Capturing Screenshots on Mac Computer

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team 

How-To Capture Screenshots on Mac Computer

Capturing screenshots on a Mac computer is a straightforward process. You can capture the entire screen, a specific portion, or even a specific window. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to do it:

Capturing the Entire Screen:

Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Command + Shift + 3 simultaneously.

You will hear a camera shutter sound, and the screenshot will be saved as a file on your desktop.

Method 2: Using Preview

Open the "Preview" application from the Applications folder.

Go to the "File" menu and select "Take Screenshot."

Choose "From Entire Screen" from the dropdown menu.

The screenshot will open in Preview. You can then save it by clicking "File" > "Save."

Capturing a Specific Portion of the Screen:

Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Command + Shift + 4 simultaneously.

Your cursor will turn into a crosshair.

Click and drag to select the portion of the screen you want to capture.

Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.

Method 2: Using Preview

Open the "Preview" application.

Go to the "File" menu and select "Take Screenshot."

Choose "From Selection" from the dropdown menu.

Click and drag to select the area you want to capture.

The screenshot will open in Preview, and you can save it by clicking "File" > "Save."

Capturing a Specific Window:

Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar simultaneously.

Your cursor will turn into a camera icon.

Click on the window you want to capture.

The screenshot of the window will be saved on your desktop.

Method 2: Using Preview

Open the "Preview" application.

Go to the "File" menu and select "Take Screenshot."

Choose "From Window" from the dropdown menu.

Click on the window you want to capture.

The screenshot will open in Preview, and you can save it by clicking "File" > "Save."

Other Considerations

By default, screenshots are saved on your desktop with filenames like "Screen Shot [date] at [time].png." You can change the default location and format in the "Screenshot" section of "System Preferences" > "Keyboard" > "Shortcuts."

Screenshots can also be copied to the clipboard instead of saving as a file. To do this, add the Control key to any of the keyboard shortcuts mentioned above. For example, Command + Control + Shift + 4 will copy the screenshot to the clipboard.

To capture screenshots of the Touch Bar on MacBook Pro models, press Command + Shift + 6.

Screenshots can also be captured using third-party apps with advanced features and editing capabilities.

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