How to Take a Screenshot on a Mac: Complete Beginner's Guide

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Capture your screen using these quick tips
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There are several easy methods for taking screenshots. You can capture the entire screen, a portion of the screen, or an individual window or menu. You can even take screen recordings. Here's how to take a screenshot on a Mac using keyboard shortcuts, Screenshot app, or Grab Utility tool.

Print Screen (Screen Shot) on Mac

To take a screenshot of your entire screen, press Command - Shift - 3 at the same time. To capture a portion of the screen, press Command - Shift - 4 and drag your mouse over the area you want to capture. Alternatively, use Command - Shift - 4 and press the spacebar to capture a window.

Method 1
Method 1 of 6:

Screenshot the Entire Screen

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  1. This keyboard shortcut takes a screenshot of everything on your screen. Make sure your screen displays exactly what you want to show in your screenshot image. Ensure all the relevant windows are visible. If your sound is on, your computer should make a brief camera shutter noise.
    • If you see a thumbnail in the corner, you can click it to edit the screenshot. Otherwise, wait a few seconds for the screenshot to save onto your desktop.
  2. It will be a .png file named "Screen Shot" labeled with the date and time. [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".
    • 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.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 6:

Screenshot a Portion of Your Screen

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  1. Your cursor will turn into a small crosshair reticle.
  2. A gray 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. You should hear a brief camera shutter noise if your computer's sound is turned on. That signals that your screenshot has been taken.
  4. It will be a .png file named "Screen Shot" labeled with the date and time. [3]
    • 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".
    • 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.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 6:

Capture an Open Window

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  1. The cursor will turn into a small camera. [4]
  2. The camera will highlight different windows blue as it moves over them. You can use keyboard commands such as ⌘ Command + Tab ↹ to alternate through your windows while still in this mode.
  3. The picture of the window you selected will be saved to the desktop by default just like the other screenshot methods.
  4. It will be a .png file named "Screen Shot" labeled with the date and time. [5]
    • 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.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 6:

Save a Screenshot to the Clipboard

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  1. This method works exactly the same as 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 . [6]
    • 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 like the portion screenshot method.
  2. Your screenshot image can be pasted straight into any compatible application, such as a Word document, an image editing program, and many email services.
    • You can also use Edit > Paste in the menu bar.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 6:

Use the Screenshot App

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  1. This opens Mac’s built-in Screenshot app. A small gray menu of screenshot tools will appear. This app can take screenshots of the entire screen, a portion of the screen, and individual windows. You can also choose to set a timer and include the cursor. The app also allows you to record your screen. [7]
  2. Click the tool you want to use for taking a screenshot. Here are your options:
    • Capture the entire screen
    • Capture a window
    • Capture a portion of the screen
    • Record the entire screen
    • Record a portion of the screen
  3. Here, you can set a timer, show the cursor in the screenshot, and indicate where you want to save the screenshot.
  4. This will take a screenshot of the entire screen or the portion you’ve selected.
    • To capture a window, click the window on the screen while using the window tool.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 6:

Use the Grab Utility Tool (High Sierra and Earlier)

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  1. This opens the Grab Utility Tool application. You will see the menus shown in the upper left of your screen, but no windows will open. [8]
    • This tool has been replaced by the Screenshot app in later versions of macOS.
  2. [9]
    • To take a picture of your entire screen, click Screen . 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 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.
  3. 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.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I erase the screenshot?
    Jack Herrick
    Community Answer
    The 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.
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    Not Helpful 16 Helpful 25
  • Question
    How come I need to press 4 instead of 3?
    Writing for Tech
    Community Answer
    The reason being is 3 will take a screenshot of your entire screen, whereas 4 will take a picture of only a selected portion.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 16
  • Question
    How do I use screen capture with only one hand?
    Community Answer
    Press command + shift + 4 with one hand. Then you can select which portion of the page you want to capture with your cursor.
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      Tips

      • It is possible to change the shortcut used for taking screenshots by going into System Settings , selecting Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts , and clicking on the Screenshots tab. Double-click the key combination for the type of screenshot you want to change the shortcut for, then press a combination of keys to create a new shortcut. Click Done to save your changes.
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      • Files from the screen-capture tool are saved to the desktop as PNG files by default. You can change the default location in MacOS Mojave or later using the Screenshot app. Click the Options menu in the app to change where screenshots are saved.
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      • Advanced users with knowledge of the Terminal app can also use the "screencapture" command to take a screenshot from the command line .
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      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 before you share it.
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      • 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.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646
      2. ↑ Chiara Corsaro. Certified Apple Technician. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646
      6. ↑ https://www.ias.edu/itg/content/keyboard-shortcuts-capture-screen-shot-mac-os-x
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/take-a-screenshot-mh26782/mac
      8. ↑ https://www.ias.edu/itg/content/how-capture-screen-shot-grab
      9. ↑ https://www.ias.edu/itg/content/how-capture-screen-shot-grab

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Ensure that the screen is exactly how you want it. More ↓
      2. Press Command + Shift + 3. ↓
      3. Find your screenshot on your desktop. ↓

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