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I have an app (Skitch) that has a seemingly unchangable shortcut of command-shift-5 for capturing the screen. I'd like to disable this or, at least, change it to another shortcut.

Previously I could go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts and add an app with its accompanying shortcut there. For example, I tried to change it to the following:

image

Unfortunately in this instance command-shift-5 retains its function whenever the app is open and in the background in Catalina.

Skitch appears to capture this keyboard setting even when the key binding is disabled for the normal macOS keybinding for "Screenshot and recording options": disabled

Is there a way to stop Skitch from receiving this shortcut and/or assigning it another shortcut that works?

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  • You'd think the creators of skitch would simply change the keyboard shortcuts (perhaps move them across by one key), rather than have a double bind.
    – stevec
    Commented Jul 23, 2022 at 14:52
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    Sadly they've killed Skitch off and no longer update it. It's still about the only option for some workflows, but I've been using CleanShot more and more as they refine and iterate on their product. They still have some gaps to fill, but I think they might get there eventually. One problem is they seem to have poor control over the output and a simple modification of the UI to bring it into alignment with Skitch would be a nice win. I've been using SetApp for this among some other utils and I'm pretty interested to see where this goes.
    – ylluminate
    Commented Jul 23, 2022 at 18:59
  • that's terrible news. It's one of my favourite apps (so lightweight and without 1 million unnecessary features/buttons). I'm keen to try CleanShot and SetApp, thanks for the recommendations.
    – stevec
    Commented Jul 24, 2022 at 7:18
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    You're very welcome @stevec. It is indeed very frustrating, but I have been encouraged by CleanShot's Paweł from MTW's receptiveness for feedback. I highly suggest trying to make feature requests that help him/them to bring CleanShot into closer feature parity (UI/UX particularly) with Skitch. Skitch 1 really was just about "perfect" as far as a screenshot tool goes and I really wish CleanShot would simply work on first and foremost duplicating it nearly one-to-one in UI/UX workflow. hello at cleanshot's domain seems to work for an email.
    – ylluminate
    Commented Jul 24, 2022 at 20:01

4 Answers 4

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I had the same problem and solved it by changing the key combination of my Mac.

To change the shortcut, you must click directly in the column of the key combination. Then it will change to an input field. Now click the new key combination on your keyboard, and your mac will change the key combination for this shortcut.

On this screenshot, you can see how the column field change to an input field

UPDATE: If you have a look at the last option in my screenshot, "App Shortcut" with this you can define an other shortcut for something in the menubar. But it will properly only work if Skitch is in focus then.

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  • You can replace any shortcut that exists as a menu item. idk Skitch, so idk whether it falls within that scope. You can add it as a custom in App Shortcuts, last in that list.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 9:25
  • @Tetsujin, thanks a lot! I didn't notice this! I will edit my post and add your information there.
    – Henry31
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 13:32
  • @Tetsujin, RE: "You can replace any shortcut that exists as a menu item. idk Skitch, so idk whether it falls within that scope. You can add it as a custom in App Shortcuts" -- Unfortunately changing the offending Skitch keyboard shortcut in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts doesn't resolve the issue with it. The only thing that worked was to change the Apple default for Screenshot and recording options to something other then ⇧⌘5. Have a look at this screenshot to see what the issue is.
    – user3439894
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 16:05
  • This is precisely my existing answer from last year! Normally it would be custom to edit an existing answer to improve it if you wanted to add an arrow to the screenshot I already provided rather than duplicating an existing answer.
    – grg ♦
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 17:57
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    This doesn't answer OP's Q which asks how to disable or change the Skitch shortcut—not how to specify a different OS X shortcut. I want to do the same thing as OP, the point being that the Mac shortcuts are already under my fingers, and Skitch shouldn't really be hijacking the built-in without also offering a way to change it, but in lieu of that, it's quite surprising there is no standard way of doing this. FWIW, the only solution I've found is to just kill Skitch; its shortcut is only wired while the app is open.
    – Ezekiel Victor
    Commented Feb 17, 2022 at 9:15
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shift-command-5 is a macOS keyboard shortcut, not any particular application like Skitch.

Change or disable it in System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts → Screenshots.

Screenshots preferences

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    You are right, but I already had this disabled and have updated the question to clarify this with an additional screenshot. Skitch still dominates this keybinding.
    – ylluminate
    Commented Nov 26, 2020 at 0:06
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    RE: "shift-command-5 is a macOS keyboard shortcut, not any particular application like Skitch." -- While ⇧⌘5 is a default macOS keyboard shortcut for Screenshot and recording options in applicable versions of macOS, nonetheless, your statement "not any particular application like Skitch" is not true! Skitch has indeed assigned ⇧⌘5 to its Crosshair Snapshot command and even if resigning it in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts it is ignored by Skitch when ⇧⌘5 is pressed!
    – user3439894
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 15:58
  • In other words, after it's been changed and one presses ⇧⌘5, the Apple default come up, but the Crosshair Snapshot is also invoked as an inactive underlay/overlay and interfere with the Apple default Capture Selected Window rendering it useless, as a window cannot be selected! The only solution that worked for me was to assign a different keyboard shortcut to Screenshot and recording options in: System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots Have a look at this screenshot to see what the issue is.
    – user3439894
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 15:58
  • @user Everything you've said is correct, but I also believe everything I've said is correct too. One can assign any application like Skitch to any macOS keyboard shortcut and have it interfere — ⇧⌘5 is a macOS shortcut. The last sentence of your last comment is exactly what my answer explains should be done, as shown in the screenshot of my answer.
    – grg ♦
    Commented May 2, 2021 at 17:56
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Notwithstanding a couple other unsatisfactory workarounds presented in answers here, the only workaround I know of that achieves your goal of using the OS X shortcut free of Skitch's double bind is just to close the Skitch app. Skitch only has that shortcut wired while the app is running.

I stumbled upon an app called Custom Shortcuts that might let you override the Skitch shortcut. Worth a try; if it works, please update so the rest of us can use to achieve the same goal. :)

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  • Nice idea! Didn't work unfortunately. I've reported it to their support in case they can try to fiddle with it. The app looks nice generally, but not much need for it if it can't do something like this. 😞
    – ylluminate
    Commented Jul 23, 2022 at 19:10
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I know this is an old question. On my mac I disabled all the apple defined keyboard shortcuts. This allowed skitch to respond to the Shift + Command + 5 shortcut. Problem solved (for now)

disabling macs default behaviour

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