOS and Mac OS X. macOS Mojave Screenshot App Replaces Grab Utility

When you press Command+Space keys and type in “Grab”, it now brings up the new ScreenShot app that was introduced with macOS Mojave. You can use CMD+Shift+5 to open the new Screenshot app.

When using the new Screenshot app that replaced Grab in macOS Mojave, you will find these shortcuts very handy:

  • CMD+Shift+3 Takes a screenshot of the entire screen
  • CMD+Shift+4 lets you choose an area for the shot
  • CMD+Shift+4+Space keys to toggle the area selection to window selection
  • CMD+Shift+6 on MacBook Pros will help screenshot the Touch Bar

One important tip here is to add CTRL to any of the above key combinations when you want to save the screenshot to your clipboard.

Taking Screenshots Using macOS Mojave

With macOS Mojave, Apple introduces a new way to capture screenshots. This new method (Command-Shift-5) allows you not only to record static screenshot images but also lets you to video record your screen in real-time (a feature previously available in QuickTime.) macOS Mojave screenshot toolbar

For video, macOS Mojave offers options to either record your entire screen or record a selected portion of your screen. macOS Mojave screenshot utility

And if you want to capture sound as well, you’ll need to add a plugin like Soundflower to record the internal audio.

Want Grab for macOS Mojave?

You can still use Grab in macOS Mojave, but you need to have an earlier macOS version backup available–like High Sierra or Sierra.

Also, this appears to work in macOS Mojave’s current version (10.14.2).

However, some readers had difficulties getting Grab to install and operate using macOS Mojave 10.14.2+ but were able to get it to work with earlier macOS Mojave versions.

Restore Grab from a previous macOS Time Machine backup, if available

  1. Open Time Machine or open your backup drive’s backups.backupdb folder
    1. If using Time Machine, go to a past snapshot from a previous macOS version like High Sierra or Sierra
    2. If opening your backup folder, select a backup date before you updated to macOS Mojave
  2. Locate Grab in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder of your backup
  3. If using Time Machine, command-click on Grab and select Restore “Grab” to… and choose your Applications > Utilities folder as the folder for the restored item
    1. Enter your admin password, if asked
  4. If searching your backup drive without Time Machine, locate Grab and paste it in your Mac > Applications > Utilities folder
  5. Once complete, verify that Grab is on your Mac running macOS Mojave in the Applications > Utilities folder, open it, and conduct a test screenshot using Grab

You can also copy it from another person’s Mac running macOS Sierra or High Sierra or from their Time Machine or another backup macOS Sierra or High Sierra.

Then save it to a thumb drive and install on your Mac using macOS Mojave.

What Makes Grab So Special

Grab is an app for macOS and Mac OS X that lets you take screenshots of your screen. This little utility supports capturing the entire window, the whole screen, or only a portion of your screen.

Although other apps and utilities do similar things, Grab is a decent chap. Sure the built-in Command-Shift–3 and Command-Shift–4 shortcuts are good, but this little app is great! So why settle for just good when we can have great, all from Grab.

So here’s what Grab does

  • Captures part of the screen
  • Takes screenshots of a window on the screen
  • Captures a Timed Screen
    • This gives you 10 seconds to set-up and move any windows or open any menus, so they’re all included in your screenshot
  • Provides option to show or not show a pointer in screenshots
    • Access Preferences, then select a different pointer type or no pointer
  • Capture your entire screen
  • Save screenshots in various formats–JPEG, PNG, even TIFF
  • Screen captures include a small tooltip showing your pointer’s exact coordinate location on-screen

Let’s Take Some Screenshots!

Launch IT

You access Grab in various ways
  • Grab is in the Utilities folder under Applications
  • Or type /Applications/Utilities/Grab.app in Finder
  • Or Launchpad > Other > Grab
  • Open Spotlight Search and type in Grab

How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

Take a picture of a part of your screen that you select

By clicking Grab > Capture > Selection or using the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+A, you capture a specific region of your screen by dragging around. After selecting the desired area, the capture opens in a new window that you save on your computer.How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

Taking a picture of a window

By clicking Grab > Capture > Window or using the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+W, you take a picture of a window that you select.  A prompt instructs you to choose the window you want to capture and click the “Choose Window.”How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

Taking a picture of the entire screen

By clicking Grap > Capture  > Screen, using the keyboard shortcut Command+Z, you can take a picture of your whole screen. A prompt instructs you to click the screen when you are ready to capture your screen.How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

The Coolest Feature: Taking a picture of a Timer on screen

By clicking Grab > Capture > Timed Screen using the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+Z, you start a 10-second timer, activate part of your screen, and then take a screenshot.  Grab app captures ten seconds after you start the timer.

