Frequently asked questions

Here are common questions about using PixPin. Find the relevant category in the table of contents on the right. If you cannot find an answer, follow Troubleshooting to export logs and contact us.

Interface and settingsCopy Anchor Link

How do I get the old save window back?Copy Anchor Link

On the Appearance settings page, change Save dialog style to Classic to use the system file save dialog. Select Modern to restore the save window with a preview. See Appearance.

How do I restore the previous translation output?Copy Anchor Link

Change Translation mode in the Translate group on the System settings page. Image to Text shows text you can copy; Image to Image produces a translated image. See System.

How do I open settings if the tray icon is missing?Copy Anchor Link

If you set Tray Icon to Hide on the Appearance page, right-click any pin and select Configuration, or press Ctrl+Shift+P⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+P on a pin to open settings. Then return to Appearance and choose another icon style.

If Windows has moved the icon into the taskbar overflow, click the up arrow on the right of the taskbar to find it. You can also drag it back onto the taskbar.

On macOS, too many menu bar icons can leave some hidden behind the notch or other apps' icons. Reduce the number of icons, or use a menu bar management tool to move PixPin toward the front. Restarting PixPin can sometimes make its icon reappear.

ScreenshotsCopy Anchor Link

How do I capture the entire screen?Copy Anchor Link

After starting a screenshot, press Ctrl+A⌘ Command+A to select the screen containing the pointer. With multiple screens, press it again to select all screens.

To capture the full screen and copy it with one shortcut, add an action:

The presets also include Screenshot active window and copy and Screenshot last area and copy. See Shortcuts/actions for how to use actions.

Can I save screenshots directly to a folder without Save As?Copy Anchor Link

Add New Action

Action Name:Preset

Capture screen and quick save

Script

pixpin.directScreenShotSpRect(PixConst.SpRectScreenUnderMouse,ShotAction.Copy)ShotAction.QuickSave)

ApplyCancel

Select a preset

Screenshot and...

Shot the screen and copy

Screenshot active window and copy

Screenshot last area and copy

Replace Copy with QuickSave

Yes. There are three ways:

• Quick save while capturing: after selecting an area, press Ctrl+Shift+S⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+S to save directly to the configured folder. Set the folder on the Save settings page; see Save.
• Keep every screenshot: turn on Auto Save on the Save page to save each screenshot automatically to the specified folder. See Save.
• Capture and save the full screen with one key: add the Shot the screen and copy action as described above, and change the script's final ShotAction.Copy to ShotAction.QuickSave. Its shortcut then captures the screen containing the pointer and quick saves it.

How do I capture a fixed size or aspect ratio?Copy Anchor Link

Press Alt+1⌥ Option+1 to open Custom Screenshot. Set the width, height, position, and delay, and save them as a preset. See Custom and delayed screenshots.

To capture the same area repeatedly, start a screenshot and press RR to switch to a previous capture area.

Screenshot colors look white, gray, or different from the screenCopy Anchor Link

Screenshot

Screenshot modeHigh compatibility

HDR Screenshot FilterStandard

Auto

High compatibility

High performance (beta)

This is most common on Windows displays with HDR enabled. Try these steps in order:

1. On the Screenshot settings page, change Screenshot mode to High compatibility.
2. When an HDR display is detected, HDR Screenshot Filter also appears there. Switch between Standard and Video and choose the closer match.
3. If screenshots still look gray after turning off HDR, check the display's color profile in Windows Color Management and use the system's default sRGB profile.

These two settings appear only on Windows. See Screenshot settings.

Screenshots lag, are delayed, or show artifacts after a Windows updateCopy Anchor Link

On the Screenshot settings page, change Screenshot mode to High compatibility. This mode prioritizes reliable capture and can help with issues caused by system updates or graphics drivers.

Rounded corners or shadows turn black or white after pastingCopy Anchor Link

Clipboard

Copy image as fileAuto

JPG, BMP, etc.: solid corners

Auto / Copy as PNG: transparency

Areas outside rounded corners and shadows are transparent. If copying converts the image to a format without transparency, those areas are filled with a solid color when pasted.

In the Clipboard group on the System settings page, set Copy image as file to Auto or Copy as PNG. JPG and BMP do not support transparency. Some chat apps convert image formats when pasting; if the background remains, save a PNG file first and send it. See System.

Buttons and text areas on web pages are not detected during captureCopy Anchor Link

Whole window only

Web element detected

Target

"…\browser.exe"--force-renderer-accessibility

PixPin uses the system accessibility interface to detect window elements. Some browsers do not expose web page elements to other apps by default, so only the whole window can be selected.

