Taking screenshots on a Mac is easy using built-in keyboard shortcuts. Here are the most common methods:
1. Capture the Entire Screen
Shortcut: Command (⌘) + Shift + 3
This saves an image of your entire screen to your desktop by default.
2. Capture a Selected Portion of the Screen
Shortcut: Command (⌘) + Shift + 4
Your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. Release the mouse or trackpad to save the screenshot.
3. Capture a Specific Window or Menu
Shortcut: Command (⌘) + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar
Your cursor becomes a camera icon. Click on the window or menu you want to capture.
4. Screenshot Toolbar for More Options (macOS Mojave and later)
- Shortcut: Command (⌘) + Shift + 5
This brings up an on-screen toolbar, which allows you to: - Capture the entire screen
- Capture a selected window or portion of the screen
- Record the screen
5. Save to Clipboard (Instead of Desktop)
Add the Control key to any shortcut (for example: Command (⌘) + Shift + Control + 3)
This saves the screenshot to the clipboard, so you can paste it into another app with Command (⌘) + V.
Tip:
By default, screenshots are saved to your desktop as PNG files. You can change the save location in the Screenshot app (accessed with Command (⌘) + Shift + 5, then click “Options”).