If you recently decided to switch from a PC to a Mac, you surely feel a little lost. But, calm down, it is normal. One of the most difficult functions to find is how to take a screenshot on Mac, because it lacks a specific Print Screen key. However, getting a screenshot on a Mac is also not out of this world. From keyboard commands to compatible applications, through the Preview tool, there are several ways to get a screenshot on Mac and we explain them here.
Using keyboard commands
Keyboard commands are the easiest and fastest way to take a screenshot on a Mac, whether you want to capture the entire screen or just part of it. By default, Apple‘s methods save the screenshot to the desktop. However, if you simply want to copy it to the clipboard, there is also a command for that.
Capture the full screen
Method 1: Press Command + Shift + 3 simultaneously. This will keep a copy of your screen on your desktop.
Method 2: Press Command + Shift + 3 + Control, if you want to save the image to your clipboard.
On MacOS Catalina, a preview of the capture will appear in the corner of your screen, giving you quick access to editing tools. You can also take advantage of the “Stacks” function, which groups similar files on your desktop, such as screenshots. To do so, simply right-click on your desktop and they will all be grouped together quickly.
A certain area
Method 2: Simultaneously press Command + Shift + 4 + Control . With the mouse / mouse pointer turned into a crosshair, use it to select the region you want to capture. When you release the mouse button, the capture will be saved to the clipboard.
Single window screenshot
Step 1: Press Command + Shift + 4 simultaneously to turn your pointer into a cross.
Step 2 : You can press the space bar and you will notice that the pointer turns into a camera.
Step 3: Any window you hover over will now be highlighted in blue. This indicates that only this window will be part of your screenshot.
This method not only captures windows: you can save the desktop, the menu bar, the Dock or even an open menu.
The image you save consists of the window and its shadow on a transparent background (PNG). If you don’t want the shadow, hold down the Option (or Alt) key while clicking to save the image.
Method 2: Press Command + Shift + 4 + Control and the image will be saved to your clipboard.
Use the marquee on screen
If you are using MacOS Mojave or later, you can load an on-screen marquee that can be moved or resized as needed. Provides three capture tools, options for saving, displaying the pointer, and more.
Method 1 : Press Command + Shift + 5 keys simultaneously to choose the target (full screen, specific window or part) and the resulting image will be saved on the desktop or other location.
Method 2: Press Command + Shift + 5 + Control simultaneously to choose the target (full screen, specific window, or part) and the resulting image will be saved to the clipboard.
If you have a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, it has options like a selected area, window, or full screen. You can also use it to save screenshots in a different folder, such as Desktop, Documents or the Clipboard.
Another unique Touch Bar function is to take a screenshot of the Touch Bar screen by pressing Shift + Command + 6.
Take screenshots with Grab or Snapshot
Don’t feel like memorizing keyboard shortcuts? Snapshot (or Grab) is a program that comes pre-installed on all Macs and that allows creating screenshots directly from the menu bar. The program also allows taking delayed screenshots, in case you need to set the stage before capturing an image on your screen.
Step 1: Open the Finder and select Applications on the left.
Step 3 : Use the Capture menu system to take screenshots as you like, or use the detailed keyboard shortcuts next to the respective command.
“Timed” screenshots
With Snapshot , you can take a screenshot of a particular section, a single window, or the entire screen, the same three options that we described above. What’s new here is the “Timer Screen” option, which gives you a 10 second delay before capturing the screenshot.
This means that if you need to open a menu or put the mouse in the correct position, you have time to do so.
Step 1 : Open Snapshot / Grab as described in the previous method.
Step 2 : Select Timer Display from the menu, or press Command + Shift + Z.
Please note that the mouse cursor will not be shown in the screenshot by default. If you want to make sure you are captured, click Preferences on the Snapshot main menu and select the mouse icon in the resulting popup.
In general, keyboard shortcuts are the best way to take screenshots, but if you don’t want to memorize anything, Snapshot is a great alternative.
Use the Preview to take a screenshot
The Preview or Preview is a default tool that allows you to open from photos to PDF files on your Mac and also has some extra hidden functions. You can edit images with Preview, for example, simply by clicking on the icon in the toolbox. And also the Preview will allow you to take screenshots.
Step 1: Open Preview and select Applications on the left.
Step 2 : Double-click Preview to open the application.
Step 3: When the app is open, click File on the menu.
Step 4: In the drop-down menu, take your more on Take screenshot and choose if you will do it from a selection, from a window or from the full screen.
In our case, we prefer the keyboard shortcut method to this method, because the first one is much faster. However, the Preview offers an advantage. The other options in our list automatically save the screenshot to the desktop with a detailed file name. The Preview, on the other hand, opens the screenshot, allows you to make some modifications and save the file wherever you want. If that matters to you, then this is a very solid option.
Save the screenshots
What happens once a screenshot is taken? In the case of the Apple operating system, your Mac will automatically mark the time and date the capture was taken and save it as a PNG file on your desktop. That’s handy for immediate reference, but if you’re going to take a lot of screenshots your desktop will quickly fill up with files with somewhat strange names.
If you are running MacOS Mojave or Catalina, there are new editing and organizational tools at your disposal. For example, the screenshots saved on the desktop will be put together in the corner and spread across the screen. You can quickly group them using Batteries (right-click on the desktop and then check Use Batteries ) to sort your viewing area. You can even click on those images to quickly edit them with the marking tools.
If you’re running older versions of MacOS, you can always drag the screenshots to the trash, make some modifications via commands, or use third-party apps, like the TinyTake for Mac app , which gives you more control over your screenshots.