You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Taking screenshots in Big Sur causes system to hang

On a 2018 Macbook Pro, running Big Sur v11.1


When using CMD-SHIFT-4 to take a screenshot and save to my desktop (which I frequently do), the preview of the screenshot will be displayed in the lower right corner of the screen, and then it hangs there for an extended period of time (30-60 seconds). Hovering over this preview displays the spinning wheel indicating that something is causing the system to hang. Eventually the screenshot will appear on my desktop as it is supposed to. Opening that screenshot and attempting to use Markup on it will also occasionally cause the system to hang for a similar period of time.


I've had this MacBook for some time now, and prior to Big Sur, never encountered this issue (and I take a lot of screenshots for my job).


Any advice on clearing up this issue would be appreciated.

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Jan 26, 2021 6:29 AM

Reply

Similar questions

6 replies

Jan 26, 2021 6:35 AM in response to marcusdiddle

marcusdiddle wrote:

On a 2018 Macbook Pro, running Big Sur v11.1

When using CMD-SHIFT-4 to take a screenshot and save to my desktop (which I frequently do), the preview of the screenshot will be displayed in the lower right corner of the screen, and then it hangs there for an extended period of time (30-60 seconds). Hovering over this preview displays the spinning wheel indicating that something is causing the system to hang. Eventually the screenshot will appear on my desktop as it is supposed to. Opening that screenshot and attempting to use Markup on it will also occasionally cause the system to hang for a similar period of time.

I've had this MacBook for some time now, and prior to Big Sur, never encountered this issue (and I take a lot of screenshots for my job).

Any advice on clearing up this issue would be appreciated.



Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/Anti-Virus/VPN


Open screenshot.app ( Shift Command 5 ) >>Options> try changing Delay times





Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac - Apple Support


Jan 26, 2021 6:52 AM in response to marcusdiddle

marcusdiddle wrote:


Also I'm unable to uninstall my Antivirus, however it's the same antivirus that has been in use since prior to Big Sur, so I don't believe that to be an issue.


And that is very likely the problem. Third party antivirus are totally useless, and the cause of many problems. And even if it did not seem to cause problems before does not mean it won't with a new OS. Any program that works at a very low level is bound to be affected by system changes, as in such a major upgrade.

Whoever is forcing you to use an antivirus is grossly misinformed.

Read up on


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-8841

Jan 26, 2021 6:43 AM in response to leroydouglas

@leroydouglas that option is currently set to None. That option also only pertains to the timed delay you can set prior to the screenshot actually being taken. The issue I'm describing is happening after the screenshot has been taken, and the Floating Thumbnail is displayed on-screen, at which point the system hangs for upwards of a minute before the screenshot is actually released to file.


Also I'm unable to uninstall my Antivirus, however it's the same antivirus that has been in use since prior to Big Sur, so I don't believe that to be an issue.

Jan 26, 2021 7:05 AM in response to marcusdiddle


marcusdiddle wrote:

On a 2018 Macbook Pro, running Big Sur v11.1

When using CMD-SHIFT-4 to take a screenshot and save to my desktop (which I frequently do), the preview of the screenshot will be displayed in the lower right corner of the screen, and then it hangs there for an extended period of time (30-60 seconds).


dialabrain wrote:

Disabling "Show Floating Thumbnail" will certainly shorten the time. FWIW, when I take a screen shot it takes some small fraction of a second to appear on the desktop.


+1 👍

Taking screenshots in Big Sur causes system to hang

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.