Regions, windows & displays
Select a region, click a window, capture one display, or save every display separately. Reuse the last region or set a delay.
Mac companions
SparkleShot
Mac capture and recording
Capture screenshots, video or audio, then keep working. Annotation, text recognition and audio/video editing live in the same Mac app.
Coming soon to the Mac App StoreMade for Mac · Preparing for release
Public downloads are not available yet. The official Mac App Store link will appear here when ready.
Actual product interface · English · Image editor · Turn a capture into an explanation
Actual product interface · English · Video workspace · Three lanes and focus
Actual product interface · English · Audio workspace · Tracks, waveforms, and effects
What comes after capture
After capturing a screen or recording audio, annotate, extract text or edit. Original media and edited results are saved separately so you can return to them later.
Scrolling screenshots
Select a scrollable area and stitch as you scroll manually, or enable automatic scrolling. Review and edit the full capture when done.
Annotation and text recognition
Arrows, text, step numbers, highlights, pixelation, covering, and cropping. Invoke on-device Chinese and English OCR directly and revisit its separate recognition history.
Record the view and its sound
Record a display, region, window, or all displays. Choose system audio, microphone, both, or silence, with pause and resume.
Audio on its own
Capture system audio, microphone, or a mix. Select your input device and recording quality, then save as M4A or WAV.
Audio and video editing
Organize video, audio, and focus lanes, or edit multiple audio tracks with effects. Projects, local drafts, and exported copies are separate; originals stay intact.
Interface & use
01 / SparkleShot
Start a capture or recording from the menu bar
The panel groups screenshots, screen recording, and audio recording. Decide whether you need a picture or sound, then choose a region, window, or display. Reuse the last region for repeated captures of the same area.
Operation details
Assign global shortcuts to frequent actions. Use a delay when the screen needs preparation; the menu bar entry remains available after ordinary windows close.
- Capture a region, window, display, or each display separately
- Reuse the last region or prepare a delayed capture
- Configurable shortcuts with conflict feedback
02 / SparkleShot
Annotate a screenshot to show what matters
Use arrows, text, step numbers, and highlights in the toolbar to anchor feedback and instructions. Mosaic, cover, and crop tools help prepare the area you intend to share.
Operation details
Zoom in to inspect details, then copy, share, or save a separate edit; zoom only changes the viewing scale. Recognize Chinese or English text locally, or pin an image above other windows for reference.
- Point with arrows; explain with text and numbered steps
- Extract text with OCR or pin an image for comparison
- Save the original first and export edits as copies
Actual product interface · English · Image editor · Turn a capture into an explanation
03 / SparkleShot
Extract text from the screen
Select an area from the menu bar or a configured OCR shortcut. Recognize Chinese and English locally, review the result, and copy it automatically. This dedicated recognition flow saves no screenshot, making it useful for extracting instructions or text from the screen.
Operation details
The full recognized text and time remain in local History for review and separately confirmed clearing. Recognition inside the image editor does not add to this history. OCR can make mistakes; check the text before pasting or sharing.
- Dedicated area OCR copies its result to the clipboard
- Manage recognition history separately from recent captures
- On-device processing; review the recognized words
Actual product interface · English · Recognition history · Text and time
04 / SparkleShot
Capture scrolling content as one long image
Select the scrollable area and scroll down in the original app to stitch a long image. The editor shown lets you review the complete capture, then annotate or crop it.
Operation details
Keep instructions, a conversation excerpt, or vertical reference material in one image. Choose manual or automatic scrolling as needed; with dynamic content or fixed elements, adjust the selection and inspect the joins.
- Manual and automatic scrolling
- Scroll back over captured content without adding it twice
- Vertical scrolling on one display, up to 30,000 pixels
Actual product interface · English · Scrolling capture · Review, then annotate
05 / SparkleShot
Set the recording area and image quality
For a software walkthrough, narrow the recording to the area or window that matters. In Video settings, choose the frame rate, longest-edge limit, and codec to suit the balance of readable text, motion, and file size you need.
