Sep 09, 2020 As well as taking screenshot images of your Mac’s screen, you can record videos using the Screenshot app or QuickTime Player. Press Command-Shift-5 to launch the Screenshot app. Use the Options menu to choose where to save the video, and whether to use a timer or record audio on your Mac’s microphone.
Taking screenshots of your Mac’s is an essential functionality when you’re teaching, working on a team project, or writing a blog post with specific step-by-step instructions. Not just that as sometimes you just want to tell a friend how to do something on their computer, so recording the screen or taking a print screen on Mac comes handy.
- This will change the default screenshot location on Mac to Screenshots Folder, located on the desktop of your Mac. Get Back to Default Screenshot Location on Mac. At anytime you can get back to the default screenshot location (Desktop) setup by following the steps below. Click on the Finder Icon located in the Task-bar of your Mac (See image.
- By default, screenshots on Mac are saved as.png files, but those can get pretty big, especially if you have a large Retina display monitor. Switch to.jpg format with a small amount of coding.
As someone who has not taken a screenshot before or has shifted to a Mac recently, you might be wondering how do you do this?
For people who are new to Macs, the lack of a print screen key on the keyboard is confusing. However, there’s no learning curve at all. You just need a few instructions on how to screenshot on Mac,and you’ll be ready to start snapping.
Tips: How to Take a Screenshot on Mac
First, Learn the Old Ways for Taking Screenshots on Mac
Let’s talk about the methods that work on all Macs. Even if you have a pre-Mojave operating system on your computer, these commands will work:
- Command + Shift + 3
- Command + Shift + 4
It’s easy: you press three keys and you take a screenshot on Mac. The command with a 3 will snap a shot of the entire screen. If you need to edit that screenshot in any way, you can do it in a photo editing app.
But if you need a precise area of the screen, you can use the command with a 4 to take a screenshot on Mac. Maybe you’re using one Safari window for research and another one for work, scaled down so you see the research while writing. You’re working with a client and you want them to see the window with your work. Pressing “Command + Shift + 4” allows you to take a more specific screenshot on Mac, so you’ll avoid the need to edit a photo afterwards.
Learn the More Sophisticated Commands
From Mojave on, Apple made it easier for users to print screen on Mac.
- Command + Shift + 5
That’s the command that gives you more opportunities than the previous ones. You can still use the 3 and 4 for simple screenshots, but the 5 is more versatile. If you press these keys, your Mac will give you a menu with these options:
- Capture the entire screen or selected windows (this was possible with the previous two commands as well)
- Take a shot of a selected portion (you’ll get a rectangle that you can adjust, so you’ll get the exact section you need)
- Record the entire screen or a selected portion (now this is something new!)
You’ll see a simple menu with icons on the screen as soon as you hit Command + Shift + 5. Each icon stands for one of the above-listed functions. If you’re using a MacBook Pro with a touch bar, you’ll see the same icons there. Many people think the touch bar is a gimmick, but in this case, you’ll find it particularly useful.
You Don’t Like Keyboard Commands? Try an App or a Browser Extension!
If you only need to take screenshots from web pages you see on Google Chrome, you can use Awesome Screenshot – a simple extension that does the trick. It requires an installation on your browser. You’ll click the icon whenever you want to capture a print screen on Mac. It can take the entire web page, the portion you see on your screen, or a selected section. It’s useful for capturing entire webpages (the only way to do that with keyboard commands is by recording a video).
If you want to try a dedicated app for taking a screenshot on Mac, you can do that, too. An app will give you more options. CleanShot, for example, lets you blur certain parts of the screenshot in an easy way. You’ll avoid complex editing steps after snapping the shot.
If you need advanced screen recording features, you can try Capto. The interface is similar to the iMovie one. You can use it to teach someone how to use particular software. The app enables you to add voiceover, but it also includes a feature for adding captions. It’s really cool.
Don’t Forget to Organize
Are you taking multiple screenshots per day? If that’s something you do as part of your work, you want to organize those shots as soon as possible. They will have lengthy titles and they will all end up cluttered on the desktop or in your Downloads folder. Name them properly and store them in designated folders on the cloud. You don’t want them consuming too much space on your computer.
It’s Easy to Take Screenshots on Mac
The environment of macOS is pretty intuitive. It doesn’t take much time for new users to learn keyboard commands and start using them right away. Taking screenshot is not a complicated process. Your computer has integrated functions that let you record or capture the screen right away.
However, if you need more sophisticated functions, you might want to try an app. This is hardly a disadvantage of the macOS, though. Most people only need basic screenshotting functions and they would never use advanced video editing features. Apple chooses not to complicate things. For those who need more functionality, apps are always an option.
