Command Line Options

Command line options can be used to call some of the functions of Snipaste.

However, except for commands marked with a * (e.g. --config), the commands will only be effective if Snipaste is already running in the background.

In other words, if Snipaste is not running, those options will be ignored.

The PRO version enables you to bind any command to a global hotkey!

This document only applies to Snipaste 2.0 and above. For older versions, please refer to its built-in manual.

Usage

snipaste.exe [OPTION]

For example：

Capture fullscreen and copy it to clipboard:

• For Windows desktop version：X:/path/to/your/Snipaste.exe snip --full -o clipboard
• For Windows Store version：Snipaste snip --full -o clipboard
• For macOS version：/Applications/Snipaste.app/Contents/MacOS/Snipaste --full -o clipboard

Snip Options

snip                             Start snipping
snip --area X Y WIDTH HEIGHT     Start snipping with the snipping area's top-left corner
                                 set to (X, Y) and size set to WIDTH x HEIGHT
snip --size WIDTH HEIGHT         Start snipping with the snipping area's size being
                                 WIDTH x HEIGHT and its center being the cursor position
snip --full                      Start snipping with the snipping area set to fullscreen
snip --last                      Start snipping with the snipping area being the same as
                                 the last successful snipping
snip --delay-prompt              Start delayed snipping
snip --active-window             Start snipping with the snipping area set to the geometry of the active window
snip --custom                    Show Custom Snip Dialog, which allows to specify the 
                                 position, size of the screenshot as well as the time to delay

The above snip options can be:

1. combine with --delay TIME to specify the delay time (in seconds), e.g. snipaste.exe snip --delay 1.5 will start snipping after 1.5 seconds.
2. combine with --output or -o to specify the output of the screenshot:

-o pin                           Pin the screenshot to the screen
-o clipboard                     Copy the screenshot
-o FILE_NAME                     Save the screenshot with the specified FILE_NAME. Support using variables.
                                 (double quote the text if it contains any space)
-o quick-save                    Save the screenshot to the Quick Save folder
-o file-dialog                   Show the file save dialog after the screenshot
-o printer                       Send the screenshot to the printer
-o success                       Save the screenshot to nowhere, but mark it as success
                                 A successful screenshot will be recorded (and can be reviewed)
                                 and can invoke Auto Save (if you have enabled that in the Preferences)

For example:

snipaste.exe snip -o clipboard means to copy the screenshot once you release the left mouse button when snipping, and

snipaste.exe snip --last -o pin means to take a screenshot of your last snipped area and pin it to the screen.

Paste Options

paste                             Paste the clipboard content as an image window
                                  Note: no space is allowed before or after the comma.
paste --clipboard                 Same as 'paste'
paste --plain TEXT                Treat TEXT as plain text and paste it to the screen
                                  (double quote the text if it contains any space)
paste --html TEXT                 Treat TEXT as HTML and paste it to the screen
                                  (double quote the text if it contains any space)
paste --files FILE1 FILE2 ...     Paste image file FILE1, FILE2... to the screen
paste --files FOLDER1 FILE1       Paste image file FILE1, FILE2, FILE3... to the screen 
  FILE2 FOLDER2 FILE3 ...         If FILE1 is a relative path, then it it relative to
                                  FOLDER1, while FILE3 is relative to FOLDER2.
                                  A FOLDER path should end with '/' or '\'.

The above paste options can be combine with --pos to specify the screen position of the floating window:

--pos X Y                         Specify the screen position of the top left corner of the image

Other Options

toggle-images                     Show/Hide all image windows
show-images                       Show all image windows
hide-images                       Hide al image windows
create-group GROUPNAME            Create an image group named GROUPNAME
switch-groups                     Show the list of image groups
switch-group [GROUPNAME]          Switch to the first image group named GROUPNAME
                                  (double quote the name if it contains any space)
                                  If no group name is specified, the next group will be switched to
no-click-through                  Turn off the mouse-through mode of image windows
toggle-click-through              Toggle the mouse-through mode of image windows
show-tray-menu                    Show the tray menu under the cursor
whiteboard                        Enter whiteboard mode (Note: 'Esc to quit snipping' will be disabled;
                                  the toolbar will be automatically hidden, press Space key if you need it)
--config=/path/to/config.ini      *Specify the path (absolute/relative) to the config file
                                  (double quote the path if it contains any space)

PRO Options

Besides above options, the PRO version additionally offers the following options:

external COMMAND                  Run an external program with arguments
                                  e.g. external notepad c:/123.txt will open c:/123.txt with Notepad
pick-color                        Pick and copy a pixel value on the screen
paste-as-image                    Try to convert the content (e.g. text) in the clipboard to an image and send Ctrl-V
                                  (Windows only)
paste-as-plain-text               Convert the html text in the clipboard to plain text and send Ctrl-V
                                  (Windows only)
transparent-whiteboard            A speciall whiteboard mode with tranparent background instead of a freeze screenshot
switch-group-prev                 Switch to last active image group
disable-hotkeys                   Disable global hotkeys
enable-hotkeys                    Enable global hotkeys
toggle-hotkeys                    Disable/Enable global hotkeys
clear-snip-history                Clear the snip records
open-preferences                  Open the Preferences Dialog
docs                              Open the Help Dialog
exit                              Quit Snipaste