How to Take a Screenshot on Mac

Learn all the ways to take screenshots on Mac using keyboard shortcuts. Capture full screen, windows, or custom areas with built-in macOS tools.

1. Take a Full Screen Screenshot. Press Shift + Command + 3 simultaneously to capture your entire screen. You'll hear a camera shutter sound (if sound is enabled) and the screenshot will be saved to your desktop by default. If you have multiple monitors, this captures all screens at once.
2. Capture a Specific Area. Press Shift + Command + 4 to turn your cursor into a crosshair tool. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture, then release to take the screenshot. The selected area will be highlighted with a gray overlay as you drag.
3. Screenshot a Specific Window. Press Shift + Command + 4, then press the Spacebar. Your cursor will change to a camera icon, and windows will be highlighted in blue when you hover over them. Click on the window you want to capture to take the screenshot.
4. Use the Screenshot Toolbar. Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the screenshot and screen recording toolbar. This gives you clickable options for different capture types, timer settings, and save location preferences. Choose your capture type from the toolbar and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Find Your Screenshots. By default, screenshots are saved to your desktop with names like 'Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 10.30.45 AM.png'. You can also find them in the Screenshots folder within your Pictures folder. If you copied to clipboard instead, paste using Command + V in any app.