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How To Do A Screen Shot On Mac



If you are new to the Mac operating system, you may be wondering how to print screen on a Mac. You may have already noticed the lack of a “Print Screen” button on the keyboard. This should not make you feel that the process is complex. By using keyboard shortcuts, you can print screen on a Mac. You can capture specific windows or select an area to capture. What they call “Print Screen” in Windows is known as screenshots or screen capture in Mac. Depending on the screen capture action you need, there are several keyboard combinations to use.

You can pick one of the methods to capture screens and get used to it for everyday use. So let’s get started and see what are the 7 different ways to print screen on a Mac. Free photo resizing software for mac.

Lightshot, Apowersoft Screenshot, and Cloud App, are the top-rated applications in this category. How to record your screen on a Mac using the QuickTime application. To record your screen instead of taking a photo, simply launch the Quickytime.app from Finder or Launchpad and press Control+Command+N on your keyboard. Another Touch Bar exclusive is taking a screenshot of the Touch Bar display, which can be done by hitting Shift + Command + 6. Finally, you can use the Screenshot app to change the default save.

Method 1: Capture the entire screen

Step 1: press keys Command + Shift +3 simultaneously.

This will save a copy of your screen to the clipboard awaiting other actions. You can repeat the key combination without the “Command” key to save the screenshot as a PNG file on your desktop.

Method 2: Capture a selected area

Step 1: begin by pressing the key combination of Command + Shift + 4 simultaneously.

Step 2: the mouse pointer will turn into a crosshair, use it to select the region you are interested in capturing.

Step 3: the spacebar will let you take a full-screen capture.
The selection will be copied to the clipboard. If you press the key combinations without the “Command” key, your selection will be saved to the desktop as a PNG file.

Method 3: Using the Touch Bar

With a MacBook Pro featuring a touch Bar, you can use the Touch Bar to pick from “Selected Portion,” “Window,” or “Entire Screen” after you have simultaneously pressed the Command, Shift and 4 keys simultaneously. You can also take screenshots of the Touch Bar display using Shift + Command + 6 or just simply to touch the Screenshot Icon.

Method 4: Take screen shots with grab

If you have no time to memorize keyboard shortcuts, you can use Grab. This program is pre-installed on all Macs and will assist you in creating screenshots from the menu bar. Grab can let you take time-delayed screenshots in case you want to set the stage before you start.

Mac Screenshot Keyboard Shortcut

Step 1: launch Grab from the utilities housed within the applications folder. Once launched, its icon will display in your dock, you can also pin this icon for quicker access later.

Step 2: you can either use the Capture menu system or the keyboard shortcuts detailed alongside the respective command.

Method 5: Timed screen shots with Grab

Grab gives you the option to capture screenshots on a Mac of the entire screen, an individual window, or a selection of the window. You can do this with a time delay of ten seconds. This gives you some time to properly position your mouse or open the right window before the shot is taken.
Begin by opening Grab, then select “Timed Screenshot” or press the shortcut Command + Shift + Z, note that the mouse cursor will not show on the capture but you can change that in the preferences.

Method 6: Using the preview

Preview is well known for its functions like opening photos, PDF and other files on Mac. Print screen on Mac is its other hidden feature you should know about. Open preview then highlights the file in the menu bar; the drop-down menu will give you the option to take the screenshot from where you can select “From window” or “From entire screen.”

Free zeus slots no download. Even though the keyboard shortcuts methods are faster, the Preview method allows you to choose where the screenshot ends up. You can make edits of the screenshot using Preview before saving with the desired file name and at the preferred location.

Method 7: Capture selection and save to clipboard

Printscreen on Mac, Command + Control + Shift + 4

This method is more advanced but is very useful. It helps you print screen on mac with options like a selected area, opened applications, menu bar, parts of a desktop and anything else.

