Step-by-step Guide how to take an screenshot on a mac
1. Screenshot of the Entire Screen
- Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 3:
- This combination will capture the entire screen and save it as a file on your desktop.
- By default, the screenshot is saved as a PNG file named "Screen Shot [date] at [time].png."
2. Screenshot of a Selected Portion
- Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 4:
- Your cursor will turn into a crosshair.
- Click and drag to select the area of the screen you want to capture. Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.
- The screenshot will be saved on your desktop by default.
3. Screenshot of a Specific Window
- Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 4, then press the Space bar:
- The cursor will change to a camera icon.
- Move the camera icon over the window you want to capture. The window will be highlighted.
- Click to capture the highlighted window. The screenshot will be saved on your desktop.
4. Screenshot Using the Screenshot App (macOS Mojave and later)
- Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 5:
- This opens the screenshot toolbar, allowing you to capture the entire screen, a selected window, or a selected portion of the screen.
- The toolbar also provides options for screen recording and setting a timer.
5. Screenshot Saved to Clipboard
- Hold the Control key in addition to the combinations above:
- For example, Command (⌘) + Shift + Control + 4 will save the screenshot to your clipboard instead of your desktop.
- You can then paste the screenshot into another application, such as an email or a document, by pressing Command (⌘) + V.
Additional Tips:
- Preview the Screenshot: After taking a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen, allowing you to quickly preview, edit, or delete the screenshot.
- Change Screenshot Save Location: You can change where your screenshots are saved by opening the Screenshot app (Command (⌘) + Shift + 5) and clicking "Options" in the toolbar.
These methods cover all the basic ways how to screenshots on a Mac.
