How to Take Screenshot on A Mac? 4 Methods to Do It

People who are shifting from windows to Mac usually want to know about the screenshot taking process. Since there is no print screen key available on Mac, it becomes more confusing. But you will be surprised to know that taking screenshots has always been simple with the Macintosh operating system. Although the ways are not easy and simple as windows, you can easily learn them. In this write-up, we will discuss how to take screenshot on a mac in 4 different methods. 

How To Take Screenshot On A Mac?

1. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

The fastest and simplest way to take a screenshot on Mac is by using keyboard shortcuts. Here are the most common screenshot keyboard shortcuts:

  • Command-Shift-3: Take a screenshot of the entire screen and save it as a .png file on your desktop.
  • Command-Shift-4: Bring up a selection box so you can drag to select an area of the screen to capture. After releasing the mouse/trackpad, a screenshot will be taken of the selected area.
  • Command-Shift-4 then Space: Switch to screenshotting a specific window instead of a selected area. After pressing space, click on the window you want to capture.
  • Command-Control-Shift-3: Take a screenshot and save it to your clipboard instead of as a file on your desktop. You can then paste the screenshot image into a document or email.
  • Command-Control-Shift-4: Take a screenshot of a selected area and save it to your clipboard instead of as a file. 

These shortcuts work for any Mac running OS X El Capitan or newer. The keyboard shortcuts provide the fastest way to take precise screenshots on Mac.

2. Using Screenshot Tool in Menu Bar

So, how to take screenshot on a mac? The Mac menu bar includes a convenient screenshot tool to capture images of your screen. 

  • To use it, first locate the camera icon in the top right corner of the menu bar. Click on this icon, then select either “Capture entire screen” or “Capture selected area” from the dropdown menu. 
  • If you chose the full screen option, your entire display will be captured. For a partial screenshot, select “Capture selected area”, then click and drag to draw a box around the portion of the screen you want to screenshot. 
  • When you release your mouse/trackpad, the screenshot will be taken of just the selected area. 
  • After capturing the screenshot, a thumbnail will temporarily display in the corner. Click it to open editing options to save, copy or delete the image. The screenshot tool provides an easy way to grab screenshots without keyboard shortcuts.

3. Using Grab App

If you are wondering how to take screenshot on a mac and customise it, the Grab app is the best option for you. 

  • Open Grab, then click the camera icon in the top left corner to take a full screenshot of your entire screen. 
  • To capture just a portion of your screen, click the rectangular selection icon next to the camera icon. 
  • Your cursor will change to a crosshair and you can click and drag to select the area to screenshot. 
  • For other options, click the arrow next to the camera icon in Grab. 
  • From here you can set a timer before the screenshot is taken, capture a window or menu, or copy text from the screen.
  • Once you take the screenshot, a preview will appear where you can make edits, copy to your clipboard, or save the image as a file. 

Grab provides more robust screenshot functions beyond just full screens or selections. 

4. Using Touch bar 

The Touch Bar on newer MacBook Pro models includes a handy screenshot button for capturing images of your screen. 

  • To use it, simply locate the camera icon on the right side of the Touch Bar. 
  • Tap the camera button once to take a screenshot of your entire display. You will see a  preview of the screenshot in the left corner. 
  • To capture just a portion of the screen, tap the camera icon then tap the “Screenshot Selection” button that appears.
  • Use your cursor to click and drag to select the area of the screen to screenshot. When you release, the selected portion will be captured.
  • You can also expand the Control Strip on the right side of the Touch Bar and tap the screenshot icon there. 

Knowing how to take screenshot on a mac using the touch bar allows you to take full and selected screenshots like the camera button. The Touch Bar provides quick access to screenshot functions without using keyboard shortcuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where are screenshots saved on Mac?

A: By default, screenshots taken with keyboard shortcuts or the toolbar save as .png files on your desktop. You can change the save location in your Mac’s screenshot settings.

Q: How do I capture a screenshot on Mac and copy it to the clipboard?

A: If you know how to take screenshot on a mac with keyboard shortcuts, you can use the control key shortcuts Command-Control-Shift 3 or 4 to save screenshots to your clipboard instead of as files.

Q: How do I edit a screenshot on Mac after capturing it?

A: Open the screenshot file in Preview or a photo editing app. You can also click the screenshot thumbnail to open editing options.

Q: Can I record my screen on Mac in addition to screenshots?

A: Yes, QuickTime Player and the screenshot toolbar have screen recording capabilities to create videos of your screen.

Q: How do I change the file format and location for saved screenshots?

A: Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Screenshots to customise options like file format, location, shadow and mouse pointer effects.

Overview

Knowing how to take screenshot on a mac allows you to save information, document issues, share graphics, and create visual guides. Common uses include taking screenshots of error messages for troubleshooting, saving how-to instructions and tutorials, producing content for presentations, and capturing designs. Overall, screenshots provide a simple way to visually communicate information from your Mac. The variety of built-in screenshot tools make the process fast and accessible.