How To Take Screenshot On Mac [4 Step-By-Step Methods]

Here we learn How To Screenshot On Mac with various step-by-step methods and also understand ways to fix screenshot on Mac not working error:

Capturing the screen at an instant has always been a cumbersome task as it is challenging to capture the various movements and record the actions on the system. This task was easier on Windows as it was done entirely using the Print Screen button, but it is a bit challenging on the Mac.

In this article, we will talk about various ways that will help you understand how to take a screenshot on mac.

When do we need to take Screenshots?

Although screenshots may seem like the very minute term of the technological world, there are situations when it becomes necessary to take screenshots. As screenshots help the user capture the window, it can be taken during an online class or a video tutorial to make a note of some formulae or solution to a problem.

Also, screenshots can be taken to share crucial information with family and friends.

How To Screenshot On Mac

Capturing screenshots on Mac remained a cumbersome task and wasn’t ever that straightforward. In this article, we will learn how to capture screenshots on the Mac and save them at the desired locations.

#1) Mac Screenshot Shortcut To Capture Complete Screen

“Shift+Command+3”

To capture the entire screen along with the taskbar and all the details on the screen, follow the simple procedure:

#1) Press the “Command” key.

#2) Along with the Command key, press the “Shift” key and numeric “3” key.

#3) This will save the screenshot of the entire screen on the user’s desktop in “PNG” format.

#2) Mac Screenshot Shortcut To Capture Selected Area

“Shift+Command+4”

To capture the selected area or region on the Mac, follow the simple procedures mentioned below:

#1) Press the “Command” key.

#2) Along with the “Command” key, press shift, and numeric “4” key. The pointer will turn into a crosshair icon.

Refer to the image below:

#3) Select the region you want to capture and then release the mouse button. The selected area will be captured and saved in PNG format on the desktop by default.

#3) Mac Screenshot Shortcut To Capture Specific Window

“Shift+Command+4+Spacebar”

#1) Press the “Command” key.

#2) Along with the “Command” key, press the “Shift” key, and numeric “4” key.

#3) This forms a combination of “Shift+Command+4” and then press the “Space” key.

#4) The cursor would turn to a camera icon.

#5) Press the spacebar and toggle to the window you want to capture.

#6) Then click on the “Save” button.

#7) The image will be saved to the desktop in the PNG format by default.

#4) Keyboard Shortcut To Capture Screenshot Of Touch Bar In Mac

“Shift+Command+6”

This is one of the complementary features available in Mac and allows the user to take a screenshot of the touch bar.

#1) Press the “Shift” key.

#2) Press the “Command” key and then press the numeric “6” key.

#3) This makes a combination of “Shift +Command +6”.

#4) This will capture your touch bar’s image and save it on the desktop in PNG format.

Further Reading = >> 6 Methods To Take A Screenshot On Windows 10

Where Do Screenshots Go On Mac

By default, the screenshots are saved on the screen, if the screenshot isn’t available on the desktop, then click on the file’s icon and search for the screenshot in the search bar.

How To Change The Format Of Screenshot

By default, the screenshots are saved in the PNG format, but they can be saved in other formats too.

Follow the steps mentioned below:

#1) Press “Command” and “Space” to open Spotlight.

#2) Now, type “Terminal” and select “Terminal”.

#3) Type the below code in Terminal

“defaults write com.apple.screencapture type”

#4) To change the file in the desired format (JPG, TIFF, GIF, PDF, PNG), type the name of the format in front of the code (in this case ‘JPG’) and then hit “Enter”.

By following the above-mentioned steps, the format of the screenshots can be changed. If the screenshot still does not appear in the desired format, restart the Mac and it will change.

Also Read =>> Best Screen Recording Software for Mac

Screen Capture On Mac Is Not Working

If the screen capture on the Mac comes up with some error or doesn’t respond to the shortcut key combination, then follow the steps below:

1. Click on “Apple menu”.
2. Now, click on “System preferences” and select the keyboard.
3. A new window will open, then click on shortcuts.
4. Find Screenshots option available.
5. Look at the key combination mentioned there and use the same to capture the screenshots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q #1) How do I take a screenshot?

Answer: There are various ways to take screenshots in different operating systems.

For Windows

• Use snipping tool.
• Press the ‘’PrtScr’’ (print screen) button present on the keyboard.

For Mac

• Press ‘’cmd+shift+3’’ to capture the entire screen.
• Press ‘’cmd+shift+4’’ to capture the selected area.
• Press ‘’cmd+shift+4+ space’’ to capture the selected window.

Q #2) Is there a sniping tool on Mac?

Answer: No, there isn’t a specific or native snipping tool on Mac that allows you to take screenshots.

Q #3) How do I take a high-quality screenshot on Mac?

Answer: Mac screen has a high resolution, so the screenshots taken using any method will provide high-quality screenshots.

Q #4) How to copy-paste snip on Mac?

Answer: Press “Ctrl+Command+Shift+3”. This copies the snip to mac screenshot to the clipboard, and then you can paste it wherever needed.

Q #5) How do I make screenshots editable?

Answer: When you take screenshots, they are editable simultaneously and can be edited easily by just clicking on the edit option present.

Q #6) How to paste a screenshot on Mac?

Answer: Follow the steps below:

• Press “Ctrl+cmd+shift+3”.
• The screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.
• Now, press “Ctrl+V” where you want to paste the screenshot.

Q #7) How to crop a screenshot on Mac?

Answer: To crop screenshot on Mac follows the steps mentioned below:

• Hold down “Command+shift+3”.
• A shutter sound would be audible and a screenshot will be taken.
• On the bottom of the screen, a preview will be available, click on it, and the screenshot can be easily edited.

Q #8) How to take screenshots on Mac without a keyboard?

Answer: To click screenshot on Mac without keyboard follow the steps mentioned below:

• Search for “Grab” in the finder or spotlight section.
• Click on the “Grab” icon which would be an image overlapped with a scissor.
• Right-click on the icon and there are various options like capture selected area, capture window, etc.
• Select the option and the screenshot will be captured.

Further Reading => Fix the Error – Can’t Take Screenshot due to Security Policy

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about various ways for how to take screenshots on Mac. The screenshots are essential as they help capture the instant of the screen and further you can share the information with specific users.

Taking screenshots on Mac is a tedious and challenging task, but one can follow the methods mentioned above to take screenshots in an easier way.