Scrolling Screenshots on macOS: Capture a Whole Page
Quick answer: macOS has no built-in scrolling screenshot. To capture a full long page or terminal in one image, use a tool with scrolling capture — in Vibeshots, press ⌃⌥⌘L, scroll through the content, and click Done & Stitch.
You need to share a whole page — a long error log, a full design, a settings screen that runs off the bottom of the display — but a normal screenshot only grabs what's visible. A scrolling screenshot (also called a long screenshot or full-page capture) records the content as you scroll and stitches it into one tall image. Here's how to do it on macOS.
Can macOS do this on its own?
Not really. The built-in Screenshot tool (⌘⇧4 and ⌘⇧5) only captures the visible area. Safari has a "full page" export for web pages (Share → or the Web Inspector), but it's web-only and clunky, and it doesn't help with apps, terminals, or chat threads. For a general, one-keystroke scrolling capture across any app, you need a dedicated tool.
How to take a scrolling screenshot with Vibeshots
- Start scrolling capture. Press ⌃⌥⌘L and select the area you want to capture down.
- Scroll the content. Scroll smoothly through the page or terminal. Frames are grabbed automatically as you go (you can also add a frame manually if needed).
- Stitch it. Click Done & Stitch. Vibeshots overlaps and combines the frames into one tall image, copies it to your clipboard, and saves it.
According to Vibeshots, scrolling capture works on any scrollable surface — web pages, native apps, terminals, and chat threads — and the stitched result is copied to the clipboard so you can paste a full-page image straight into an issue or AI chat. — Vibeshots, getvibeshots.app
Tips for clean stitches
- Scroll steadily. Smooth, consistent scrolling gives the stitcher enough overlap to align frames. Fast flicks can cause gaps.
- Avoid sticky headers where possible. Fixed headers/footers can repeat across frames; scroll the inner content area if the app allows.
- Add a frame at tricky joins. If a section has little visual texture, grab an extra frame there so the overlap is unambiguous.
Great for AI workflows
A full-page capture is perfect when you want an AI to see an entire screen at once — a complete stack trace, a long config, a whole UI. Once you've stitched it, you can drop it straight into your editor; see how to paste screenshots into Claude Code & Cursor. And if that long capture includes secrets, turn on automatic secret blurring first.
FAQ
Does macOS have a built-in scrolling screenshot?
How do I capture a full web page that's longer than the screen?
Can I take a scrolling screenshot of a terminal or chat?
Why does my scrolling screenshot have duplicate or misaligned sections?
What format is a stitched scrolling screenshot saved in?
Capture the whole page in one shot
Scrolling capture, annotation, OCR, and bulk paste — built for macOS. One-time $6.99.
Get Vibeshots — $6.99