How to save Mac screenshots as JPG, GIF, PDF and other formats

when you press cmd + shift + 3 or 4 To take a screenshot on a Mac, it saves the file in PNG format. However, if you wish, you can change this to have Mac screenshots automatically save in other formats, such as JPG, GIF, TIFF, HEIC, or even PDF.

So, whether you are only allowed to use JPG formats or you prefer to work in PDF files, here are two ways to change the default screenshot format on your Mac. One makes a permanent change of all screenshots, and it works on a per-screenshot basis.

How to use Terminal to permanently change Mac screenshot format

With simple Terminal commands, you can set your Mac to save screenshots in the format you want. This rule will apply to all screenshots you take from now on, unless you choose to return them to the PNG format again.

Here are the steps to change Mac screenshot format using Terminal:

1. Open hall from Application > Services folder, or use Spotlight to open it.

2. Copy and paste one of the following commands into Terminal and press File Enters a key.

3. To save Mac screenshots as JPG:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg;killall SystemUIServer

4. To save Mac screenshots in HEIC format:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type heic;killall SystemUIServer

5. To save Mac screenshots as PDF:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type PDF;killall SystemUIServer

6. To save Mac screenshots as GIF:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type gif;killall SystemUIServer

7. To save Mac screenshots in TIFF format:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type tiff;killall SystemUIServer

8. Or to return Mac screenshots to PNG format:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png;killall SystemUIServer

As you can see, it’s the same for all formats. All you do is replace beng With jpgAnd heyAnd PDFAnd gif, or Quarrel.

To test it, press cmd + shift + 3 to take a screenshot. Next, select the saved file and press cmd + i to display its information. Such as image type, you should see the new format you set.

How to use Preview to save Mac screenshots in any format

If you don’t want to change the format for all your Mac screenshots, but don’t want to save a single screenshot in a different format, you can do it on a case-by-case basis using Preview.

This is useful if you don’t always want to get the screenshot in only one format. For example, TIFF files are of high quality, but the file size is huge. On the other hand, it is difficult to insert a PDF into blog posts or documents. PNG is sharp, but its file size can be large. And sometimes, JPEG or JPG format can blur the text and provide lower image quality.

So, if one default format is not suitable, you can use these steps to take Mac screenshot and save it in any format you like. Here’s how.

1. open the preview app from Applications folder or by searching for it using Spotlight.

2. From the top menu bar, tap a file > Take a screenshot then choose from selectionAnd from the window, or from the entire screen based on your needs.

3. After you use Preview to take the screenshot, Preview opens it automatically. click a file > issue.

4. tap on Formula drop down box and choose one of the required formats to get the screenshot like HEICAnd JPEGAnd JPEG-2000And OpenEXRAnd PDFAnd beng, or Quarrel.

5. You can also enter any suitable file name and choose a location. Finally, tap Memorizes.

Once you get the basic idea, you can speed up the process by clicking cmd + s in the preview window. Now choose the desired image file format for that screenshot and click Memorizes.

Alternatively, you can click Near button from the top left corner of the preview window and you will automatically see the option to save the screenshot in the desired format.

Convert Mac screenshots to other formats later

Now you know how to take all your Mac screenshots in a non-PNG format. You have also learned how to save screenshots in any desired format on a case by case basis. With this said, it should give you the flexibility to use screenshots for different businesses and projects.

With that said, suppose you changed your mind after taking a screenshot in a certain format. In this case, you can easily convert the photos to other formats on your Mac instead of re-taking the screenshot.

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