When you take a screenshot of a window on macOS, a drop-shadow is automatically included. This drop-shadow can enhance the visual appeal but may not always be desired. In some cases, a screenshot without the shadow is preferred for a cleaner look or to save space.
Disabling the drop-shadow in screenshots is possible through the Terminal. This feature provides a simple way to toggle the shadow effect on or off depending on your needs. Users can easily switch between these settings to suit different purposes.
This guide explains how to disable and re-enable the drop-shadow in macOS screenshots. The process is quick and can be done directly from the Terminal, giving you more control over your screenshots.
$ defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true
$ killall SystemUIServer
Once executed, any new screenshot taken using the window capture mode will not have the drop-shadow effect.
$ defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool false
$ killall SystemUIServer
This will bring back the drop-shadow for all new screenshots taken in window capture mode.