How to screenshot on Mac

Whether you want to save your receipts or share a bizarre targeted ad with the group text, there are a handful of reasons you might need to take a screenshot of your Mac desktop. And the good news is, Apple makes it relatively easy to get that screengrab, with plenty of straightforward options. 

Here’s a simple guide for getting the job done.

Screenshot using keyboard shortcuts

• If you need to take a screenshot of your entire screen, simply hit the command, shift, and number 3 keys simultaneously. Your Mac will capture a shot of your entire screen and save it to your desktop.

• Want to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen instead? Hit the command, shift, and number 4 keys simultaneously. A crosshair cursor will appear, allowing you to drag and select the portion of your Mac screen you want to grab. You can reposition the selection window by holding down the spacebar key. Alternatively, hold down the shift key to lock in the sides of the selection area while being able to position the selection window from one side only.

• Let go of the cursor and Mac will automatically take a screenshot of that selected area.

Screenshot using the Screenshot app

If you have Mojave or a later macOS, you can use the built-in Screenshot app to take a screengrab.

• Hit the command, shift, and number 5 keys simultaneously.  

• At the bottom of your screen, you’ll see the Screenshot control bar. You have options for grabbing a still screenshot and for recording a video. Choose whether you want to “Capture Entire Screen,” “Capture Selected Window,” or “Capture Selected Portion.”

• Click on “Options” to see what other preferences you can choose. You can set a countdown timer, decide where to save your screenshot, and choose whether you want to show the mouse cursor in your screenshot.

Editing your screenshot

Whether you take your screenshot with keyboard shortcuts or the Screenshot app, once you grab your screenshot, a thumbnail will appear in the bottom right of your screen. If you right click or do nothing, the thumbnail will simply save your screenshot. 

• If you click the thumbnail, you’ll be able to edit the screenshot from a new window. You can also access this window by clicking on the screenshot icon where it’s saved and hitting the spacebar. Then, click on the pen icon on the top right of the menu.

• Once you hit the pen icon, from the top menu bar, you’ll see a number of options for editing, including adding text, rotating, and annotating. Make your desired changes, if any, then hit the “Done” button. Your changes will automatically be saved. 

Screenshot using the Touch Bar

If you have a MacBook Pro that’s equipped with a Touch Bar, you can take a screenshot using that, too. It will require making some tweaks to your System Preferences, but if you’re regularly taking screenshots, it’s worth the extra effort.

• Open System Preferences and navigate to Keyboard.

• Hit the “Customize Control Strip” button. You’ll see a list of features you can drag and drop onto the Touch Bar Control Strip. Find the “Screenshot” button and drag it to the Touch Bar.

• You’ll see the screenshot option appear in the Control Strip. You can now take a screenshot by tapping on this icon from the Touch Bar. The screenshot will be saved to your Desktop.