# Composite capture

Capture your whole screen with every window as its own layer. Instead of one
flat image, the editor opens with the desktop and each open window as
separate pieces you can move, rearrange, or delete — handy for staging a
clean screenshot of a cluttered screen.

## Turning it on

Composite capture is an **experimental** feature. Enable it in
**Settings → General → 🧪 Enable experimental features** (see
[Experimental Features](/docs/hypershot/settings/preferences#experimental-features)).

Until you do, its shortcut does nothing and its menu item stays hidden.

## How to use

1. Press the composite screen shortcut — `⌘⇧0` on macOS or `Ctrl+Shift+0` on Windows (the default;
   change it in **Settings → Shortcuts**, where it appears once experimental
   features are on), or choose **🧪 Capture Composite Screen** from the menu
   bar / tray menu
2. A brief processing overlay appears while each window is captured
3. The capture lands like any other — in the
   [preview folder](/docs/hypershot/capturing/capture-history), or straight
   in the editor if **Settings → Captures → After capture** is set to
   **Edit**. Open it in the editor to work with the layers

## What you get

- **The screen under your mouse** — like [Screen Capture](/docs/hypershot/capturing/screen-capture),
  it captures the screen your cursor is on, along with every visible window that
  overlaps it
- **The desktop as the bottom layer** — your wallpaper with no app windows
  on it (on macOS, the menu bar and Dock are part of this layer)
- **One layer per window** — each window becomes a [media](/docs/hypershot/tools/media)
  layer in its original position and stacking order, with a soft drop shadow
  baked in

Because the windows are separate layers, there's nothing behind them: move a
window away and you see the desktop layer (or transparency, if you move the
desktop too).

## Working with the layers

The window layers behave like any image you add with the Media tool:

- **Select** a window by clicking it — see [Selecting](/docs/hypershot/editing/selecting)
- **Move, resize, and rotate** it — see [Moving & Resizing](/docs/hypershot/editing/moving-resizing).
  Window layers keep their aspect ratio when resized; hold **Shift** to
  resize freely
- **Restack** with right-click → **Bring to Front** / **Send to Back**, or
  **Flip Horizontal** / **Flip Vertical** — see
  [Canvas Navigation](/docs/hypershot/editing/canvas-navigation#the-right-click-menu)
- **Delete** windows you don't want in the shot — select and press
  **Delete**

Annotate on top as usual. The starting arrangement isn't an undo step — undo
takes you back to it, not past it.

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*See also: [Screen Capture](/docs/hypershot/capturing/screen-capture) | [Media](/docs/hypershot/tools/media)*

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From https://hypernuclear.com/docs/hypershot/capturing/composite-capture/