Option one: capture selected area and save to clipboard. Press Command + Control + Shift + 4 then drag with the mouse to select and save to clipboard. This will change the mouse cursor to +with pixel coordinates. Once you click and drag selection as desired, it will save the area to the clipboard for use in other apps.

Option two: capture selection and save on desktop.
Use the Command + Shift + 4 keys simultaneously then drag with the mouse to select the desired area. When you release the mouse button, the selected area will save on the desktop as a PNG file if not specified otherwise.

Conclusion

When you print screen on a Mac, it will be sent to the clipboard or time-stamped then save on the desktop as a PNG file depending on the method used. You do not need to memorize all these keyboard shortcuts.

How To Do A Screenshot On Macbook Laptop

Just one or two that are easiest for you then practice on them and you will find it very easy to print screen on a Mac.

Software

Capturing a screen, taking a screenshot, or in PC talk, printscreening are different terms for the same desired outcome. macOS and OS X both allow for at least 13 ways to take a screenshot. In the guide below, we’ll cover the most common ways to do so on a Mac. Whether you have an iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro, the process is essentially the same as long as you’re running macOS or older OS X operating system.

Easiest Ways to Take Screenshots on Mac

1) Full Screen Selection Screenshot

If you want to capture the whole screen, the following command is the easiest way to do so.

  • Hold down Shift + Command and press 3.
  • In case you run two or more monitors, you need to be working on the screen you want to capture.

2) Window Selection Screenshot

If you want to capture a certain window, the following command is the easiest way to do so.

  • Hold down Shift + Command and press 4
  • Hit spacebar and select window you want to screenshot.

3) Custom Selection Screenshot with Variable Dimensions

If you want to capture a custom size square or rectangle, the following command is the easiest way to do so.

  • Hold down Shift + Command and press 4
  • Make a custom selection with your mouse or trackpad.

Overview

Take a Screenshot with Grab

Using Grab has advantages. Grab is a default application on macOS that allows for taking four different kinds of screenshots. All four types of screen grabs can be done without using your keyboard at all. Your mouse or trackpad is all you need. Furthermore, you’ll be able to chose the format of the output file as well as it’s location destination on your hard drive.

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4) Capture Custom Selection

  • Open Grab by locating the application on your Mac or by hitting command + space bar and typing “grab”
  • Navigate to a screen you want to screenshot
  • Right-click on the Grab icon in your dock and select “Capture Selection” so a prompt appears
  • Make a custom selection by using your mouse or trackpad
  • Save the screenshot by selecting the format, destination, and name of the file

5) Capture a Full Screen

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  • Open Grab by locating the application on your Mac or by hitting command + space bar and typing “grab”
  • Navigate to a screen you want to screenshot
  • Right-click on the Grab icon in your dock and select “Capture Screen” so a prompt appears
  • Click outside the prompt to select screen you want to capture
  • Click “X” to close the screenshot window
  • Chose to delete or save by selecting the format, destination, and name of the file

6) Capture a Desired Window

  • Open Grab by locating the application on your Mac or by hitting command + space bar and typing “grab”
  • Right-click on the Grab icon in your dock and select “Capture Window” so a prompt appears
  • Click the “Select Window” button
  • Click the window you want to screenshot
  • Click “X” to close the screenshot window
  • Chose to delete or save by selecting the format, destination, and name of the file

7) Capture Timed Screen

  • Open Grab by locating the application on your Mac or by hitting command + space bar and typing “grab”
  • Navigate to a screen you want to screenshot
  • Right-click on the Grab icon in your dock and select “Capture Screen” so a prompt appears
  • Click the “Start Timer” button
  • Time will go by and after 10 seconds grab takes a screenshot
  • Click “X” to close the screenshot window
  • Chose to delete or save by selecting the format, destination, and name of the file

Take a Screenshot with Preview

Using the native Preview application is yet another way to take screenshots on your Mac. Preview, just like Grab, comes with the basic installation of macOS or OS X.

