Updated August 17, 2026
Get from first launch to your first pasted screenshot
Framebolt is a menu-bar capture studio. The first-run path is deliberately small: permission, shortcut, selection, paste, then an optional editor pass.
Check release statusBefore you start
First capture
- 1
Launch into the menu bar
Framebolt runs as a background menu-bar accessory rather than opening a normal editor window or Dock icon on launch.
- 2
Press ⌘⇧S
Choose Picture or Recording and Region or Screen in the capture control. For a screenshot, drag the region and confirm the red Capture button.
- 3
Paste with ⌘V
A screenshot is written to the local library and copied immediately. Test the first paste in Notes before moving to a richer destination.
- 4
Open the editor only when useful
The ten-second preview opens the editor for arrows, text, shapes, framing, shader settings, or later export. Dismissing it keeps the raw capture untouched.
Files, formats, and edit data
| Artifact | Location or format | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot | PNG under ~/Pictures/CaptureIt/Pictures/YYYY-MM-DD | Raw file is saved and copied immediately. |
| Recording | MP4 under ~/Pictures/CaptureIt/Recordings/YYYY-MM-DD | Region or main display, with supported audio inputs. |
| Selection backing source | Hidden .framebolt-sources folder beside the capture | A full-display source stays local so the crop can remain editable; clipboard and normal exports use the selected presentation. |
| Edit data | Optional same-folder JSON sidecar | Elements, frame, shader, and trim settings remain editable. |
| Export | PNG still or MP4 recording | A second-stage render; raw media is not rewritten. |
Default shortcuts
⌘⇧S region selection
⌘⇧D desktop/display capture
⌘⇧E open editor
Escape or Backspace cancel selectionAll three action shortcuts can be rebound in Settings. Framebolt validates new bindings and keeps the previous one when macOS reports a conflict.
Questions about getting started with framebolt
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