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.
$ 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.
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