• Chromium-based browsers: add a space followed by --force-renderer-accessibility to the end of the Target field in the browser shortcut's Properties, then restart the browser using that shortcut. You can also open the browser's accessibility page in its address bar, such as chrome://accessibility, and enable web page accessibility.
• Other apps: make sure UI Detection on the Screenshot settings page is set to Detection Elements.

If automatic detection fails, you can still drag to select an area manually.

Context menus and drop-down menus close when I use an Alt shortcutCopy Anchor Link

Pressing Alt⌥ Option closes open menus in many apps. This is behavior of the system and the app itself. To capture a menu:

• Change the screenshot shortcut to a combination without Alt⌥ Option; see Shortcuts/actions;
• Or use a delayed screenshot and open the menu during the countdown.

Capture ends after selecting an area, or the screenshot is copied immediatelyCopy Anchor Link

Some text-selection translation and lookup tools send a copy keystroke automatically when you release the mouse. PixPin treats it as a command to copy the screenshot.

Ignore copy keystroke macros on the System settings page is on by default. It filters simulated copy keystrokes immediately after mouse release. Check that it is on if you encounter this problem. Turn it off if you need your own keystroke macros to trigger copying in PixPin.

I cannot paste after taking a screenshotCopy Anchor Link

• Copying can fail while another app holds the clipboard. Close clipboard managers, remote desktop clipboard synchronization tools, and similar apps, then try again.
• If the receiving app accepts only files or only images, adjust Copy image as file on the System page. Normally, choose Auto. If it pastes a file icon or cannot paste, try Disable or Copy as PNG.

The mouse pointer appears in my screenshotsCopy Anchor Link

Press `` during capture to show or hide the pointer. If it appears in every screenshot, set Display cursor to Default Hidden on the Screenshot settings page.

How do I capture a tooltip that appears only on hover?Copy Anchor Link

Moving the mouse when starting capture may dismiss the tooltip. Use a delayed screenshot and move the pointer into position during the countdown, or record the screen to capture the whole process.

A page zooms in or scrolls incorrectly during a long screenshotCopy Anchor Link

• Design apps often use the mouse wheel to zoom the canvas. Long screenshots simulate wheel scrolling, so the canvas zooms instead of scrolling. Turn off options such as zoom with mouse wheel in that app and try again.
• Elements that appear on hover may interrupt automatic scrolling. Try a smaller starting area that avoids them, or scroll manually.

See Long screenshots for instructions.

PinsCopy Anchor Link

How do I keep only part of a pin?Copy Anchor Link

1Right-drag to select a region2Show only the selection3Shift + drag to pan

Hold Shift⇧ Shift and double-click the pin, or press RR to enter thumbnail mode and select the area to display. Copying or saving in thumbnail mode uses the currently displayed portion.

To remove the rest permanently, select Cut out in the context menu. Cropping merges existing annotations into the image, so they cannot be edited afterward. See Pin basics and Image pins.

How do I pin an image file from my computer?Copy Anchor Link

• Copy the image file in your file manager, then press Ctrl+2⌃ Control+2.
• Drag the file onto the desktop floating ball.
• Assign a shortcut to Pin selected file (disabled by default), select the file, and press the shortcut. See File pins.

RecordingCopy Anchor Link

Exporting a recording is slowCopy Anchor Link

• Turn on Enable hardware acceleration under Dynamic Screenshot on the Screenshot settings page to encode video with the graphics card. It is off by default on Windows; enabling it prompts a test.
• If you do not need editing, use Quick Recording. It exports MP4 directly when recording ends, without opening the playback window.

See Screen recording.

The keyboard, mouse, or camera buttons are missing while recordingCopy Anchor Link

• Quick Recording does not support keyboard or mouse animations or editing. To use them, switch back to normal recording under Recording Mode on the recording toolbar.
• The camera button appears only when a camera is detected.

Text recognitionCopy Anchor Link

Text recognition copies directly instead of showing a windowCopy Anchor Link

If you enabled Copy directly next time in a recognition window, the same recognition type skips the window and copies text directly. To restore the window, reselect that type under Show dialog when in the Text Recognition group on the System settings page. See Text recognition.

How do I read a QR code?Copy Anchor Link

PixPin automatically detects QR codes inside the screenshot selection. Click Decode QR code on the information bar to view the contents. Press QQ to temporarily toggle detection. For an existing pin, use QR code recognition under Recognition in the context menu.

