How to Take a Screenshot on Your Mac (Using Several Methods)

Whether you want to capture your entire screen or just a specific part, macOS offers several straightforward methods. You can utilize keyboard shortcuts, the built-in Screenshot app, or even download third-party apps to accomplish this. Here’s a step-by-step guide to each method.

Take Screenshots on a Mac Using Keyboard Shortcuts

The quickest way to take a screenshot on a Mac is by employing keyboard shortcuts. Here are three primary shortcuts, each serving a different purpose.

Before you continue, ensure that keyboard shortcuts are enabled by going to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots. Check the relevant boxes and click Done.

Take a Screenshot of the Entire Screen on Your Mac

Press Cmd + Shift + 3 to capture the entire screen.

After doing this, an image will appear in the bottom-right corner. Click it to edit, annotate, or delete the screenshot. Add text, sketches, shapes, and your signature if needed.

If you prefer, let it auto-save to your desktop. By default, macOS saves the image as a PNG file, but you can opt to save it as a JPG if necessary.

Take a Screenshot of a Specific Portion of Your Screen

Press Cmd + Shift + 4 to capture a specific part of the screen. Your cursor will change to a crosshair icon; click and drag to select the area you want to capture.

Hold down the Shift key to constrain adjustments to the X or Y axis, the Option key to resize proportionally from the center, or Space to move the selection.

If you change your mind, press Esc to cancel. Once satisfied with your selection, release the trackpad or mouse. To copy the image to the clipboard instead of saving it, press Control + Cmd + Shift + 4.

Take a Screenshot of an App Window

To capture an active app window, press Cmd + Shift + 4, then hit Space. The cursor will change to a camera icon. Clicking on the active window will capture it. You can adjust to different windows before clicking if needed.

For a timed screenshot, you’ll need to use the built-in snipping tool, which we will discuss next.

Take Screenshots on a Mac With the Built-In Screenshot App

If you prefer a more interactive method, use the pre-installed Screenshot app. Access it via Finder > Applications > Utilities > Screenshot or by pressing Cmd + Shift + 5.

The app offers three tools: Capture Entire Screen, Capture Selected Window, and Capture Selected Portion.

To take a timed screenshot, click Options and choose between a 5 or 10-second delay. Then click Capture to start the countdown timer.

The Screenshot app also functions as a basic screen recorder.

Take a Screenshot on a Mac With Preview

The Preview app allows for screenshots of openable files like images and PDFs, providing flexibility in saving and editing.

To take a screenshot in Preview, go to File > Take Screenshot and choose the type of capture you need. Unfortunately, timed screenshots aren’t supported.

Take Screenshots on a Mac With Third-Party Snipping Tools

If you need additional features, consider these free third-party apps:

1. Snip My

Snip My offers timed screenshots with delays from 1 to 15 seconds and supports multi-screen captures. A paid subscription adds the option for circular screenshots.

2. iScreen Shoter

iScreen Shoter includes optical character recognition (OCR) for text extraction from images. You can then copy and paste the text elsewhere.

3. Awesome Screenshot & Recorder

Awesome Screenshot features a color picker and offers a corresponding Chrome extension and Mac app.

These various tools and shortcuts provide ample options to handle any screenshot need. In rare cases where elements of the macOS interface aren’t captured, try recording your screen and extracting screenshots from the video.