When you are ready, click the “Start Timer” button, and you have ten seconds to stage your shot before the screen is captured. After ten seconds,  the entire screen is being captured. Timed Screen is usually used to take pictures of your Mac’s menu and menu options.How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

After taking your screenshot, you see information about it by choosing Edit > Inspector or using the keyboard shortcut Command+1. Here you find your image’s view size and depth.

All screenshots default to the TIFF format; however JPEG and PNG are options you select when saving. Then use the Preview app to see and crop or make any other changes to your screenshots.

Image Quality

A lot of people want to change the image resolution. This app natively captures in the TIFF formats, but you can save any image to either TIFF, JPEG, or PNG using File > Save.

Since Grab is making screenshots of your display, its resolution is limited to your display’s resolution.How to use Mac OS X Grab Utility to take screenshots

Think of it this way–it’s capturing the actual pixels on your screen. So for the best image quality, make sure you are viewing at the highest resolution your display allows.

Go to System Preferences > Displays and check that you’re getting the highest pixels available for your monitor.

Screenshot Picture Format

The default format for saving screenshots is usually PNG.

However, using Terminal, it’s easy to change that to whatever supported format you want–with simple commands. Currently, Mac support PNG, JPG, TIFF, GIF, and PDF formats. So take your pick.

Open Terminal ( /Applications/Utilities)

  • To change to JPEG, type in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg
  • For TIFF, type in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type tiff
  • Change to GIF with defaults write com.apple.screencapture type gif
  • Update to PDF by typing in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type pdf
  • Return to PNG and type in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png

These changes don’t take effect until you restart your Mac OR use this additional Terminal command killall SystemUIServer

Grab Not Working After macOS or OS X Update?

If this utility isn’t working after an update, your Grab preference file might have gotten corrupted. To check, open Finder, navigate to the top menu bar, and select Go > Go to Folder.

Type in the following: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Grab.plist and press return.

Move that file to the Trash or onto your Desktop. Then, restart your Mac. After your computer is fully restarted, try Grab again. If it works, delete that old preference file.

If updating the preference file did not work, reinstall it using macOS Recovery and reinstall macOS or OSX.

Other Options for Screen Capture on macOS and OS X

If you just plain don’t want to use Grab, try using your keyboard commands. Press Command+Shift+3 and capture your entire screen. Command+Shift+4 performs a screen capture that allows you to select a specific area of your screen using crosshairs.

The picture files are saved as screenshots to your desktop. Don’t want to save to the desktop, just press control and the screen captures to your clipboard for easy pasting into other applications (via Edit > Paste or Command+C.)

If your keyboard shortcuts aren’t working, verify that they are enabled in your default keyboard shortcut menu. Open System Preferences, select Keyboard, then the tab Shortcuts, and look at the left panel for the Screen Shots option. Scan the right-side panel and check the boxes next to the options for screen captures.

sudz - apple
SK

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.

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Reader Interactions

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Show 35 Comments

  1. Irja L Berg says

    June 10, 2021 at 10:13 AM

    Big mistake to eliminate the ‘grab’ option… I am totally crushed! Also, my small hand does not stretch to press the 3 diverse, far-apart keys simultaneously. I sure hope Apple is adding the function, even post-production via internet…

    Reply
  2. MARY K. SYKES says

    September 12, 2020 at 8:38 PM

    I have a MacBook Pro with Catalina Versioin 10.15.5. It’s only 3.5 months old. When I try to use the new grab app my computer locks up. What to do?

    Reply
  3. Jody Harrison Agerton says

    September 17, 2019 at 1:22 AM

    When I click on record a selection This app freezes an can not remove the highlighted selection unless I restart my Mac… the does not appear as open it does not show I force quit and there is an error when I click on the app button…. “not responding”

    Reply
  4. John Teire says

    December 3, 2018 at 8:57 AM

    Now that the Grab application has unfortunately disappeared after updating to Mojave, I’d like to reinstall it from somewhere, somehow. Is there any way of downloading it?

