Documentation

FAQ

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

Does SnapTray upload my captures?

No automatic upload happens. Capture, annotation, and pinning stay local. Recording is macOS/Windows only and also stays local. 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?

Recording and animated export are macOS/Windows only. On those platforms:

  • 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 is available on macOS/Windows when platform support and installed language packs are present. It is hidden and not included in the Linux beta.

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
  • On macOS/Windows, 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
  • Linux beta is an Ubuntu 22.04 X11 AppImage; recording and OCR are not included, and Wayland sessions are not supported

Where should I report bugs?

Open an issue on GitHub and include:

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