The fastest way: keyboard shortcuts built into macOS

macOS comes with screenshot tools already installed — you do not need to read anything. The simplest method uses keyboard shortcuts that work on any Mac running the last several years of the operating system.

To capture your entire screen, press Shift + Command + 3. Your Mac will make a camera shutter sound, and the screenshot saves to your desktop as a file named "Screenshot [date] at [time].png". You can take another screenshot when ready after — there is no waiting period between captures.

If you want to capture only part of the screen instead of the whole thing, press Shift + Command + 4. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to capture, then release. The screenshot saves to your desktop the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Shift + Command + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it to your desktop automatically.
  • Shift + Command + 4 lets you select just the part of the screen you want, using a crosshair cursor.
  • Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot app, which gives you more control over where files save and lets you take timed screenshots.
  • You can change where screenshots save by opening the Screenshot app and clicking Options in the menu bar.

Using the Screenshot app for more control

If you want to choose where your screenshots save before you take them, or if you want to set a timer so the screenshot captures after a delay, use the Screenshot app instead of the keyboard shortcut alone. Press Shift + Command + 5 to open it.

The Screenshot app shows a menu bar at the bottom of your screen with five buttons. The first button captures the entire screen. The second captures a selected window (click the window you want). The third captures a selected portion (like Shift + Command + 4). The fourth and fifth buttons record video instead of taking a still screenshot.

Before you take the screenshot, click Options in the menu bar. You can set a timer (3 seconds or 5 seconds delay), choose where to save the file (Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, or other apps), and turn on a floating thumbnail that appears after you capture.

Capturing a single window without the background

Sometimes you want just one window — say, a browser tab or a document — without capturing everything behind it. Open the Screenshot app with Shift + Command + 5, then click the second button from the left (the one that looks like a rectangle with a rounded corner).

Move your cursor over the window you want to capture. The entire window will highlight in yellow. Click it, and only that window saves as a screenshot. The background does not appear. This works even if other windows are partially covering the one you want — the app captures the full window as it would appear if it were in front.

Saving to the clipboard instead of your desktop

By default, screenshots save as files on your desktop. If you want to paste the screenshot directly into an email, document, or message without saving a file first, you can send it to your clipboard instead.

Open the Screenshot app with Shift + Command + 5. Click Options in the menu bar and check the box next to "Clipboard". Now when you take a screenshot, it copies to your clipboard instead of saving to your desktop. You can paste it when ready into any app using Command + V. The file does not appear on your desktop, so your desktop stays clean.

Finding and organizing your screenshots

Screenshots save to your desktop by default, so you will see them there as soon as you take them. Each file is named "Screenshot" followed by the date and time, like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.47.32 PM.png".

If you have taken many screenshots and your desktop is crowded, you can move them to a folder. Create a new folder on your desktop (right-click the desktop, select "New Folder"), name it "Screenshots", and drag your screenshot files into it. Alternatively, you can change where new screenshots save by opening the Screenshot app, clicking Options, and choosing a different location like Documents or a specific folder you create.

If you sent a screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it as a file, it will not appear on your desktop. It stays in your clipboard until you paste it or restart your Mac. Once you paste it into an app like Mail or Notes, it becomes part of that document.

Troubleshooting when screenshots do not appear

If you took a screenshot but cannot find it on your desktop, check whether it went to your clipboard instead. Open any app where you can paste (like Notes or TextEdit), press Command + V, and see if your screenshot appears. If it does, you had the Clipboard option turned on in the Screenshot app.

If the screenshot did not go to your clipboard either, check your Documents folder or Downloads folder — sometimes the default save location changes. Open Finder, click on your username in the sidebar, and look in those folders. You can also search for the screenshot by date: press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type the date (like "2024-01-15"), and look for screenshot files.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work at all, check whether you have a third-party app that uses the same shortcut. Some apps like Zoom or Slack override the standard macOS shortcuts. Try using the Screenshot app directly instead: press Command + Space, type "screenshot", and press Enter to open the app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just my menu bar or just the dock?

Yes, use Shift + Command + 4 to open the crosshair tool, then drag around the menu bar or dock. You can capture any rectangular area of your screen, including just the top or bottom. The Screenshot app's window-capture button (second from left) also works if you want to capture a specific menu that is open.

What file format do Mac screenshots save in?

Screenshots save as PNG files by default, which is a format that works on any computer and preserves the image quality. PNG files are larger than JPEG but do not lose detail. If you need a different format, you can open the screenshot in Preview or another image editor and save it as JPEG, PDF, or another type.

How do I take a screenshot on a Mac with Touch Bar?

The keyboard shortcuts are the same — Shift + Command + 3 for the full screen, Shift + Command + 4 for a selection, and Shift + Command + 5 for the Screenshot app. The Touch Bar does not change how screenshots work. If you want to include the Touch Bar in your screenshot, use Shift + Command + 3 to capture the entire screen.

Can I edit a screenshot right after I take it?

Yes. After you take a screenshot, a floating thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen for a few seconds. Click it to open the screenshot in the markup tools, where you can draw, add text, magnify parts, or add shapes. You can also right-click any screenshot file on your desktop and select "Open With" to choose an editor like Preview or Photoshop.

What happens to screenshots if I restart my Mac?

Screenshots saved as files on your desktop or in folders stay there after you restart — they are permanent files. Screenshots in your clipboard disappear when you restart, so if you copied a screenshot to your clipboard and did not paste it anywhere, it will be gone after you shut down or restart your Mac.