    Reply
    • SK says

      December 3, 2018 at 9:25 AM

      John, Looking into it to see if we can get a copy from old time machine backup and then run it on a different partition. Will keep this post updated as we explore options. Miss the plain old Grab here as well!

      Reply
      • John Teire says

        December 6, 2018 at 1:33 PM

        Thanks, and I hope that you can come up with something, for yourselves and for many others.

        I did manage to transfer a copy of Grab from the hard disk out of the previous computer, but when I try to open it the small window appears to tell me that the application can’t be opened because PowerPC applications are no longer supported.

        I now have Mojave 10.14.1 and I think that Grab still worked with 10.14, maybe.

        Reply
  5. Christopher Johnson says

    November 7, 2018 at 6:38 AM

    They f’n deleted grab?!?! WTF?!?!

    Thanks for Mojave sucking Apple. Excel is all buggy now and the one truly useful app is gone.

    #MojaveSucks

    Reply
  6. Randy Cantrell says

    November 3, 2018 at 4:55 AM

    I miss Grab. Looks like Mojave’s latest version deletes it. Unless I’m missing some way to get it back (which I’d love to do).

    Reply
    • Sokobania says

      November 15, 2018 at 6:06 AM

      I like some features of the new screen capture but I was missing the “save as…” from Grab.
      Fortunately, I’ve got another mac, not upgraded to Mojave.
      I just copied the Grab application from it and pasted it in the new /Applications/Utilities folder.
      Now in my Dock, I have both the old Grab and the new screen capture!
      HTH

      Reply
      • SK says

        November 15, 2018 at 6:08 AM

        Thats a great Suggestion!! Thanks.

        Reply
  7. Dale says

    September 29, 2018 at 9:31 AM

    maybe Grab.app was in beta releases of Mojave, but it looks like the general release has removed it

    Reply
    • SK says

      September 30, 2018 at 7:22 AM

      Dale, Thanks for pointing that out. Not been able to locate the Grab utility on macOS Mojave either. The screenshot feature now has enhanced features that might be worth trying.

      Reply
  8. Mervyn says

    August 28, 2018 at 7:03 AM

    I like Grab but cannot seem to adjust the margin when I print a grab. It has no page set up box and currently only prints on one page when the grabbed image is scaled down to about half the size of the page with a lot of wasted white space.

    Any ideas how to adjust Grab image margins to make the image better fit the page?

    Reply
    • SK says

      August 28, 2018 at 1:46 PM

      Hi Mervyn,

      Thanks for the great question!

      To adjust margins while printing and have access to a page set-up dialog, use the Grab function that’s built-into Preview.

      It’s a little known feature that’s not often used but sounds perfect for what you want.

      1. Open Preview (instead of grab)
      2. Choose File > Take Screenshot
      3. Make your screenshot choice from selection, window, or the entire screen
      4. Take the screenshot based on your selection
      5. To print, go to File > Print
      6. Print Dialog opens with opens to change scale, scale to fit, paper size, and so forth

      Hope that helps

      Reply
  9. sunman42 says

    July 20, 2018 at 12:41 PM

    And grab is going away on macOS 10.4 Mojave, to be replaced by something else

    Reply
  10. Linda Williamson says

    July 13, 2018 at 4:47 PM

    I used to love Grab, but now, every time I select the app from my dock, it switches away from my browser window to the desktop screen. So now I don’t have any choice but timed screen… and selection is not a possibility. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  11. Britt Kate says

    May 30, 2018 at 12:06 PM

    I use Grab all the time! But after a long session of grab-and-copy (rather than saving the images), and I want to close Grab, it makes me cycle through every image to press Delete before it will shut down.

    Does anybody know of a way to close it with an option of ‘delete all and quit’ or some-such?

    Reply
    • SK says

      May 31, 2018 at 10:49 AM

      Hi Britt,

      Yes, we love Grab too! I found that by quitting Grab using the shortcut Command+Q or File > Quit, it offers an option to Delete and Quit. In my experience, none of those images are saved.

      Give it a try and let us know.

      Sam

      Reply
  12. Dave says

    April 27, 2018 at 7:49 AM

    I have a few icons “stuck” at the top of the menu. When I select these, nothing happens. There is no option to delete and I cant find where they’re stored. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • SK says

      April 27, 2018 at 9:59 AM

      Hi Dave,

      We’re not sure what you mean–can you send a screenshot to [email protected] and use the subject line “icons stuck on top menu.”

