Snagit Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac

Use Print Screen on Windows or Control+Shift+C on Mac to start a Snagit capture with the current Capture window settings. If you only memorize two shortcuts, make it those two. I've split the tables below into Windows and Mac because the platforms don't share every command.

Most-used Snagit shortcuts

Start here when you just need a quick answer. A dash means TechSmith’s current guide doesn’t list a matching default for that platform — not that the action is impossible.

These commands come from the current TechSmith Hotkeys Guide, which also provides downloadable Windows and Mac sheets. Ignore the older Snagit 11, 13, or 2019 PDFs when you need current menu paths — they still rank stubbornly well in search.

Capture shortcuts for Windows and Mac

Capture keys work while Snagit is running. The global shortcut grabs whatever capture type, selection, effects, and output are active in the Capture window. A preset shortcut is a different animal: it calls the settings saved in that preset.

The scrolling letters are easy to mix up because Windows uses H, V, and B while Mac uses R, D, and X. If scrolling is the capture you repeat most, save that capture type as a preset and give it a hotkey you'll actually remember. The Snagit scrolling capture guide covers the capture itself.

Snagit Editor file and workspace shortcuts

Reach for the Snagit Editor guide when the shortcut is only one piece of a larger annotation or export workflow. This table sticks to commands with a clear current official listing.

Image editing shortcuts

Flattening converts editable objects into part of the image, so save an editable copy first if you might need to move a callout or correct text later. For OCR rather than ordinary copying, follow the Grab Text and OCR workflow.

Tool shortcuts are different on Windows and Mac

Windows uses toolbar positions. Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9 pick the tool sitting in that position. Reorder the toolbar and the number follows the position, not a permanent tool name — so don't memorize Ctrl+1 as Arrow or Ctrl+4 as Crop unless your toolbar actually puts those tools there.

Mac uses fixed Control-letter commands. The current official list includes Control+A for Arrow and Line, Control+T for Text, Control+B for Blur, Control+S for Step, Control+C for Crop, and other tool-specific combinations.

Mac video playback shortcuts

TechSmith’s current public table lists these playback controls for Mac. It doesn’t publish matching Windows defaults in the same table, so I’m not going to invent them here.

For recording setup, audio sources, and light editing, use the Snagit screen recording guide.

How to change the global capture shortcut

1. Open the Snagit Capture window.
2. Click the shortcut field directly under the Capture button.
3. Press the key or key combination you want to use, then test it while Snagit is running.

This changes the shortcut that starts a capture with the current Capture window settings — it doesn't turn every Editor command into a customizable hotkey.

How to customize more shortcuts

Windows: open Snagit Capture, then choose File > Capture Preferences > Hotkeys and pick the available shortcuts you want to change. TechSmith also offers an option to let Snagit override other hotkey assignments — use it only when you want Snagit to win that conflict while it's running.

Mac: open Snagit Editor, then choose Snagit > Settings > Keyboard. Click a listed shortcut, press a replacement combination, or remove the assignment. Changes save automatically, and Restore Shortcuts brings back the defaults.

TechSmith says its shortcut reference is tested on a QWERTY keyboard, so a different layout may put letters or symbols elsewhere. When a published shortcut feels awkward or simply doesn't register on your keyboard, set your own combination.

Use preset hotkeys for repeatable captures

A global shortcut uses whatever settings are currently active; a preset hotkey calls one saved capture recipe. Keep that distinction straight and you avoid a common trap: pressing Print Screen after a video or panoramic capture and wondering why Snagit starts the wrong mode.

1. Create a preset for the capture type, selection, effects, and output you repeat.
2. Assign a dedicated hotkey from the preset controls available in your Capture window.
3. Test the shortcut from another app with the Capture window out of the way.
4. Use combinations that do not collide with operating-system or application shortcuts.

TechSmith’s Capture Modes explanation confirms that a preset hotkey applies the preset’s saved settings. The Snagit presets guide shows how to build and maintain the preset itself.

Fix Print Screen when it opens the wrong app

On Windows 11, Print Screen may open Snipping Tool instead of Snagit. Another app can also grab the key first — TechSmith names OneDrive and Dropbox as common examples, but any conflicting app can do it.

1. Update Snagit first. TechSmith says Snagit 2023.2.1 addressed a Windows 11 Print Screen binding issue; current builds should still be updated before deeper troubleshooting.
2. Open Windows Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and inspect the option that uses Print Screen to open Snipping Tool. Turn it off if you want Snagit to own the key, then restart and test.
3. Check keyboard utilities and capture or cloud-sync apps. TechSmith’s 2026 support article specifically calls out Logi Options+, OneDrive, and Dropbox scenarios.
4. In Snagit Capture, open File > Capture Preferences > Hotkeys. Decide whether to allow Snagit to override other assignments or choose another global shortcut.
5. On a laptop, check the Fn or function-lock behavior if the physical Print Screen label shares a key.

Follow the current TechSmith Print Screen troubleshooting article for the version-specific Windows steps. The broader hotkey conflict guide explains why the first app to register a shortcut can block another app.

Snagit keyboard shortcuts FAQ

What is the default Snagit screenshot shortcut?

The default global capture shortcut is Print Screen on Windows and Control+Shift+C on Mac. It starts a capture with the settings currently selected in the Capture window.

Are the Windows and Mac shortcuts the same?

No. Many file and editing commands use the expected Ctrl-versus-Command pattern, but capture, tool, workspace, and video playback shortcuts differ. Windows tool keys follow toolbar positions; Mac lists fixed Control-letter tool shortcuts.

Can I change Snagit keyboard shortcuts?

You can change the global capture shortcut in the Capture window. Windows provides more capture settings under File > Capture Preferences > Hotkeys. Mac provides listed assignments under Snagit > Settings > Keyboard. The available commands are not identical across platforms.

Why does Print Screen open Snipping Tool instead of Snagit?

Windows 11 can assign Print Screen to Snipping Tool. Update Snagit, inspect Windows Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, check competing apps, and then decide whether Snagit should override the assignment or use another shortcut.

Can a shortcut start a specific Snagit preset?

Yes. A preset hotkey calls the settings saved in that preset, while the global capture shortcut uses the settings currently active in the Capture window. Confirm the preset hotkey controls shown in your installed build.

Why does a published shortcut not work on my keyboard?

TechSmith tests its shortcut reference on a QWERTY keyboard. Other layouts, operating-system shortcuts, keyboard utilities, and function-lock settings can change what registers. Assign a combination that works on your actual layout.

Is this a complete Snagit 2026 shortcut list?

No page should claim that without a current version-matched source. TechSmith’s live Hotkeys Guide is labeled for Snagit 2025. This article records the current official reference checked August 15, 2026 and flags commands that TechSmith does not list for both platforms.

Related Snagit guides

• Learn the full Snagit Editor workspace
• Build repeatable capture presets
• Capture a scrolling page
• Record and trim a screen video
• Copy text from a screenshot with OCR