This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Preview can't "Take A Screen Shot" in Mac Firefox

  • 4 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by FredMcD

stefanmaine
stefanmaine
more options

I have a MacBook with OS 10.10.4, Preview 8.0, and Firefox 40.0.3. At Google Maps, when I try to take a screen shot with Preview (File>Take A Screen Shot>From Selection ...) I get a popup "Screen shot can't be saved. Unable to capture desktop image." This is a new issue; I have taken map screenshots with Preview and Firefox many times, but not now. The problem is not the OS or Preview because the process works fine in Chrome.

I have a MacBook with OS 10.10.4, Preview 8.0, and Firefox 40.0.3. At Google Maps, when I try to take a screen shot with Preview (File>Take A Screen Shot>From Selection ...) I get a popup "Screen shot can't be saved. Unable to capture desktop image." This is a new issue; I have taken map screenshots with Preview and Firefox many times, but not now. The problem is not the OS or Preview because the process works fine in Chrome.

Chosen solution

It's not Firefox! Wandering around my laptop this morning, I finally stumbled on the answer: It's Trusteer Rapport, an IBM program that protects against malware, and that my bank urged me to install.

I went to my Mac's System Preferences>Trusteer Endpoint Protection, clicked on "Stop Rapport", then went back to Firefox>maps.google.com, and, when prompted, Preview took a Screen Shot just as it always has! Who knew?

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Read this answer in context 👍 3

All Replies (4)

FredMcD
FredMcD
more options

Are you using the web site software, or Firefox? What program?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac Options) key, and then starting Firefox. Is the problem still there?

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Note that Firefox has a setting in the web developer toolbox settings to add a button to the toolbar of the Web Developer toolbox to take a full page screenshot.

The (default) file name is "Screen Shot yyyy-mm-dd at HH.MM.SS.png" and the file is saved to the Downloads folder.

You can right-click and select "Inspect Element" to open the Inspector (Firefox/Tools > Web Developer) and have access to the developer tools including the gear icon to access the toolbox settings and the "Take a fullpage screenshot" (camera) button once you have enabled this button.

If you need more options like a delay or saving the image to the clipboard then you can use the Developer toolbar and invoke the screenshot command.

  • A quick way to save a screenshot is to press the "s" and press the Tab key to accept the screenshot autocomplete suggestion.
  • For help about this command, use: help screenshot
stefanmaine
stefanmaine Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

It's not Firefox! Wandering around my laptop this morning, I finally stumbled on the answer: It's Trusteer Rapport, an IBM program that protects against malware, and that my bank urged me to install.

I went to my Mac's System Preferences>Trusteer Endpoint Protection, clicked on "Stop Rapport", then went back to Firefox>maps.google.com, and, when prompted, Preview took a Screen Shot just as it always has! Who knew?

Thank you all for your suggestions.

FredMcD
FredMcD
more options

That was very good work. Well Done.