Capturing what is on your Mac screen lets you save receipts, share error messages, or keep a copy of something before it disappears. macOS has built-in keyboard shortcuts that save an image file or copy it to the clipboard without any extra software.
Step by step
- Capture the whole screenPress Shift, Command, and 3 together to grab everything on the display. A thumbnail appears briefly in the bottom-right corner and the file saves to your desktop.
- Select part of the screenPress Shift, Command, and 4, then drag a box over the area you want. Release the mouse or trackpad to capture just that region.
- Capture a single windowPress Shift, Command, and 4, then tap the Spacebar. The pointer becomes a camera; click the window you want to save it with a clean shadow border.
- Use the screenshot toolbarPress Shift, Command, and 5 to open a control bar with capture and recording options, plus a settings menu for the save location and a timer.
- Find and open your imageBy default the file lands on your desktop with a name that starts with Screenshot and the date. Double-click it to view or edit.
Handy tips
- Hold the Control key while capturing to copy the image to the clipboard instead of saving a file, then paste it directly into a document or message.
- Click the thumbnail in the corner right after capturing to mark it up, crop it, or share it before it saves.
- In the Shift-Command-5 toolbar you can change the default save folder to Documents or a folder of your choice.
FAQ
Where do my Mac screenshots go?
By default they save to the desktop. You can change this in the Shift-Command-5 toolbar under Options, where you can pick Documents, Clipboard, or another folder.
How do I screenshot just one window without the background?
Press Shift-Command-4, then press the Spacebar, and click the window. macOS captures only that window and adds a soft drop shadow.
Can I change the file format from PNG?
The default is PNG. Changing the format requires a Terminal command, so most people either keep PNG or convert the file afterward in Preview.