Operation details
15, 30, and 60 fps serve different types of motion. Native, 1920, 2560, and 3840 describe the longest-edge pixel limit while preserving proportions; they do not add detail to a small source. Then open the recording controls, check the scope and audio source, and press the red button to start. Countdown and timed stopping can help you prepare.
- Choose a frame rate for the task rather than always choosing the largest value
- App playback uses system audio; narration needs a microphone or mixed source
- Make a short recording and check the picture and sound first
Actual product interface · English · Video settings · Scope, quality, and preparation
06 / SparkleShot
Edit a recording’s picture and sound
Import clips into the video workspace, then split, trim, and reorder across video, audio, and focus lanes. Lock individual lanes and adjust speed or crop per clip to give a demonstration a clearer pace.
Operation details
Add focus manually, or explicitly generate zooms from recorded clicks. Recording stores relative pointer positions, clicks, and timing inside the capture area, not typed text; you choose and review the focus. Projects and local drafts support continued editing. Preview before exporting video, GIF, or an MP3 audio track.
- Linked video, audio, and focus edits with undo and redo
- Multiple clips, individual lane locks, speed, and crop
- Save projects and local drafts; reconnect moved source files
Actual product interface · English · Video workspace · Three lanes and focus
07 / SparkleShot
Choose an audio source and format
Recording app playback, your own narration, or both are different tasks. In Audio settings, check the input device, levels, sample rate, channels, and recording format, then choose the source in the recording controls.
Operation details
System audio does not automatically include your voice. After choosing a microphone or mixed source, check that input is present. During recording, the live peak and waveform help indicate incoming sound; pausing freezes both the time and waveform. Listen to the saved original before removing pauses, balancing tracks, or exporting a copy in the workspace.
- Choose system audio, microphone, or mixed audio for the task
- Choose M4A or WAV for storage and further editing
- If levels stay flat or the device changes, check the source first
Actual product interface · English · Audio settings · Input, levels, and file format
08 / SparkleShot
Edit and process audio across tracks
Import recordings and locate passages with waveforms, spectrum, and listening. Split, trim, move, and arrange clips across tracks; keep, mute, or remove a selected range, and use solo or track mute to check the mix.
Operation details
Adjust pitch-preserving speed, gain, fades, low and high tone, or low-cut as needed. Silence detection lists ranges for review before processing. Peak analysis and normalization concern sample peaks, not loudness normalization or noise reduction. Save a project to continue later, and export WAV, M4A, or MP3.
- Nondestructive multitrack editing preserves original recordings
- Waveform selection, clip arrangement, and effects with preview
- Projects reference original media; reconnect it after moving
Actual product interface · English · Audio workspace · Tracks, waveforms, and effects
09 / SparkleShot
Manage save folders, results and projects
Screenshots, video, and audio can use separate destination folders. Choose them in General & Storage, use recent captures to find a result, and keep originals, exported copies, and editable projects clearly organized.
Operation details
Recent captures retain an index of up to 200 items; clearing that list only clears the index. Video and audio projects save editing arrangements while referencing source media, so keep the project and originals together. Relink moved media when needed. Local drafts help you resume work but do not replace saved projects or media backups. If the list was cleared or an older capture is no longer listed, choose Open Capture… (⌘O) on the home screen or app menu to select a saved image, video or audio file and continue editing. This does not recreate history or rewrite the original.
- Separate capture folders make results easier to organize
- Keep the original and check an exported copy before sharing
- Recent captures, OCR history, drafts, and projects are managed separately
Actual product interface · English · General & Storage · Destinations and continuing work
10 / SparkleShot
Follow the system or choose a language
On the Language settings page, follow the system or choose one of 12 interface languages. Capture, editing, and settings use the same language choice.
