How to Take a Screenshot on Mac
Understanding the Different Types of Screenshots on Mac
When it comes to taking screenshots on a Mac, there are different types of screenshots you can take depending on your needs. Understanding these types of screenshots can help you take the right one for your situation. Here are the three main types of screenshots you can take on a Mac:
Full Screen Screenshot – This type of screenshot captures everything that is visible on your screen. It’s useful when you want to capture an entire webpage or document.
Partial Screen Screenshot – This type of screenshot captures only a portion of your screen. It’s useful when you want to highlight a particular section of a webpage or document.
Window Screenshot – This type of screenshot captures only the active window on your screen. It’s useful when you want to capture a specific application or window without any distractions from other open windows or applications.
Knowing which type of screenshot to take can save you time and ensure that you capture exactly what you need. In the next sections, we will go through each type of screenshot and explain how to take them on a Mac.
How to Take a Full Screen Screenshot on Mac
Taking a full screen screenshot on a Mac is a simple and quick process. Here are the steps to take a full screen screenshot:
Press and hold the Command + Shift + 3 keys at the same time.
The screenshot will be taken immediately, and you will hear a camera shutter sound.
The screenshot will be saved as a PNG file on your desktop.
If you have macOS Mojave or later, you can find the screenshot as a thumbnail in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click on the thumbnail to open the screenshot in the markup tool, where you can make edits and share it.
If you want to cancel the screenshot before it’s taken, press the Esc key.
That’s it! Taking a full screen screenshot on a Mac is a straightforward process, and once you have the screenshot, you can use it for various purposes like sharing it with others or using it in presentations.
How to Take a Partial Screen Screenshot on Mac
Sometimes, you only need to capture a portion of your screen instead of the entire thing. In such cases, taking a partial screen screenshot is the way to go. Here are the steps to take a partial screen screenshot on a Mac:
Press and hold the Command + Shift + 4 keys at the same time.
Your cursor will turn into a crosshair.
Click and drag the crosshair over the area of the screen that you want to capture.
Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.
The screenshot will be saved as a PNG file on your desktop.
If you have macOS Mojave or later, you can find the screenshot as a thumbnail in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click on the thumbnail to open the screenshot in the markup tool, where you can make edits and share it.
If you want to cancel the screenshot before it’s taken, press the Esc key.
That’s it! With these simple steps, you can take a partial screen screenshot on your Mac and capture exactly what you need.
How to Take a Screenshot of a Window on Mac
Taking a screenshot of a specific window on your Mac is useful when you want to capture only a particular application or window without any distractions from other open windows or applications. Here’s how to take a window screenshot on your Mac:
Click on the window that you want to capture.
Press and hold the Command + Shift + 4 keys at the same time.
Your cursor will turn into a crosshair.
Press the Spacebar key. Your cursor will change to a camera icon.
Move the camera icon over the window that you want to capture. The window will be highlighted in blue.
Click the mouse button to take the screenshot.
The screenshot will be saved as a PNG file on your desktop.
If you have macOS Mojave or later, you can find the screenshot as a thumbnail in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click on the thumbnail to open the screenshot in the markup tool, where you can make edits and share it.
If you want to cancel the screenshot before it’s taken, press the Esc key.
That’s it! Taking a window screenshot on a Mac is a straightforward process, and it can come in handy when you need to capture a specific window or application for documentation or presentation purposes.
How to Edit and Save Screenshots on Mac
After you have taken a screenshot on your Mac, you may want to make some edits or save it in a different format. Fortunately, macOS comes with a built-in markup tool that allows you to edit your screenshots and save them in different file formats. Here’s how to edit and save screenshots on your Mac:
After taking a screenshot, if you have macOS Mojave or later, you will see a thumbnail of the screenshot in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click on the thumbnail to open the screenshot in the markup tool.
In the markup tool, you can crop, rotate, add shapes, text, and even your signature to the screenshot.
Once you’re done editing the screenshot, click on the “Done” button in the top left corner of the markup tool.
You will be prompted to choose where to save the edited screenshot. Choose a location and file format (PNG, JPG, GIF, etc.) for the screenshot.
Click “Save” to save the edited screenshot to your selected location and file format.
That’s it! With these simple steps, you can edit and save your screenshots on a Mac in various file formats and with your own customizations.
