Share a capture as a link

Turn any screenshot or recording into a link with one click. The link lands on your clipboard, ready to paste, and anyone who opens it can watch in their browser without an account.

Share links are part of the Web app plan. The Mac app itself is free. See Plans and billing.

Sign in on your Mac#

You sign in once, with your Apple ID. After that, the link buttons share straight away.

1. Click the catu icon in the menu bar and choose “Settings…” (or press ⌘,).
2. Choose “Sharing”.
3. Under “Account”, click “Sign in with Apple…” and follow Apple's steps.

A notice says “Signed in as” and your account. The Sharing page now shows “Signed in as” with a “Sign Out” button.

You don't have to start in Settings. If you click a link button while signed out, catu asks you to “Sign in with Apple” first and then carries on with the share. If you choose upload while recording while signed out, catu closes the recording bar and asks you to sign in; then press ⇧⌘3 again.

catu encrypts each capture on your Mac before it uploads, and it is stored encrypted.

Share a screenshot#

After every screenshot, a card slides into the bottom-right corner of the screen for six seconds. Move the pointer over it to keep it there.

1. Take a screenshot (see Take a screenshot).
2. On the card, click the link button below “Edit”. Its tooltip says “Copy share link”.
3. Wait for the notice “Link copied”. The link is on your clipboard.
4. Paste it wherever you like.

You can also share an older screenshot, or any image you copied, from the menu-bar menu: point at it in your recent copies and click the link button (“Copy share link”).

Share a recording#

When you stop a recording, a card appears with the first frame and the length.

1. On the recording card, click the link button. Its tooltip says “Copy share link”.
2. catu uploads the recording. Progress shows next to the catu icon in the menu bar, for example “↑ 42%”.
3. When the upload ends, the notice says “Link copied” and the link is on your clipboard.

The card then comes back with two extra choices: the link button now says “Copy the link again”, and “Open in your browser” opens the clip page.

Recordings up to 2 GB can be shared. For a longer one, trim it first from the card's “Trim” button. See Record your screen.

Upload while recording#

With this on, catu uploads the recording while you record, so the link is ready a few seconds after you stop.

1. Press ⇧⌘3 and choose what to record. The recording bar opens.
2. In the switch with two icons, choose the cloud icon: “Upload while recording: the link is ready when you stop”. The other icon is “Save on this Mac; share when you choose”.
3. Click “Start” and record as usual. The bar shows how much has been uploaded so far.
4. Stop. The notice says “Finishing upload”, then “Link copied”, and the recording card appears with the link ready.

catu remembers your choice. You can also set it in “Settings…” › “Capture” › “Recordings go”: “To this Mac” or “To catu while recording”.

A copy of the recording always stays on your Mac. If you discard the recording, the uploaded copy is deleted too.

Add a password as you share#

1. Hold down the Option key (⌥) and click the link button on the screenshot or recording card.
2. Type a password in “Password for this link”.
3. Click “Share with password”.

People who open the link are asked for the password. You can change or remove it later in your Library. See Passwords, expiry and downloads.

How long new links work#

In “Settings…” › “Sharing” › “New links”, you choose how long new links keep working:

• “Screenshot links stop working after”: 7 days, 30 days (the default), 90 days or Never.
• “Recording links stop working after”: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days or Never (the default, so recordings keep working in documentation).

The “Link copied” notice tells you when each link expires. You can change any link's expiry later in your Library. See Passwords, expiry and downloads.

What people see when they open your link#

The link opens a clip page at catu.app/v/… It works in any modern browser, on a computer or a phone. Nobody needs a catu account to watch.

The page shows:

• the screenshot, or the recording ready to play at once;
• the title, your name and photo, the date and the number of views;
• a “Copy link” button, and a “Download” button only if you allow downloads;
• comments, if you allow them (see Comments);
• at the bottom, when the link expires, or “This link doesn't expire”.

Your name and photo come from your account on catu.app. If you haven't set a name, the page says “Someone”. See Your account and emails.

Link previews in chat apps#

When you paste a link into a chat app or an email, it usually shows a preview: the title, whether it is a screenshot or a recording (with its length), who shared it, and the picture or first frame.

A link with a password shows no picture and no title, only that a clip was shared.

Rename a clip in your Library before you share it, so the preview says something useful. New clips are called “Screenshot” or “Recording”. See Your Library on the web.

Open your Library from the Mac#

Click the catu icon in the menu bar and choose “Go to Web Library…”. Your Library opens in your browser, already signed in as you. See Your Library on the web.

Link a phone or another browser#

To open your Library on your phone, or on a browser where you aren't signed in:

1. Click the catu icon in the menu bar and choose “Link a Phone or Browser…”.
2. Point the phone's camera at the QR code and open the link.
3. Your Library opens there, signed in as you.

The code works once, for two minutes. When it runs out, click “Show a new code”.

Anyone who scans the code is signed in as you. Show it only to your own devices.

If something doesn't work#

• “Cloud sharing isn't active on this catu account”. Sharing needs the Web app plan. Start it on catu.app, then try again. See Plans and billing.
• “Storage full: delete some links first”. Delete clips you no longer need in your Library. See Your Library on the web.
• “Recordings over 2 GB can't be shared. Trim it first.” Click “Trim” on the recording card, shorten it and share the trimmed copy.
• “Sharing service unavailable” or “Upload failed”. Check your internet connection and click the link button again. With upload while recording, the recording is saved on your Mac whatever happens, so you can share it from the card later.
• The person you sent it to sees “This clip is no longer available”. The link expired, sharing was switched off or the clip was deleted. If the clip is still in your Library, turn sharing on and set a new expiry there; the same link opens again. Otherwise share the capture again to make a new link.