Author Bio:
James Dorian is a technical copywriter. He is a tech geek who knows a lot about modern apps that will make your work more productive. James reads tons of online blogs on technology, business, and ways to become a real pro in our modern world of innovations.
Co-authored by
Download Article This article was co-authored by Chiara Corsaro. Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 15 testimonials and 93% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 11,863,909 times.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 15 testimonials and 93% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 11,863,909 times.
This wikiHow will show you various ways in which to take a screenshot on a Mac.
Steps
Method 1 of 5:Screenshot the Entire Screen
- 1Make sure your screen displays exactly what you want to show in your screenshot image. Ensure all the relevant windows are visible.
- 2Press Command + Shift + 3. If your sound is on, your computer should make a brief camera shutter noise.[1]
- Earlier versions of OS X will save it as 'Picture #'—for example, if it's the 5th screenshot on your desktop it will be labeled 'Picture 5'.
Advertisement
Method 2 of 5:Screenshot a Portion of Your Screen
- 1Press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor will turn into a small cross-hair reticle.[2] A grayed rectangle should appear where you drag your cursor. If you need to adjust your windows at all, press Escape to return to a regular cursor without taking a picture.[3][4]
- Earlier versions of OS X will save it as 'Picture #'—for example, if it's the 5th screenshot on your desktop it will be labeled as 'Picture 5'.
- 5Use the screenshot. Once you have taken your screenshots, they are now ready to be used as needed. You can attach them to an email, upload them to the Web, or even drag them straight into an application such as a word processor.Advertisement
Method 3 of 5:Screenshot an Open Window
- 1Press Command+Shift+4 then hit the Space bar. The cross-hair will turn into a small camera. You can press Spacebar again to switch back to the reticle.
- 2Move your cursor over the window you want to capture. The camera will highlight different windows blue as it moves over them. You can use keyboard commands such as Command+Tab to shift through your windows while still in this mode.
- 3Click on the window. The picture of the window you selected will be saved to the desktop by default just like the other screenshot methods.Advertisement
Method 4 of 5:Save a Screenshot to the Clipboard
- 1Press Command + Control + Shift + 3. This method works exactly like the one above, except the screenshot does not immediately create a file. Instead, the image is saved to the clipboard, the same temporary storage area where your computer remembers the text that you have copied.
- You can also take a portion screenshot with this method using Command + Control + Shift + 4 and dragging your reticle over the appropriate part of your screen, exactly as the portion screenshot method.
- 2Use Command + V or Edit > Paste to paste your image. Your screenshot image can be pasted straight into any compatible application, such as a Word document, an image editing program, and many email services.Advertisement
Method 5 of 5:Use the Grab Utility Tool
- 1Go to Applications > Utilities > Grab. This opens the Grab application. You will see the menus shown in the upper left of your screen, but no windows will open.
- 2Click the Capture menu and choose between the four different options.
- To take a picture of your entire screen, click on Screen (or just use the keyboard command Apple Key + Z). A window will pop up telling you where to click and letting you know that the window will not appear in the shot.
- To take a picture of a portion of your screen, click on Selection. A window will pop up instructing you to drag your mouse over the portion of your screen you'd like to capture.
- To take a picture of a specific window, select Window. Then, click on the window you'd like to take a picture of.
- 3When the new window opens, choose Save. You can also choose Save As to give it a different name and/or move it to a more appropriate location, but note that it can only be saved as a .tiff file. Note that the file is not automatically saved.Advertisement
Community Q&A
Add New Question- How do I erase the screenshot?Community AnswerThe screenshot you created is an actual image file, sort of like you might take with a camera, so it needs to be deleted like any other file on your computer. To get rid of the screenshot image, drag the file (which is likely on your desktop) to the trash. Then, delete your trash.
- How come I need to press 4 instead of 3?Community AnswerThe reason being is 3 will take a screenshot of your entire scree, whereas 4 will take a picture of only a selected portion.
- How do I use screen capture with only one hand?Community AnswerPress command + shift + 4 with one hand. Then you can select which portion of the page you want to capture with your cursor.
- How do I screenshot a window that is longer than the screen and requires scrolling down?Community AnswerUnfortunately, screenshots are designed to only capture what is currently on the screen. If it's something scalable (like a website), you can try zooming out and taking a picture of the whole screen. Otherwise, you will need to take multiple screenshots and edit them together.
- Where do I determine which format (e.g., jpg, png, tiff) the screenshot will be stored in?Community AnswerOn Macs, screenshots are always stored in JPEG format. It is possible to change the screenshot's format after you take it.
