Documentation

FAQ

Common questions about privacy, formats, OCR, hotkeys, automation, and platform-specific limitations.

Does SnapTray upload my captures?

No automatic upload happens by default. Capture, annotation, pinning, and recording stay local unless you explicitly use the Share URL action. On direct-download builds, SnapTray checks for updates via the platform-native updater (Sparkle on macOS, WinSparkle on Windows), which can be disabled in Settings.

Which output format should I use?

  • MP4 for long videos and tutorials
  • GIF for short loops or small demos
  • WebP for lighter animated snippets

Why is OCR unavailable on my system?

OCR availability depends on platform support and installed language packs.

Can I customize default hotkeys?

Yes. Open Settings > Hotkeys and edit by category.

Can I use SnapTray from scripts?

Yes. The CLI is the official automation interface for local capture and IPC-based control. See CLI for the complete command reference.

What are the current platform limitations?

  • Multi-monitor and mixed-DPI capture still benefits from more real-device testing
  • Screen recording may fall back to the Qt capture engine when native APIs are unavailable, which can be slower
  • System audio capture on macOS requires macOS 13+ or a virtual audio device such as BlackHole

Where should I report bugs?

Open an issue on GitHub and include:

  • OS version
  • SnapTray version
  • Reproducible steps
  • Screenshots or recordings when relevant