Taking screenshots on your Mac is essential for capturing moments, sharing information, or troubleshooting. Whether you want to capture the entire screen, a specific window, or just a portion of it, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the different methods:
Method 1: Capture the Entire Screen
- Press and Hold These Keys Together:
- Shift, Command, and 3.
- Thumbnail or Direct Save:
- A thumbnail will appear in the corner of your screen.
- Click it to edit the screenshot or wait for it to save directly to your desktop.
Method 2: Capture a Portion of the Screen
- Press and Hold These Keys Together:
- Shift, Command, and 4.
- Drag the Crosshair:
- Drag the crosshair to select the area you want to capture.
- To move the selection, press and hold the Space bar while dragging.
- To cancel, press the Esc (Escape) key.
- Release the mouse or trackpad button to take the screenshot.
Method 3: Capture a Window or Menu
- Open the Window or Menu:
- Make sure the window or menu you want to capture is visible.
- Press and Hold These Keys Together:
- Shift, Command, 4, and Space bar.
- Click the Window or Menu:
- The pointer changes to a camera icon.
- To exclude the window’s shadow, press and hold the Option key while clicking.
- If you see a thumbnail, click it to edit or wait for it to save.
Where to Find Screenshots
By default, screenshots are saved to your desktop with the name “Screen Shot [date] at [time].png.” In macOS Mojave or later, you can change the default location from the Options menu in the Screenshot app. You can also drag the thumbnail to a folder or document.
Remember, some apps (like the Apple TV app) may not allow screenshots of their windows. To copy a screenshot to the clipboard, press and hold the Control key while taking the screenshot. You can then paste it elsewhere or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on another Apple device.