- How do I upload it into a forum discussion? It attaches fine to emails, but not to forums.Community AnswerYou will need to convert it into a URL picture. You can do this by uploading it to a picture-to-URL generator (just search for one on Google) such as imjur or postimage.
- How do I put a screenshot on Word with iMac?Community AnswerTo add a screenshot into MS Word, all you have to do is drag it from your desktop and into the document.
- How do I take a screen shot of an entire web page?Community Answer
- Is there a way to capture an entire window *including the portions not shown* (eg a browser window where part of the page is below the visible area)?Community AnswerTo take a screen shot of your entire screen hit 'command' 'shift' 3. To take a screen shot of a part of your screen hit 'command' 'shift' 4.
- My images are no longer appearing on my desktop. What should I do?Community AnswerSearch for your screenshot in the Spotlight Search. If this doesn't work you might consider getting a computer checkup.
Paste Screenshot From Mac
Ask a Question
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Advertisement
Tips
- It is possible to alter the shortcut used for taking screenshots by going into System Preferences, then to the Keyboard area, and clicking on the Screenshot section of Shortcuts. By clicking on the type of screenshot you want to change the shortcut for, you can press a combination of keys to create a new shortcut.Thanks!
- Advanced users with knowledge of the Mac OS X Lion Terminal application can also use the 'screen-capture' command to take a screenshot from the command line.Thanks!
- Files from the screen-capture tool are saved to the desktop as PNG files by default. This is not the best method and fills your desktop if not managed. The easiest way to solve this is to make a screenshot folder, which is outlined in Altering the Default Location of the Saved Files.Thanks!
- An alternative to saving a Grab file as a TIFF formatted file is to copy it and open Preview. Then in Preview, do File - New from Clipboard, and the image will open, which can then be exported as a jpg or png file to a folder of your choice. And if you do Select All and copy the image, you may directly import it via Paste or Paste Picture with the Shift Key depressed into Microsoft Excel for example.Thanks!
- An alternative but more long-winded method of taking screenshots is available via Mac OS X Lion's Preview application. The screenshot options appear on the 'File' menu and match those available via the keyboard shortcuts.Thanks!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Posting screenshots that include copyrighted information could have legal implications, so be careful that you have the right to capture any of the information visible on your screen.Thanks!
- When taking screenshots to pass on to other people, or to publish on the Internet, ensure no personal or confidential information is captured within the image.Thanks!
Advertisement
You Might Also Like
Watch YouTube Videos on Your iPod
Take a Screenshot of an Android Device Using Android Studio
Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
Install macOS on a Windows PC
Clear the Cache on a Mac
Open RAR Files on Mac OS X
Use Telnet on Mac OS X
Reset a Lost Admin Password on Mac OS X
Add a Customised Background on Photo Booth (Mac)
Install Software from Unsigned Developers on a Mac
Burn a CD Using Mac OS X
Stop an Application from Opening at Startup With Mac OS X
Check for and Install Updates on a Mac Computer
Advertisement
References
- ↑Chiara Corsaro. Certified Apple Technician. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
- ↑Chiara Corsaro. Certified Apple Technician. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
- ↑Chiara Corsaro. Certified Apple Technician. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
- ↑Chiara Corsaro. Certified Apple Technician. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
About This Article
Phone & Computer Repair Technician
This article was co-authored by Chiara Corsaro. Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN). This article has been viewed 11,863,909 times.
Updated: March 23, 2021
Categories: Featured Articles | Mac OS X | Screenshots
Article SummaryX1. Ensure that the screen is exactly how you want it. More ↓
2. Press Command + Shift + 3. ↓
3. Find your screenshot on your desktop. ↓
2. Press Command + Shift + 3. ↓
3. Find your screenshot on your desktop. ↓
Did this summary help you?
Screenshot From Mac Pro
In other languagesEspañol:capturar la pantalla con una Mac
Nederlands:Een schermafbeelding maken op een Mac
Русский:сделать скриншот на Mac OS X
Bahasa Indonesia:Mengambil Screenshot di Mac OS X
한국어:맥 (Mac) 에서 스크린 화면 캡처하는 방법
Tiếng Việt:Chụp Ảnh màn hình trên Mac OS X
हिन्दी:मैक पर स्क्रीनशॉट लें
ไทย:แคป Screenshot ใน Mac
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 11,863,909 times.
Reader Success Stories
- 'Clear instructions with follow-through. This was very helpful. Often these instructions are only partial. but this...' more
Is this article up to date?
Screenshot On Mac Desktop
Advertisement