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2 min read
Updated March 2026

How to Screenshot on Mac

4 easy methods to capture your Mac screen in seconds

Quick Answer

Press ⌘ + Shift + 3 for full screen, ⌘ + Shift + 4 for selected area, or ⌘ + Shift + 5 for the screenshot toolbar.

Step-by-Step Guide

1

Capture Entire Screen

Press ⌘ + Shift + 3 to capture your entire screen. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop.

💡You'll see a thumbnail in the corner. Click it to edit before saving.
2

Capture Selected Area

Press ⌘ + Shift + 4, then drag to select the area you want to capture. Release to take the screenshot.

💡Press Space while dragging to move the selection area.
3

Capture a Window

Press ⌘ + Shift + 4, then press Space. Click on the window you want to capture.

💡Hold Option while clicking to remove the window shadow.
4

Open Screenshot Tool

Press ⌘ + Shift + 5 to open the Screenshot toolbar with all options including screen recording.

💡You can change the save location and set a timer from this toolbar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Mac screenshots saved?

By default, screenshots are saved to your Desktop. You can change this in the Screenshot toolbar (⌘ + Shift + 5) under Options.

How do I copy a screenshot to clipboard instead of saving?

Hold Control while taking any screenshot to copy it to clipboard instead of saving as a file.

What format are Mac screenshots?

Mac saves screenshots as PNG files by default. You can change this using Terminal commands.

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