Lightshot review
A free utility for selected-area captures, quick annotations, and shareable links.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Lightshot is a free screenshot utility for capturing selected areas of a desktop or browser window. It suits people who want to mark up a capture, copy it to the clipboard, save it locally, or share it through an upload link without paying for a plan. Desktop applications are available for Windows and macOS, and a Chrome extension covers browser captures. The workflow is deliberately focused on quick capture and sharing rather than a broad set of advanced screenshot capabilities.
Editing tools include pen, brush, blur, highlighting, and text, so captures can convey a correction or draw attention to a specific detail before they are shared. Images can also be saved locally in PNG, BMP, or JPG format. Screenshot history and a gallery are available to account holders, while keyboard shortcuts, clipboard copying, and similar image search add utility around the basic capture flow. Facebook and Twitter are listed integrations; the product details do not describe a wider integration ecosystem.
Lightshot is free, and the Free plan lists selected-area screenshots, online sharing, screenshot editing, and local image saving. Its clearest trade-off is scope: scrolling capture and OCR are not part of the offering described here, and there is no dedicated Linux application. That makes Lightshot a sensible fit for simple area captures and annotations across its supported desktop and Chrome options, especially when shareable links or local image files are enough. Choose another tool if you need scrolling-page capture, text recognition, or a native Linux app.
Lightshot pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Captures selected areas on Windows, macOS, and Chrome.
- Adds pen, brush, blur, highlighting, and text annotations.
- Shares uploads by link and saves PNG, BMP, or JPG locally.
- Where it doesn't
- Does not offer scrolling capture.
- Does not offer OCR.
- Has no dedicated Linux application.
Lightshot fact sheet, pricing and score →
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