Pearsnap

A lightweight macOS screenshot tool that captures, uploads, and shares in one flow. A tribute to Skitch by Chris Pearson.

Features

• Quick Capture: Press ⌘⇧5 to select any area of your screen
• Instant Upload: Automatically uploads to S3-compatible storage (DigitalOcean Spaces, AWS S3, etc.)
• Auto-Copy: URL copied to clipboard immediately after upload
• Drag to Save: Drag the preview to save the image anywhere (preview slides to corner while dragging)
• Redaction Tool: Pixelate sensitive information before sharing
• Upload History: Access recent uploads from the menu bar with navigation
• Color Picker: Loupe magnifier shows pixel colors with hex codes
• Copy Hex: Press ⌘C while hovering to copy the hex color to clipboard
• Cmd+Tab Support: Preview window appears in app switcher
• Launch at Login: Optional auto-start
• Auto-Updates: Built-in Sparkle updater checks for new versions

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
⌘⇧5	Start capture
ESC	Cancel capture / Close preview / Exit redact mode
⌘C	Copy hex color under cursor (during capture)
← →	Navigate upload history (in preview)

Preview Window

After capturing, the preview window lets you:

• Drag the image to save it anywhere (Finder, apps, desktop)
• Navigate through recent uploads with arrow keys or buttons
• Redact sensitive info by clicking the eye icon, drawing rectangles, then clicking ✓
• Cmd+Tab back to the preview if you switch away

The preview slides to the nearest corner while you're dragging, then returns when you drop.

Installation

Download

Download the latest release from the Releases page.

1. Download Pearsnap-vX.X.X.zip
2. Extract and move Pearsnap.app to /Applications
3. Launch and grant Accessibility + Screen Recording permissions when prompted
4. Configure your S3 credentials in Settings

Note: This is an unsigned build. You may need to right-click → Open the first time.

Building from Source

./build.sh  # Builds, signs, and deploys to /Applications

For permissions to persist across rebuilds, sign with your Developer certificate:

# Edit build.sh and set SIGNING_IDENTITY to your certificate
./build.sh

Requirements

• macOS 13.0 or later
• S3-compatible storage (DigitalOcean Spaces, AWS S3, Backblaze B2, etc.)

Configuration

Open Pearsnap from the menu bar and click Settings to configure:

• Endpoint: Your S3 endpoint (e.g., nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com)
• Bucket Name: Your bucket name
• Region: Your bucket region (e.g., nyc3)
• Access Key: Your S3 access key
• Secret Key: Your S3 secret key
• Public URL Base: The public URL prefix for your uploads

Config stored at: ~/Library/Application Support/Pearsnap/config.json

Permissions

Pearsnap requires:

• Accessibility: For global keyboard shortcut
• Screen Recording: For capturing screenshots

If permissions get stuck after a rebuild, click Reset Permissions & Relaunch in the setup window, or run:

./reset-permissions.sh

Releasing New Versions

To release a new version:

./release.sh 1.2.0

This single command will:

1. Bump version in Info.plist
2. Build the app with Sparkle framework
3. Create and sign the release zip with EdDSA
4. Create a GitHub release with the zip attached
5. Update docs/appcast.xml with the new version
6. Commit and push everything

Users with Pearsnap installed can then click Check for Updates... in the menu to get the new version.

Why "Pearsnap"?

A tribute to Chris Pearson, creator of Skitch — the beloved screenshot and annotation tool. Pearsnap carries forward the spirit of quick, effortless screen capture.

License

MIT