How to remove drop-shadow in macOS screenshots

Screenshots in macOS can capture more than just the content of the window. By default, when you take a screenshot of a window using the Command + Shift + 4 shortcut, followed by a spacebar, macOS includes a drop-shadow. This drop-shadow can make the screenshot look more polished and give it depth.

However, in some instances, you might want a cleaner look without the drop-shadow. Perhaps for design projects, to save space, or simply personal preference. Thankfully, macOS provides flexibility through the Terminal, allowing users to disable or enable this drop-shadow effect at will.

Whether you're a designer, developer, or simply someone looking to customize your screenshots, the following steps will guide you in removing the drop-shadow from your macOS screenshots.

1. Launch the Terminal application.
2. Enter the following command to disable the drop-shadow.

   $ defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true

3. Refresh the user interface server for changes to take effect.

   $ killall SystemUIServer

   Once executed, any new screenshot taken using the window capture mode will not have the drop-shadow effect.

4. Take a screenshot using Command + Shift + 4, followed by the spacebar, and select a window to capture.
5. If you wish to revert and enable the drop-shadow again, input the following command in Terminal.

   $ defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool false

6. Refresh the user interface server once more.

   $ killall SystemUIServer

   This will bring back the drop-shadow for all new screenshots taken in window capture mode.