8) Screenshot From Custom Selection

  • Open Preview by locating it on your Mac. Alternatively, hit Command + Space Bar and type in “Preview.”
  • While in Preview, click on File in the upper-left of the top menu bar.
  • In the drop-down menu, select Take Screenshot.
  • Click on From Selection.

9) Screenshot From a Desired Window

  • Open Preview by locating it on your Mac. Alternatively, hit Command + Space Bar and type in “Preview.”
  • While in Preview, click on File in the upper-left of the top menu bar.
  • In the drop-down menu, select Take Screenshot.
  • Click on From Window.

10) Screenshot from the Entire Screen

  • Open Preview by locating it on your Mac. Alternatively, hit Command + Space Bar and type in “Preview.”
  • While in Preview, click on File in the upper-left of the top menu bar.
  • In the drop-down menu, select Take Screenshot.
  • Click on From Entire Screen.

Take a Screenshot of Your Touch Bar

This will only apply to some Mac users, but it’s still worth mentioning. If you have a newer MacBook model with a Touch Bar, you can take a screenshot of the actual “Touch Bar” itself. You can also use the Touch Bar to easily take screenshots by customizing it.

11) Screenshot Your Touch Bar

  • Press Shift-Command-6
  • This will screenshot your Touch Bar in its current state

12) Set up a Screenshot Button on the Touch Bar

  • Click on View in the top menu bar.
  • Select Customize Touch Bar.
  • A new menu will appear. Simply drag the Screenshot button into the Touch Bar.
  • When you tap on this Touch Bar button, you will get a set of options for the type of screenshots and where they will be saved.

13) Save a Screenshot into the Clipboard Rather Than a File

  • To save a screenshot to your clipboard rather than as a file, you can simply add the Control key to any keyboard shortcut.
  • For example Shift + Command + 3 would become Control + Shift + Command + 3

How to Edit Your Screenshot Options

Now that you know how to take screenshots, it’s worth learning other ways to edit them.

For example, using the Terminal, you can change where screenshots are saved and the file format they’re saved as.

On a related note, there’s no way to change the default resolution or output for all screenshots (since they’re in the highest quality they can be already).

You can also save a screenshot to your Clipboard, rather than as a file, for easy pasting.

Where Screenshots Go By Default

  • By default, screenshots will end up on your desktop.
  • You can find screenshots on your actual desktop, or by opening a Finder window and clicking on Desktop.

Change Location of Screenshots

  • Hit Command + N, which will open a new Finder window.
  • Create a new folder by hitting Command + Shift + N.
  • Hit Command + Space to open Spotlight and type in Terminal. Hit Enter.
  • Type in the following phrase into the terminal, making sure there is a single space after the word “location”: defaults write com.apple.screencapture location
  • Drag the folder you previously created into the Terminal window, which will input its directory path.
  • Hit the Enter key.
  • Make sure you DO NOT delete this folder, because it will cause problems for you later on.

Restore Screenshot Locations to Default

  • Hit Command + N, which will open a new Finder window.
  • Create a new folder by hitting Command + Shift + N.
  • Hit Command + Space to open Spotlight and type in Terminal. Hit Enter.
  • Type in the following phrase into the terminal, making sure there is a single space after the word “location”:defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Desktop
  • This will restore the Desktop as the default location for screenshots

Change the Output File Format

  • Hit Command + Space to open Spotlight and type in Terminal.
  • Type in the following phrase into the terminal, making sure there is a single space after the word “type.” But do not hit enter yet: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type
  • After the word “type” and a space, enter the image format you’d like to use. JPG, etc.
  • Hit the Enter key.

Paste a Screenshot from Clipboard

  • To paste a screenshot that is stored on your clipboard, simply use the keyboard command Command + V.
  • Alternatively, you can right-click when in a location (such as a Finder folder) and click on Paste.




How To Do A Screen Shot On Mac
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