Screenshot selection tool not working in Catalina 10.15.5

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Level 2

277 points

Screenshot selection tool not working in Catalina 10.15.5

Hi, All -- I like using Screenshot on occasion and was always able to use the selection tool to outline the portion of the screen that I wanted to capture, but now that tool doesn't seem to work. I am still able to capture the entire screen with Screenshot, and it captures and appears on my desktop, but I am not able to select and capture only the part of the screen that I want -- nuts! Is there something that I'm missing? Clicking on the selection tool item grays the screen, but no outline tool appears. I am able to do a screen shot capture with selection in Preview, and that works beautifully, but not with Screenshot -- what's up? Thanks! Latest Catalina update 10.15.5 on an iMac 5K Retina.

iMac with Retina 5K display, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jun 7, 2020 10:22 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

277 points

Jun 7, 2020 11:01 AM in response to dialabrain

Screenshot works, but does not allow for selection of a particular part of the screen -- it captures the ENTIRE screen, which is not what I want to do. I want to use the selection tool to outline what I want to capture, but that tool, although available in the bottom menu, just brings up a gray screen with no cursor selection tool -- this tool worked and was available in earlier versions...

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

124,301 points

Jun 7, 2020 10:37 AM in response to Barbara Smits

Two things, you can use "command shift 4" to capture a selection. If you press "command shift 5" make sure "Remember Last Selection" is unchecked in "Options".

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Answer 3

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

277 points

Jun 7, 2020 11:03 AM in response to Barbara Smits

SORRY -- just tried it again and Command shift 4 worked fine and the selection cursor appeared -- the last time I tried it, everything froze and I had to restart the computer. Strange, to say the least. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

124,301 points

Jun 7, 2020 11:05 AM in response to Barbara Smits

Command shift 3 captures the entire screen. Command shift 4 changes the cursor into a crosshair which you can click & hold where you want to selection to start, drag it over the area you want to select, then release.

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