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How to Take a Screenshot on Mac

Tap each step to see how to take a screenshot on a Mac.

  1. Capture the whole screen with Command+Shift+3

    Press this shortcut and the entire screen is captured and saved straight to the desktop.

  2. Capture just an area with Command+Shift+4

    Press the shortcut, then drag with the mouse to capture only the area you select.

  3. Capture a single window by pressing Space after Command+Shift+4

    In area-capture mode, pressing the space bar turns the cursor into a camera icon, letting you cleanly capture just the window you click.

  4. Hold Control too to copy straight to the clipboard

    Adding the Control key to any of the shortcuts above copies the capture straight to the clipboard instead of saving a file, so you can just paste it.

  5. Why is this useful?

    You can quickly capture an error message or something worth referencing, with no extra software, and paste it straight into a chat app or document.

Coming from Windows? The Shortcuts Are Different

Anyone used to Windows' Print Screen or Snipping Tool has to relearn muscle memory here β€” macOS uses its own Command+Shift combinations instead, but once they click, they are just as fast.

Screenshots Also Work as a Lightweight Recorder

The same shortcuts open a small capture toolbar with options for recording video of the whole screen or a selected portion, so you rarely need a separate screen-recording app for a quick clip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are saved screenshots stored?

By default, they save to the desktop with a filename like "Screenshot [date] at [time].png." You can change the save location from the options bar that appears after pressing Command+Shift+5.

Can I record my screen too?

Yes, pressing Command+Shift+5 brings up a capture toolbar where you can also choose to record all or part of your screen as a video.