Snapdesk

Capture. Explain. Share.

A little help.
A clearer screenshot.

Get from “look at this” to “here’s exactly what I mean”. Short guides, real screenshots and fewer unnecessary clicks.

For the Snapdesk Windows test builds. Screenshots show the current test interface; appearance may vary by theme.

Get started

From download to your first clear explanation.

Follow these steps:

  1. Choose the full portable build on Downloads. Right-click the ZIP and select Extract All.
  2. Open the extracted Snapdesk folder and run Snapdesk.exe. Keep the runtime files beside it.
  3. Complete Profile and setup, or skip setup and start capturing. An account is optional.
  4. Choose Region, drag around what you need and release. Add your explanation, then copy or export.

Updating? Exit Snapdesk from the tray, replace the supplied app files and keep your Data folder. The smaller update needs an existing complete portable copy.

Capture your screen

Choose the right capture instead of explaining which bit you meant.

1 · Region selects an area. 2 · Window selects one visible app. 3 · Full screen captures all connected screens.Select the screenshot to enlarge it.

Follow these steps:

  1. Choose Region to drag a rectangle around the content you need.
  2. Choose Window, point at a visible window and click or press Enter.
  3. Choose Full screen to capture the entire virtual desktop, including connected monitors.
  4. Press Escape or right-click to cancel a region or window capture.

Default capture keys: Ctrl+Shift+1 for Region, Ctrl+Shift+2 for Window and Ctrl+Shift+3 for Full screen. Your current assignments appear on the capture workspace.

Annotate and edit

Turn “somewhere over there” into a useful instruction.

The editor tool panel. Choose a tool, place the annotation, then adjust its properties.Select the screenshot to enlarge it.

Follow these steps:

  1. Choose Arrow, Rectangle or Ellipse, then drag on the image. Hold Shift to constrain the angle or proportions.
  2. Choose Text or Callout to explain the action. Use Step for numbered instructions.
  3. Choose Select / move to reposition or resize annotations. Shift-click to select several.
  4. Right-click the canvas for selection and editing actions. Use Arrange for grouping, alignment and front/back order.
  5. Turn on Keep tool active to place repeated annotations without reselecting the tool.

Ctrl+Z undoes a change; Ctrl+Y redoes it. Crop lets you adjust the bounds before choosing Apply. Resize and Rotate flatten annotations; save an editable project first if you want to keep working on them.

Colours, fills and saved styles

Keep your annotations consistent without rebuilding the same blue arrow.

1 · Quick styles reuse an appearance. 2 · Colour palette sets annotation colour. 3 · Fill shape and Fill colour control the inside of a shape.Select the screenshot to enlarge it.

Follow these steps:

  1. Select a shape or drawing tool and open its Style properties.
  2. Choose a swatch under Colour palette, or use Custom… to choose a precise colour.
  3. For a filled shape, enable Fill shape, choose Fill colour… and adjust Fill opacity.
  4. Use Save as quick style to reuse the appearance. Manage saved styles… lets you organise saved styles.

Some controls depend on the selected tool. Palette naming and the fill picker are being refined; the screenshot shows the current test interface.

Choose a precise colour

Match an exact colour with RGB or HEX.

Choose a colour, enter the RGB or HEX value, then select Use colour.Select the screenshot to enlarge it.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open Custom… from the palette, or Fill colour… for a shape fill.
  2. Drag in the colour field and adjust the hue strip, or enter the R, G and B values.
  3. Enter a HEX value such as #18222D when you need an exact match.
  4. Select Use colour to apply it, or Cancel to keep the previous colour.

Copy, save and keep editing

Send a finished image, or keep a project you can change later.

1 · Save project retains editable content. 2 · Copy uses the current selection. 3 · Export saves a finished image.Select the screenshot to enlarge it.

Follow these steps:

  1. To paste an image into Outlook or Word, clear annotation selections, choose Copy, then paste in the destination app. The canvas menu also offers Copy image.
  2. To save a finished image, choose Export → Save image…, or press Ctrl+S.
  3. Choose Export → Copy + save… when you need both outputs.
  4. Choose Save project for an editable .snapdesk file. Reopen it to continue editing annotations.
  5. To copy new captures automatically, open Profile and setup → Capture and enable Also copy each new capture. Choose Clipboard only if you want to copy without retaining history.

With annotations selected, Ctrl+C copies editable elements rather than a finished image. An area selection limits the copied or saved image. Editable projects retain their base image; share a flattened export when hiding information.

Make Snapdesk yours

Your name, your appearance, your preferred level of sass.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open Profile and setup to set your preferred name and greeting tone. Greetings and milestone celebrations can be disabled independently.
  2. Open Preferences → Appearance to select an app theme and a canvas background: Follow theme, Light or Dark.
  3. Open Preferences → Icons to choose a colour or seasonal app icon. Automatic switching is optional and off by default.
  4. Choose Hide to tray when you want Snapdesk available without the main workspace on screen.
  5. Open Statistics and achievements to view local totals. An unlocked achievement offers Create share card; your name is optional.

App themes and canvas backgrounds do not recolour screenshot pixels. Website linking is optional and currently uses ChatGPT sign-in; screenshots and local statistics are not uploaded or synchronised.

Keyboard shortcuts

Fewer clicks. Your mouse has already done enough.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open Profile and setup → Shortcuts to record your preferred capture keys.
  2. Use Print Screen alone or with Ctrl, Alt and Shift. Save the assignment and check the displayed result.
  3. If a shortcut is already in use, choose another combination or use Restore default capture shortcuts.
Editor and capture shortcuts
ShortcutAction
Ctrl+Shift+1 / 2 / 3Default Region / Window / Full screen
Ctrl+SSave image
Ctrl+CCopy selected elements, selected area or image
Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+YUndo / Redo
Ctrl+DDuplicate annotations
Ctrl+G / Ctrl+Shift+GGroup / Ungroup
Ctrl++ / Ctrl+- / Ctrl+0Zoom in / Zoom out / Fit
Shift+F10Open the canvas context menu
F1Open built-in help
EscapeCancel the current gesture or clear selection

Windows and other screenshot tools may reserve Print Screen combinations. The capture buttons remain available if a global shortcut cannot be registered.

Troubleshooting and feedback

When the screenshot tool needs a little explaining itself.

Follow these steps:

  1. The app does not start: extract the full portable ZIP completely into a writable folder. Run Snapdesk.exe from that folder, keeping all supplied runtime files beside it.
  2. Paste shows the wrong thing: clear annotation selections and choose Copy image. For automatic copying, check Also copy each new capture in Profile and setup → Capture.
  3. A shortcut does nothing: try the capture button, check Shortcuts and look for another app using the same key combination.
  4. A saved capture is missing: capture history is opt-in in Preferences. Check the image export location or your saved .snapdesk project.
  5. Report a problem: open Help → Feedback, add a clear explanation and selected screenshots, then choose Export feedback report…. Send the ZIP to the person coordinating the test.

Include the version from About / Info and steps to reproduce the problem. Review attachments before sending. Feedback export creates a local ZIP; Snapdesk does not send it automatically.

Screenshots captured with Snapdesk. Obviously.
Real controls. Our own software. Slightly smug about it.