How to Screenshot on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

To take a screenshot on a Mac, press Shift-Command-3 to capture the full screen, Shift-Command-4 to select an area, or Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot controls. Captures normally save to the desktop; add Control to a shortcut to copy the image to the clipboard instead.

The built-in tools cover each main capture type.

Mac screenshot shortcuts at a glance

Press and release the keys together. To send any shortcut capture to the clipboard rather than saving a file, hold Control as you press the other keys.

Capture the entire screen

1. Press and release Shift-Command-3.
2. If a floating thumbnail appears in the corner, click it to open Markup. Otherwise, the screenshot saves automatically to the selected location, which is the desktop by default.

If you use more than one display, check the resulting files to confirm you captured the screen you wanted. For a single app or a smaller area, use a window or selection capture instead.

Capture part of the screen

1. Press and release Shift-Command-4. The pointer becomes a crosshair.
2. Drag to draw a rectangle around the content you want, then release the mouse or trackpad button to take the screenshot.
3. To move the selection while keeping its size, hold the Space bar as you drag. Press Escape to cancel.

The screenshot appears as a thumbnail if that option is enabled; otherwise, it saves directly to your chosen destination.

Capture a window or menu

1. Open the window or menu you want to capture.
2. Press Shift-Command-4, then tap the Space bar. The pointer changes to a camera.
3. Move the camera over the target so it highlights, then click. To omit a window’s shadow, hold Option while clicking. Press Escape to cancel.

To capture only particular items inside an open menu, press Shift-Command-4 and drag across those items instead of using the camera pointer.

Use the Screenshot controls

On macOS Mojave 10.14 or later, press Shift-Command-5 to open Screenshot. Select a still-image tool for the whole screen, a window, or a portion; then click Capture. The same panel also includes screen-recording tools, so choose a still capture when you want an image.

Set a timer, save location, or pointer

Open Options in the panel to choose a destination, including another folder, and to set a timer. Depending on the capture, you can also show or hide the floating thumbnail and mouse pointer. A timer is useful when you need to open a menu or arrange a window after starting the capture.

On supported Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, Screenshot can also offer SDR and HDR capture formats. Apple lists SDR as PNG and HDR as HEIF; the available choices depend on the Mac and system version.

Copy a screenshot to the clipboard

Hold Control while using the shortcut you need. For example, press Control-Shift-Command-3 to copy the full screen, or add Control to the Shift-Command-4 shortcut for a selected area. Then paste with Command-V. If you already took a screenshot and its thumbnail is visible, Control-click the thumbnail and choose Save to Clipboard.

Find, edit, and save the screenshot

By default, screenshot files go to the desktop and use a name that starts with “Screen Shot” followed by the date and time. If you changed the destination, press Shift-Command-5 and check Options > Save to. You can also drag the floating thumbnail straight into a Finder window, document, email, or note.

Click the thumbnail to open the screenshot’s editing and sharing controls. If it disappears before you use it, take another capture and click it promptly, or change the floating-thumbnail setting in Options.

Capture the Touch Bar on an older Mac

If your MacBook Pro has a Touch Bar, press Shift-Command-6 to capture its currently displayed controls. Mac models without a Touch Bar do not use this shortcut.

When a screenshot does not work

• No file on the desktop? Check whether Control was held, which sends the capture to the clipboard, or whether Screenshot is set to another save location.
• No floating thumbnail? The screenshot may already have saved. In Shift-Command-5 > Options, turn on Show Floating Thumbnail if you want it to appear.
• Shortcut not responding? Check Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots; the shortcuts can be customized.
• Window appears blank or cannot be captured? Some apps restrict screenshots of their windows. Apple notes that this can happen in apps such as Apple TV.

For the latest supported shortcuts and options, see Apple’s Mac screenshot instructions and its guide to screenshots and screen recordings. Apple’s screenshot page is dated March 27, 2026.