Complete Guide: How to Screenshot on a Mac

Introduction

If you’re new to using a Mac, taking a screenshot may seem like a daunting task. However, it’s actually quite simple once you know the different methods available. In this article, we will guide you through all the different ways to take screenshots on a Mac, whether it’s capturing the entire screen, a specific window, or a selected area. This guide is written for all levels of users who want to master the screenshot taking feature on their Mac.

The Step-by-Step Guide

There are three ways to capture screenshots on a Mac: capturing the entire screen, a particular window, or a selected portion of the screen. Here’s how to use each of these methods:

Capturing the Entire Screen

To capture the entire screen on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Press Command + Shift + 3 on your keyboard
2. The screenshot will be saved on your desktop with the filename “Screen Shot [Date] at [Time].png”

If you want to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it on your desktop, press Command + Control + Shift + 3 instead.

Capturing a Particular Window

To capture a specific window on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Click on the window you want to capture
2. Press Command + Shift + 4 on your keyboard
3. Press the Spacebar
4. Your cursor will change to a camera icon. Click on the window you want to capture
5. The screenshot will be saved on your desktop with the filename “Screen Shot [Date] at [Time].png”

Capturing a Selected Portion of the Screen

To capture a specific portion of the screen on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Press Command + Shift + 4 on your keyboard
2. Your cursor will change to a crosshair icon
3. Click and drag the cursor to select the portion of the screen you want to capture
4. Release the click
5. The screenshot will be saved on your desktop with the filename “Screen Shot [Date] at [Time].png”

Shortcut Keys

If you are someone who captures screenshots frequently, using keyboard shortcuts can save you a lot of time. Here are some of the common shortcut keys available on a Mac:

• Command + Shift + 3: Capture the entire screen
• Command + Shift + 4: Capture a selected portion of the screen
• Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar: Capture a particular window

It’s also worth noting that you can add the Control key to any of these shortcuts to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it on your desktop.

To modify these shortcuts or to create custom ones, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots.

Using the Grab App

The Grab app is a built-in app on a Mac that provides more advanced screenshot-taking options. Here’s how you can use it:

1. Open the Grab app by searching for it in Spotlight or by going to Applications > Utilities > Grab
2. Choose the type of screenshot you want to capture (selection, window, screen, or timed screen)
3. Select any of the optional features, such as whether to include the cursor and audio
4. Click “Capture”
5. The screenshot will be saved in TIFF format on your desktop or in the location you specified

The timed screen is especially useful when you need to take a screenshot of a menu or a tooltip that disappears quickly. It gives you a 10-second interval to prepare the screen before capturing it.

Advanced Screenshot Options

If you want more control over your screenshots, you can make use of the advanced screenshot options available on a Mac. Here are some of the things you can do:

• Change the format of the screenshot: You can change the default PNG format to JPEG, GIF, or PDF by using the terminal command defaults write com.apple.screencapture type [format] (replace [format] with the desired file extension)
• Change the location of the screenshot: You can change the default location of the screenshots by using the terminal command defaults write com.apple.screencapture location [path] (replace [path] with the desired directory path)
• Disable the screenshot sound: You can turn off the sound that the Mac makes when taking a screenshot by using the terminal command defaults write com.apple.systemsound com.apple.sound.uiaudio.enabled -int 0

Taking Screenshots on a Specific Mac Version

Depending on the version of Mac you are using, the screenshot options may differ slightly. Here’s how to capture screenshots on some of the most recent versions of Mac:

Taking Screenshots on Catalina or Earlier

To capture screenshots on a Mac running Catalina or an earlier version, follow the same steps as outlined in the Step-by-Step Guide section above.

Taking Screenshots on Big Sur or Later

To capture screenshots on a Mac running Big Sur or a later version:

1. Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard
2. The screenshot toolbar will appear at the bottom of your screen
3. Choose between capturing the entire screen, a window, or a selected portion of the screen
4. Select any of the optional features, such as whether to include the cursor and audio
5. Click “Capture”
6. The screenshot will be saved on your desktop or in the location you specified

Troubleshooting

If you are facing issues while taking screenshots on your Mac, try these troubleshooting tips:

• If the screen goes black when you try to take a screenshot, press Command + Control + Shift + 4 to restart the graphics system
• If the screenshot is not capturing the correct area, make sure you are selecting the correct window or area
• If the file is not saving on your desktop, check whether it is saved in a different location or if the location has been changed

Conclusion

Taking screenshots on a Mac may seem overwhelming at first, but with the right guidance, it can become a simple and efficient process. In this article, we covered all the different methods of capturing screenshots on a Mac, including the step-by-step guide, shortcut keys, using the Grab app, advanced screenshot options, capturing screenshots on specific Mac versions, and troubleshooting tips.