camera icon macos screenshotIf you recently made the switch from Windows to Mac, you may be wondering how to take screenshots in Apple's operating system. There are several ways you can take screenshots on a Mac. You can capture all of your screen – the equivalent of Print Screen on a PC – or you can capture just a part of it with a few keystrokes. This article explains how to do both.

How to Take a Print Screen-Style Screenshot on Mac

In macOS, you can take a screenshot by hitting the Shift-Command-3 keys in combination. By default, screenshots are saved on your Mac's desktop in PNG format. If you have additional displays connected to your Mac, these screens will be captured at the same time as separate individual images.

How to Capture a Selection of the Screen on Mac

If you want to capture just part of the screen, you can use the Shift-Command-4 key combination. This turns the cursor into a crosshair selection tool which you can then drag out with a left click to select what you want to capture. Simply let go of the left mouse button or the trackpad on a Mac notebook to take the shot.

screenshot
If you just want to capture the contents of a specific window that's open on your desktop, hover the cursor over the window in question and tap the spacebar. The crosshair will turn into a camera and the window will turn a shade of blue. Click the left mouse button or the trackpad to take the shot.

Tip: If you tack the Control key onto either of the shortcuts described above, macOS copies the captured image to the clipboard, which is useful if you want to paste it into an application that can edit or view images. Otherwise, screenshots taken using key shortcuts are saved straight to your desktop.

Ready for more? Then be sure to check out our more extensive screenshots guide for Mac, which explains how to change the file format and save location of screenshots, and includes additional tips on controlling the behavior of selection screenshots.

In addition, Apple also provides a screen capture interface in macOS Mojave and later that unifies the screenshot and screen recording features on Mac, making accessing them easier from one place. You can launch it using the Shift-Command-5 keyboard combination. Read our special guide to learn how it works.

Popular Stories

Apple AirTag Linked to Increasing Number of Car Thefts, Canadian Police Report

Apple's AirTags are being used in an increasing number of targeted car thefts in Canada, according to local police. Outlined in a news release from York Regional Police, investigators have identified a new method being used by thieves to track down and steal high-end vehicles that takes advantage of the AirTag's location tracking capabilities. While the method of stealing the cars is largely ...

Elon Musk Urges Customers to Buy 'Tesla Cyberwhistle' Instead of Apple Polishing Cloth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has encouraged customers to buy the "Cyberwhistle" for $50 instead of Apple's much-discussed Polishing Cloth. The product page, which Musk shared on Twitter on Tuesday evening, offers a limited edition stainless steel whistle with the same distinctive design of the Tesla Cybertruck:Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from ...

Five Features to Look Forward to in the 2022 MacBook Air

Tuesday November 30, 2021 1:51 pm PST by Juli Clover

In 2022, Apple is going to release an updated version of the MacBook Air with some of the biggest design changes that we've seen since 2010, when Apple introduced the 11 and 13-inch size options. In the video below, we highlight five features that you need to know about the new machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. No More Wedge Design - Current MacBook...

Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021

Thursday December 2, 2021 12:05 am PST by Juli Clover

Along with naming its editorial picks for the top apps and games of 2021, Apple today shared charts for the most downloaded free and paid apps and games in the United States across 2021. The number one most downloaded free iPhone app was TikTok, followed by YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. The top paid iPhone apps included Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, The Wonder Weeks, and Touch...

New iPhone SE Reportedly on Track for Release in First Quarter of 2022

Tuesday November 30, 2021 8:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple plans to release a third-generation iPhone SE in the first quarter of 2022, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, we can expect the device to be released by the end of March. As previously rumored, TrendForce said the new iPhone SE will remain a mid-range smartphone with added support for 5G:In terms of product development, Apple is...

Apple Planning to Replace the iPhone With AR Headset in 10 Years

Apple is planning to replace the iPhone with an augmented reality (AR) headset in 10 years, a process that is apparently due to start as soon as next year with the launch of a head-mounted device, according to a recent report. Concept render of Apple's rumored AR headset by Antonio De Rosa In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, eminent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained that "Apple's goal is...