How to Create Client Handoff Instructions with Screenshots

A project handoff ends the moment the client has to change something alone. A short set of screenshot guides for the tasks they will repeat saves both sides a round of support emails in the first month.

This post covers what to include, how to record the tasks with Temposhot on a Mac, and how to deliver a package the client can keep.

Define what the client will own

Write down, in one list, everything that passes to the client at handoff. Ownership questions surface early this way, before anyone records a screenshot.

• Accounts and services: domain, hosting, CMS, analytics, email sending, payment or booking tools.
• Content: pages, products, articles, media library.
• Users: who can sign in, with which role.
• Recurring tasks: publishing, backups, renewals, reports.
• Decisions: who approves design changes, who pays for renewals.

Mark each item as "client owns", "agency maintains" or "shared". Only "client owns" and "shared" items need instruction guides.

Separate access from instruction

Credentials and instructions travel differently. Instructions can be emailed, printed and stored anywhere. Credentials cannot.

Keep a separate access document that lists each account, the owner email and where the credentials are stored, such as the client's password manager. The screenshot guides then say "Sign in with the admin account from your password manager" and never show a password.

Capture the tasks the client will perform

Give each task its own guide. A client looking for "add a user" should not scroll past ten pages about publishing. Before recording, sign in with a handoff or demo account, close other client projects, turn on a macOS Focus mode, and set the browser window to a fixed size.

1. Open Action Capture

   Press Command+3 and select Start Action Capture.

2. Choose Specific Window

   In Choose Capture Target, pick Specific Window and select the browser or app window. Every step then has the same size and position.

3. Perform the task once

   Click through the task at a normal pace. Each accepted click saves the window as it looked just before the click.

4. Capture states without a click

   When a confirmation message appears after a save, press Shift+Command+2 to add it as a step.

5. Finish the run

   Select Finish capture in the floating toolbar. The Document opens in the editor.

Then rewrite each Page title in the words the interface shows, starting with a verb: "Open Users", "Select Add user", "Choose the Editor role". Internal project names for templates or environments mean nothing to the client. The Action Capture guide explains each target and the click settings.

Add checks, risks, and support boundaries

A handoff guide should tell the client when something worked and when to stop.

• Check: the last page of each guide shows the result. "The new user receives an invitation email."
• Risk: a short warning before destructive steps, such as deleting a page or changing DNS records.
• Boundary: what is outside the guide and who handles it. "Plugin updates are covered by the maintenance plan. Contact the agency."

Review every page for data the client should not see:

What to check	How to fix it in Temposhot
Other clients or projects in a sidebar	Framing with Custom to crop the sidebar out
Real customer names or emails	Blur (Pro, key B) over each field
Staging URLs in the address bar	Crop the browser chrome or retake in production
Your personal account name	Blur it or record again with the handoff account

Deliver files and maintenance ownership

Temposhot stores Documents on your Mac and has no hosted sharing link, so the exported files are what the client receives.

Client need	Export
Read and print the instructions	Export PDF with cover page and page numbers
Paste steps into their own wiki	PNG or WebP pages
Keep a full archive	ZIP package with rendered PNG pages and document.json

Customizing the PDF dialog (cover page, step numbers, page numbers, description position) needs Pro. Name files by task and date, such as add-user-2026-03.pdf. To combine task PDFs into one file, use Merge PDF. To add an AES-256 password, use Protect PDF.

State in the cover or first page who updates the guides after handoff and what triggers an update. If the agency keeps that role, keep the source Documents on the Mac that recorded them.

Run a client handoff session

Files alone rarely complete a handoff. Book a 30 to 60 minute call and let the client drive.

1. Share the task list and the guide files a day before.
2. Ask the client to perform two or three tasks using only the guides.
3. Note every place they hesitate or ask a question.
4. Fix those pages the same day and send the updated exports.

The pauses in that session show you which titles or crops need work. For writing rules, see how to write step-by-step software instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should handoff guides cover every feature?

No. Cover the tasks the client will do without you. A tour of every screen is harder to use and goes stale faster.

Can the client edit the guides later?

They can edit the exported files with their own tools. The editable Temposhot Document stays on the Mac that created it, so whoever owns updates needs that Mac or a fresh recording.

What if the client uses Windows?

The exported PDF and image files open on any system. Recording the guides requires a Mac with Temposhot.

How do I share the guides without a hosted link?

Send the exported files by email, put them in the client's shared drive, or upload the images into the client's own help center or wiki.

Turn your clicks into a clear step-by-step guide

Action Capture turns one pass through a client task into an editable, ordered guide. Download Temposhot and record the first handoff task.