Guide
How to take a screenshot on a Mac
macOS includes keyboard shortcuts for capturing the full screen, a selected area, a window, or screen recordings without installing another app.
At a glance
- Full-screen shortcut
- Shift-Command-3
- Capture controls
- Shift-Command-5
Overview
Apple builds screenshot and screen-recording controls into macOS. Different shortcuts capture different regions, and the Screenshot app can also control timers, save locations, pointer visibility, and recording options. Knowing the difference between a full-screen capture and a selected-region capture avoids unnecessary cropping later.
Choose the capture type
Shift-Command-3 captures the screen, while Shift-Command-4 lets you select an area and can be adapted to capture a window. Shift-Command-5 opens a control bar for screenshots and screen recordings, which is useful when you need a timer or want to change where files are saved.
Find and manage the result
macOS normally saves screenshots as files and may briefly show a thumbnail for quick editing. The save location can be changed from the Screenshot controls, so check that setting when a capture succeeds but you cannot find the resulting file.
Sources and review
MOOR's explanatory text is supported by the following source links.