Shortcuts and startupCopy Anchor Link

Shortcuts do not respond in some appsCopy Anchor Link

• The target app runs as administrator: Windows does not allow apps with normal permissions to receive keystrokes in administrator apps. Turn on Run as administrator on the System settings page; see System.
• The shortcut is in use: check for conflicts on the Shortcuts/Actions page and choose another combination.
• Shortcuts are paused: check Disable shortcut in the tray menu, the ignored process list, and Disable shortcuts when in full-screen games on Windows.

How do I disable shortcuts only in certain apps?Copy Anchor Link

Click Ignore Process List at the bottom of the Shortcuts/Actions page and select apps in which PixPin's global shortcuts should not respond. To disable only one action, edit it and select apps in its own Ignore Program List. See Shortcuts/actions.

PixPin does not start automatically after bootCopy Anchor Link

First, check that Start automatically after boot is on on the System settings page.

• Windows: with normal permissions, PixPin adds a startup entry for the current user. Check that it is enabled in Task Manager > Startup apps. With Run as administrator on, PixPin uses a scheduled task named “PixPin (Run As Admin)” instead. Check it in Task Scheduler. If it is missing, turn Start automatically after boot off and back on to recreate it.
• macOS: PixPin starts as a login item. Check that it is allowed in System Settings > General > Login Items.

How do I stop PixPin from updating automatically?Copy Anchor Link

In the Update group on the System settings page, set the update method to No Check. You can still click Check for updates to check manually. See System.

Saving and clipboardCopy Anchor Link

Duplicate screenshots appear in my folderCopy Anchor Link

Auto Save saves a copy of every screenshot. If you also save manually or quick save to the same folder, you get two copies. Keep one saving method or use separate folders. See Save.

Saved images look blurryCopy Anchor Link

• Save in a lossless format such as PNG. JPG reduces image quality.
• Restore the pin's zoom to 100% before saving.
• When pasting a large image, Auto shrink when Pin is too large shrinks the pin to fit the screen. See Pin settings.

Where does PixPin store its data?Copy Anchor Link

PixPinData folder

ConfigConfiguration

PixPinConfig.jsonSettings, actions, shortcuts

DataPins and other data

HistoryScreenshot history

CrashpadCrash reports

pixpin.logApplication log

Config stores settings, Data stores pins and other data, and History stores screenshot history. Quit PixPin before backing up or migrating data. To move only settings, Export/import is more convenient.

I cannot paste screenshots into AI tools or web pagesCopy Anchor Link

Some AI tools and web pages accept only image files or only image data. On the System settings page, first set Copy image as file to Copy as PNG. If it still fails, try Auto or Disable.

Installation and compatibilityCopy Anchor Link

PixPin fails to start on Windows 7 with a missing DLL messageCopy Anchor Link

Some system components PixPin depends on may be missing or outdated on Windows 7. We recommend upgrading to Windows 10 or later. If you still need Windows 7, send us a screenshot of the error and your system version; see Troubleshooting for contact details.

macOS says “PixPin is damaged and can't be opened”Copy Anchor Link

1. Download the installer again from the official website and drag PixPin into Applications to replace the existing installation.

2. If the message persists, open Terminal, enter the following command, press Return, and enter your computer's login password when prompted:

   Copy Text

   sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/PixPin.app

3. Open PixPin again.

See Installation and updates for installation steps.

Does PixPin support Windows computers with ARM processors?Copy Anchor Link

There is currently no native ARM64 Windows installer. Windows on ARM can run the 64-bit installer using built-in emulation, but performance and compatibility may differ from native devices. The macOS installer supports both Apple silicon and Intel.

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

Antivirus software blocks or deletes PixPinCopy Anchor Link

Add the PixPin installation folder to your antivirus software's trusted or allow list, then download and install again from the official website. Features such as screenshots and shortcuts need keyboard monitoring and screen access, which can cause false positives in some security software.

PixPin closes unexpectedly, crashes, or cannot startCopy Anchor Link

1. Update to the latest version.
2. Open the About settings page and click Export Logs to save logs and crash reports as a ZIP file.
3. If settings are involved, click Restore All Default at the bottom of the settings window. Before resetting, back up settings with Export/import.
4. Send us the ZIP file and a description of the problem.

PixPin freezes or the computer stops responding after startupCopy Anchor Link

If many or very large pins were left open, restoring them at startup can use a lot of memory. You can:

• Turn off Restore unclosed pin on startup on the Pin settings page. See Pin history.
• If the desktop cannot start normally, enter Safe Mode and temporarily disable PixPin in Task Manager's Startup apps. After starting normally, adjust the setting above.

Contact usCopy Anchor Link

Email [email protected] with a description of the problem, your system version, and the exported logs.

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