Operation details
The choice changes the interface without translating captures, recognized text, or source media, and leaves other preferences intact. This is the current app’s real language page; each website language uses matching interface screenshots.
- Follow the system or choose from 12 interface languages
- Keep existing content and other settings
- Change languages without changing local media
Actual product interface · English · Language · Follow the system or choose
Three steps from capture to editing
- 01
Choose a capture
Open the menu bar panel or use a configured shortcut. Confirm the region, window, or display; choose audio sources and check the microphone input before recording.
- 02
Capture and check
Inspect screenshots and scrolling stitches; pause, resume, and stop recordings as needed. Original captures save locally first. Dedicated OCR saves no image and adds text to recognition history.
- 03
Prepare it for sharing
Annotate images or extract text; arrange, listen to, and preview media in the workspaces. Projects and drafts support further editing. Check the result before exporting a copy, copying, or system sharing.
Why we made it
Fewer trips between separate tools
A screenshot often needs a note, and a recording may need a cut. We bring these follow-up tasks together so you can move from capture to editing without changing tools.
Q&A
Questions
A few things before you begin
Which Macs are supported?
The current build targets Apple Silicon and requires macOS 15 or later. Final distribution details will accompany the Mac App Store release.
Is my content uploaded?
Capture, recording, OCR, and editing happen on your Mac. Sharing, synced folders, or Universal Clipboard use the services or system features you choose.
Will editing replace my originals?
Screenshots and recordings save originals before edited copies are exported. Clearing recent captures removes only the index. Outputs, recognition history, editing drafts, and separately saved projects are managed independently.
What permissions does it need?
Screen and system audio, microphone, and selected file or folder access are requested for the relevant tasks. Automatic scrolling needs its own authorization; manual scrolling capture does not.
Does automatic scrolling work on every page?
It is designed for vertical scrolling on a single display. Dynamic content, unusual canvases, or fixed regions can affect alignment; adjust the area or use manual mode.
Where can I find privacy documents and the website?
Privacy Policy & Terms & Licenses appears before About at the top right of the main window. It opens the public privacy policy, terms, and licenses in your default browser. The About window contains a Sparkle website link and copyright information.
Can I download it now?
SparkleShot is coming soon to the Mac App Store. Public downloads are not available yet; the official store link will appear when ready.
Does system audio record my voice?
System audio captures sound played by other apps. For your own voice, select the microphone or both system audio and microphone before starting, and allow microphone access.
Does zooming make the exported image larger?
The editor’s 1%–800% zoom changes the viewing scale, not the exported pixel count. After annotating, covering, or cropping, copy the result or save a separate edit. Image export offers PNG and JPEG.
How does recognition history differ from recent captures?
Dedicated menu or shortcut OCR saves no image, but retains the full recognized text and time locally. Clear it separately with confirmation in History. Image-editor OCR does not add to this history. Clearing recent captures does not clear recognition history or the system clipboard.
Does video automatically zoom in on my actions?
It does not finish that work for you. Recording can retain relative pointer positions, clicks, and timing inside the capture area so you can explicitly generate focus, or add it manually. It does not record typed text. Review and adjust the result; projects and drafts may retain this pointer data.
Can a project replace the original media?
No. Video and audio projects reference source media and check its content identity. Keep both the project and original files; reconnect sources after moving them. Drafts stay locally. Failed recovery preserves the old draft and offers actions such as retry; automatic drafts are not independent backups.
Does peak normalization remove noise?
No. It adjusts gain using sample peaks, rather than loudness normalization or noise reduction. Silence detection proposes ranges for confirmation. Listen and check before applying changes; judge effects and mixing by the actual export.
Can it follow the system language?
Yes. On the Language page, follow the system or choose one of 12 interface languages. This does not translate media or recognition results, or change other settings.
Privacy Policy & Terms & Licenses
Read about this product’s data practices and the licenses it uses.
SparkleScroll