Taking screenshots on a Mac is super easy, but did you know there are different ways to do it? Whether you want to capture your entire screen, just a part of it, or even a specific window, macOS has built-in shortcuts to help.
1. Capture the Whole Screen
Want to take a picture of everything on your screen? Just press:
🔹 Command (⌘) + Shift + 3
This will save a full-screen screenshot to your desktop automatically.
2. Capture a Selected Area
If you only need part of the screen, use this shortcut:
🔹 Command (⌘) + Shift + 4
Your mouse cursor will change into a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture, then release.
3. Capture a Specific Window
Want to take a screenshot of just one window (without the rest of your screen)?
- Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 4, then press Spacebar.
- Your cursor will turn into a camera.
- Click on the window you want to capture.
The screenshot will include a neat shadow around the window, making it look more polished.
4. Capture and Edit in One Step
If you want more options, like editing before saving, press:
🔹 Command (⌘) + Shift + 5
This opens a small toolbar where you can choose to:
✔ Capture the entire screen
✔ Capture a window
✔ Capture a selected area
✔ Record your screen (yes, video too!)
Where Do Screenshots Go?
By default, they save to your desktop as PNG files. If you don’t want them cluttering your desktop, press Command + Shift + 5, then go to “Options” to change the save location.