How to Take a Screenshot on Mac
The screenshot feature on your Mac allows you to capture, record, save, or share whatever is on your screen, be it an image, a specific window, or a video tutorial. In this guide, you’ll learn all the ways you can use and customize your Mac’s built-in screenshot tool.
Use standard screenshot shortcuts
Your Mac has several keyboard shortcuts for quickly taking screenshots. To take a full screen screenshot, use Command + Shift + 3 . To capture only a specific area, press Command + Shift + 4 , click and drag the selected area, and release to take a screenshot. Holding down the Spacebar while clicking and dragging will allow you to move the selection around the screen.
You can also capture a specific window or menu using Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar , which turns your pointer into a camera icon, allowing you to click the window you want to capture. If you want to eliminate the shadow effect, press and hold Option while you click.
Open the screenshot toolbar
Additionally, you can open the Mac Screenshot toolbar to take screenshots and configure various screenshot options (which we’ll talk about below). Use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + 5 to open the pop-up window. Here you can choose from three types of screenshots ( Full Screen Capture , Selected Part Capture , Selected Window Capture ) and two screen recording options ( Whole Screen Recording or Selected Part Capture ), as well as Open the Options menu to get more information about how screenshots are taken and processed.
Use a third party app to take screenshots
While the Mac’s built-in screenshot tool is quite good, it doesn’t have a screenshot scrolling feature, the ability to copy text from images, or robust editing tools. To do this, you might consider replacing your screenshot tool with a third-party screenshot app , like Shottr (free) or Cleanshot X ($29 for initial license).
How to view a recording on Mac
The Mac screenshot tool has a screen recording feature that allows you to record the entire screen or just a portion of it. Use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + 5 to open the tool and choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Part from the middle section of the floating toolbar. When you’re ready, click the Record button. To stop recording, open the screenshot tool again ( Command + Shift + 5 ) and click Stop Recording or use the keyboard shortcut Command + Control + Esc . You can also select the audio input for recording in Settings > Microphone .
Alternatively, you can access the screen recording feature through the QuickTime Player app by choosing File > New Screen Recording . While the built-in screen recorder does the basics, you can also download QuickRecorder , a recording app that is significantly more customizable.
How to Set a Screenshot Timer on Mac
If you need a few extra seconds to adjust your screen after using the screenshot shortcut but before actually capturing it, you can set up a screenshot timer in the screen capture tool. Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the Screen Capture tool, then click the Options button in the floating menu. (If you don’t see Options , make sure one of the screenshot methods is selected.)
In the Options section, you can change the timer settings: Off, 5 seconds, and 10 seconds. If you choose a delay of five or 10 seconds, a countdown will appear in the floating menu. You can also choose whether you want to use the timer only for this capture or the default by checking or unchecking the “Remember last selection” option in the Options menu.
Where are screenshots saved on Mac?
Mac screenshots are saved to the desktop by default. This may be fine if you take a screenshot every now and then and use (and delete) it immediately, but screenshots can quickly clutter up your desktop, and manually moving them around can be cumbersome. If you take screenshots frequently, you may want to change where you save them on your Mac to avoid clutter.
One option for using screenshots right away is to save them to the clipboard and paste them directly into an application, such as Messages or a photo editor, where you need them. Use the keyboard shortcuts Command + Control + Shift + 3 (for the entire screen) or Command + Control + Shift + 4 (to select part of the screen) to save a screenshot to the clipboard. Then use Command + V to paste it.
If you have screenshots that you want to save, you can change where you save them on your Mac. Use Command + Shift + 5 and click “Options” in the floating screenshot menu. Select any folder or location in the Save To section, or click Other Location to select a folder that isn’t listed.
How to Show the Mouse Cursor in Mac Screenshots
In some cases, you may want the mouse cursor to be visible in the screenshot so you can point to a specific location on the screen. Mac hides this by default, but luckily the screen capture tool’s handy Options menu allows you to customize this setting. Use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + 5 , then click Options in the floating toolbar. At the very bottom of the menu, turn on “Show mouse pointer” . If you want to hide the cursor in the future, simply return to this menu and uncheck this setting.