Taking a screenshot on a Mac, often referred to as “print screen” by users familiar with Windows, is a straightforward process that allows you to capture exactly what you see on your screen. Whether you need to save a receipt, share a funny online moment, or document something for work, macOS provides several built-in tools to get the job done. This guide will walk you through the various methods to take screenshots on your Mac, ensuring you can capture your screen in the way that best suits your needs.
Capture the Entire Screen
The quickest way to take a screenshot of your entire Mac screen is using a simple keyboard shortcut. This method captures everything visible on your display in one image.
- Press and hold these three keys simultaneously: Shift, Command (⌘), and 3.
- You will hear a camera shutter sound, and a thumbnail of your screenshot will briefly appear in the corner of your screen.
- By default, the screenshot is saved as a PNG file on your desktop, named with the date and time.
If you see the thumbnail, you can click on it immediately to open it in the Preview app for quick editing or sharing. If you miss it, don’t worry – your screenshot is safely saved on your desktop.
Capture a Portion of the Screen
Sometimes you only need to capture a specific area of your screen, not the entire display. macOS makes this easy with another handy keyboard shortcut.
Keyboard shortcut diagram showing how to print screen on a Mac using Shift Command and 4 keys simultaneously.
- Press and hold these three keys together: Shift, Command (⌘), and 4.
- Your cursor will transform into a crosshair pointer.
- Click and drag the crosshair to select the exact portion of the screen you want to capture. A rectangular selection box will appear as you drag.
- To take the screenshot, release the mouse or trackpad button.
- To cancel, press the Esc (Escape) key before releasing the mouse button.
- To reposition the selection area without resizing it, hold down the Space bar while dragging.
Example of capturing a portion of the screen on macOS Big Sur using the crosshair selection tool.
Similar to capturing the entire screen, a thumbnail will appear for quick editing, and the screenshot will be saved to your desktop.
Capture a Window or Menu
macOS also allows you to capture a specific window or menu, which is perfect for getting clean screenshots without extra desktop clutter.
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Make sure the window or menu you want to capture is active and visible on your screen.
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Press and hold Shift, Command (⌘), and 4 keys, then press the Space bar.
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The crosshair pointer will change to a camera icon.
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Click on the window or menu you want to capture. The selected window will be highlighted as you hover over different windows.
- To take the screenshot without the window shadow, press and hold the Option (⌥) key while clicking.
- To cancel, press the Esc (Escape) key.
Screenshot of a Safari window on macOS Big Sur, demonstrating how to capture a specific window on a Mac.
Again, a thumbnail preview will appear, and the screenshot will be saved to your desktop.
Using the Screenshot App for More Options
For more advanced screenshot options and screen recording capabilities, macOS offers the Screenshot app.
- Press Shift, Command (⌘), and 5 keys to open the Screenshot app toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
- This toolbar provides various options:
- Capture Entire Screen
- Capture Selected Window
- Capture Selected Portion
- Record Entire Screen
- Record Selected Portion
- You can also access “Options” from the toolbar to:
- Choose where to save screenshots (Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, etc.)
- Set a timer for screenshots (None, 5 seconds, 10 seconds)
- Choose to show or hide the floating thumbnail
- Remember last selection
The Screenshot app is particularly useful if you need more control over where your screenshots are saved or if you frequently record your screen.
Finding Your Screenshots
By default, all screenshots are saved to your desktop as PNG files, named starting with “Screen Shot” followed by the date and time. If you can’t immediately see your screenshot, it might be hidden behind other windows.
To easily locate your screenshots:
- Go to Finder > Go > Desktop from the menu bar.
- Alternatively, click Desktop in the Finder sidebar.
This will bring all your desktop files to the front, making it easy to find your newly captured screenshots.
Mastering Screenshots on Your Mac
Taking screenshots on a Mac is a fundamental skill for any user. With these simple keyboard shortcuts and the Screenshot app, you have all the tools you need to capture your screen effectively. Whether you need a quick full-screen capture or a precise window screenshot, macOS provides intuitive and efficient methods to get the job done. Practice these techniques, and you’ll be a screenshot pro in no time!
