Knowing how to take a screenshot on Mac is one of the most useful skills for anyone using macOS. Whether you’re capturing a webpage, saving a document view, or recording an error message, Apple provides multiple built-in options. You don’t need third-party apps—just a few simple keyboard shortcuts.
macOS allows users to capture the entire screen, a specific window, or a custom area. These shortcuts are easy to remember and work across all Mac devices, from MacBook Air to iMac.
Capture the Entire Screen
Press Command + Shift + 3 to take a screenshot of the full screen. The image automatically saves to your desktop. To copy it to your clipboard instead of saving it, press Command + Control + Shift + 3.
Capture a Selected Area
Press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to highlight the area you want to capture, then release the mouse or trackpad. Hold the Control key to copy the shot to your clipboard instead of saving it.
Capture a Specific Window
Press Command + Shift + 4, then tap the Spacebar. The pointer becomes a camera icon. Click the desired window, and macOS captures it neatly with a transparent drop shadow.
Use the Screenshot Toolbar
For macOS Mojave or later, press Command + Shift + 5. A control bar appears, allowing you to choose between full screen, window, or custom area captures. You can also record your screen, set timers, or change where screenshots are saved.
Capture the Touch Bar
If your Mac includes a Touch Bar, press Command + Shift + 6 to capture whatever is displayed there. This is useful for documenting Touch Bar shortcuts or controls.
Edit and Manage Screenshots
By default, screenshots save to the desktop with filenames like “Screenshot 2025-10-06 at 13.45.00.png.” You can change the save location via the Screenshot Toolbar under Options → Save to.
Open images in Preview or Photos to crop, annotate, or add highlights. The Markup feature helps you draw shapes, insert text, or sign documents easily.
