How to Take Screenshots on macOS ​

Taking screenshots is a common operation for computer users. In this article, we will introduce how to take screenshots on macOS.

System Built-in Screenshot Tool ​

macOS has a built-in screenshot tool, which can be used to take screenshots of the entire screen, a single window, or a selected area.

Take a Screenshot of the Entire Screen ​

Press Shift + Command + 3 to take a screenshot of the entire screen. The screenshot will be saved to the desktop by default.

Take a Screenshot of a Selected Area ​

Press Shift + Command + 4 to take a screenshot of a single window. The cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved to the desktop by default.

Take a Screenshot of a Single Window ​

Press Shift + Command + 4 to take a screenshot of a single window. The cursor will change to a crosshair. Move the crosshair to the window you want to capture, and then press the space bar. The cursor will change to a camera. Click the window you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved to the desktop by default.

Take a Screenshot of the Touch Bar ​

Press Shift + Command + 6 to take a screenshot of the Touch Bar. The screenshot will be saved to the desktop by default.

Save a Screenshot to the Clipboard ​

When taking a screenshot, the screenshot will be saved to the desktop by default. If you want to save the screenshot to the clipboard, you can press Control while taking the screenshot.

• Press Control + Shift + Command + 3 to take a screenshot of the entire screen and save it to the clipboard.
• Press Control + Shift + Command + 4 to take a screenshot of a selected area and save it to the clipboard.
• Press Control + Shift + Command + 4 and press space bar to take a screenshot of a single window and save it to the clipboard.

Use Preview to Take Screenshots ​

macOS's built-in Preview app can also be used to take screenshots. Open the Preview app, click File -> Take Screenshot to take a screenshot. There are three options: From Selection, From Window, and From Entire Screen. The operation is the same as we introduced above.

Use Third-party Tools to Take Screenshots ​

There are many third-party tools that can be used to take screenshots on macOS. For example, Snipaste, Monosnap, Skitch, etc.