      Hopefully, once we see what you’re seeing, we’ll have some ideas to help you get rid of them.

      SK

      Reply
  13. Yogesh Singh says

    September 8, 2017 at 12:47 PM

    Thanks for sharing useful article. I found the article useful for taking print screen on macs

    Reply
  14. Timothy Swan says

    August 26, 2017 at 3:43 PM

    Can you please update grab so that it can directly be set to save png instead of tiff files?

    Reply
    • SK says

      August 27, 2017 at 9:11 AM

      Hi Timonthy,

      Grab does support PNG. After you capture an image using Grab, the options to save include jpeg, png, and tiff. To save as png, just select that as your file format. If you’re not seeing these option, use Terminal to change the default format. Open Terminal and type in defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png

      Hope this helps!

      SK

      Reply
  15. Rose says

    August 22, 2017 at 3:54 PM

    When I take a Grab Selection of something on my screen the image is all white. What am I doing wrong?
    Thanks,
    RM

    Reply
    • SK says

      August 22, 2017 at 5:11 PM

      Hi Rose,

      I’m not sure what’s going on. I just did a test to make sure no new updates impacting Grab–and it’s working fine on my end. Let’s go through the steps together:

        Open Grab
        Once Grab is opened, navigate to the top menu
        Choose Capture and then underneath Capture, choose Selection
        A Grab Window Message appears instructing you to capture part of the screen
        You mouse turns into a pointer–place it on the top left corner of the item you want to grab and press down
        Then while pressing down, drag to the lower right corner–a red box outlines what’s captured
        Once you select the area you want, release
        A Grab window appears with the capture info
        To save it, go to the File Menu and Select Save

      If capturing a selection still isn’t working for you, try capturing a window instead and then opening up in preview to crop (if necessary).

      I hope this helps you out.

      Liz

      Reply
  16. Leslie says

    April 13, 2017 at 3:10 PM

    Unless you really know your way around a Mac this is of no help. I found the Grab but can’t find any Capture or anything else. Mac is proving to be much more frustrating than the standard desk top system which has the Snipping Tool. Wish Mac could just use that – it’s so easy to find and use!!!

    Reply
  17. Christine says

    April 7, 2017 at 10:05 AM

    Hi Kadon,
    I have used Grab for years and with several updates of OSX but since updating to Sierra, it has ceased to work. Like you, I get a blank screen after going through the “Selection” or “Window” process.

    Reply
    • SK says

      April 8, 2017 at 4:45 PM

      Hi Christine,

      You might have a corrupted Grab preferences file. Open the Finder and click Go > Go to Folder. Type in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Grab.plist

      Click Go then trash that current file.

      Restart your Mac and once fully restarted, try Grab again.

      If that didn’t help, you may need to reinstall Grab using macOS Recovery and reinstalling macOS.

      best of Luck,

      Sk

      Reply
  18. Kadon says

    February 26, 2017 at 6:52 PM

    When I used the selection Grab appeared OK but it did not work after that. I dragged it to the selected spot, released the mouse and nothing happened

    Reply
    • SK says

      February 26, 2017 at 8:14 PM

      Hi Kadon,

      Make sure that you are staying within Grab when creating your screenshot. The upper left corner Menu (to the right of the Apple logo) should be the Grab app menu not Finder or another program–even the program you want to make a screenshot from.

      Be Well,

      Liz

      Reply
  19. BRIAN BEZI says

    January 26, 2017 at 5:49 PM

    Easy to use and now you really know when you take a screen-shot, not like before that i was guessing..Thank you

    Reply
  20. TJ MCCALL says

    March 28, 2016 at 4:18 PM

    thank you….helpful

    Reply
  21. Deb says

    March 22, 2016 at 9:52 AM

    Is there any way to save the grabbed image as a jpg rather than a tiff? Many of the people I would be sending this to don’t have the ability to view tiffs.

    Reply
  22. olu F says

    January 3, 2016 at 11:11 PM

    very useful guide; easy to follow.

    thank you 🙂

    Reply
  23. Tarek says

    May 20, 2015 at 6:21 PM

    Excellent! Thank you for your help.

    Reply

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