The fastest way to capture your screen on Mac

Mac has a built-in screenshot tool called Screenshot that opens with Shift + Command + 5. This single keyboard shortcut gives you options to capture your entire screen, a window, or just a portion of it — and to record video if you need that instead. You do not need to read anything or open the Applications folder; the tool is already there.

When you press Shift + Command + 5, a toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with five buttons. The first three are for still screenshots: full screen, a selected window, or a portion you draw yourself. The last two record video — your entire screen or a portion of it. Click the option you want, then click Capture (for screenshots) or Record (for video). Your file saves to the Desktop by default.

Key Takeaways

  • Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot tool on any Mac, giving you five capture options without installing anything.
  • Screenshots save to your Desktop as PNG files by default, but you can change the location in Screenshot options before you capture.
  • The same tool records video of your screen or a portion of it, and you can stop recording by clicking the stop button in the menu bar.
  • Older Macs use Shift + Command + 3 for full screen and Shift + Command + 4 for a selected area, but Shift + Command + 5 works on all recent macOS versions.

Capturing your entire screen or just part of it

The first button in the Screenshot toolbar captures your whole screen at once. Click it, then click Capture. A thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen for a few seconds — click it to edit the screenshot before it saves, or let it disappear and the file goes straight to your Desktop.

The third button lets you draw a rectangle around the part you want. Click it, then click and drag to outline the area. You can adjust the corners and edges before you click Capture. This is useful when you want to show just one window or a specific part of your screen without the clutter around it.

The second button captures a single window. Click it, then move your cursor over the window you want — it highlights in blue when you hover over it. Click to capture just that window with its shadow, leaving the background out.

Recording video instead of taking a still image

The fourth button in the Screenshot toolbar records your entire screen as a video file. Click it, then click Record. A red dot appears in the menu bar at the top to show recording is active. Do what you need to do on your screen — open programs, click buttons, type text — and everything is captured as video.

To stop recording, click the red dot in the menu bar and click Stop, or press Control + Command + Esc. The video file saves to your Desktop as an MOV file, which plays in QuickTime Player or most video players. The file size is usually large — a few minutes of screen recording can be 100 MB or more — so consider trimming it if you only need part of it.

The fifth button records just a portion of your screen. Click it, draw a rectangle around the area you want to record, then click Record. This is useful when you are recording a tutorial and want to focus on one window or process, or when you want to keep the file size smaller.

Changing where your screenshots and videos save

By default, screenshots and videos go to your Desktop. To change this, open the Screenshot tool with Shift + Command + 5, then click Options at the bottom of the toolbar. The menu shows a Save to section with choices: Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, or Mail.

If you choose Clipboard, the screenshot or video does not save as a file at all — instead it copies to your clipboard so you can paste it directly into an email, document, or message. This is faster if you are sending it to someone right away. If you choose Mail, the screenshot opens in a new email draft ready to send.

You can also click Other Location to save to a specific folder you choose. This is useful if you organize screenshots into a project folder or keep them separate from your Desktop.

Editing your screenshot before it saves

After you capture a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen for a few seconds. Click it to open the editing window. You can draw on the screenshot with a pen, add text, draw shapes, or magnify a part of it. Use the toolbar at the top to pick your tool and color.

When you are done editing, click Done and the edited version saves, replacing the original. If you do not click the thumbnail, the unedited screenshot saves automatically after a few seconds.

Using keyboard shortcuts without opening the toolbar

If you know exactly what you want to capture, you can skip the toolbar and use older keyboard shortcuts that still work on recent Macs. Shift + Command + 3 captures your entire screen when ready and saves it to the Desktop. Shift + Command + 4 lets you draw a rectangle to capture just that area. Both save as PNG files.

These shortcuts are faster if you capture the same way every time and do not need to change where the file saves or record video. They skip the toolbar entirely and go straight to capturing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record audio along with my screen recording?

Yes. When you open the Screenshot tool and click the record button, click Options and look for Microphone. Choose your microphone from the list, and audio from that microphone records along with the video. If you choose None, the video has no audio.

What format do screenshots save in?

Screenshots save as PNG files by default. PNG is a standard image format that works in email, documents, and web browsers. You cannot change the format in the Screenshot tool itself, but you can convert PNG files to other formats like JPG or PDF using Preview or other image software.

How do I find my screenshots after I capture them?

If you saved to Desktop, look for the file on your Desktop — it is named "Screenshot" followed by the date and time. If you saved to Documents or another folder, open that folder in Finder. You can also search for "Screenshot" in Spotlight (Command + Space) to find all your recent captures.

Can I capture just the menu bar or a specific process window?

Yes. Use the third button in the Screenshot toolbar to select a portion, or use the second button to capture a single window. The window button automatically captures just the window you click on, with its shadow but without the rest of your screen.

What if I want to capture something that is not currently visible on my screen?

You cannot capture what is not on your screen with the Screenshot tool. If you need to capture a long webpage or document, scroll to show the part you want, then capture it. Some browsers and applications have their own screenshot tools that can capture an entire page even if it does not fit on the screen at once.