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Taking the screenshot in mac is not as simple as windows + prtSc in windows. Although screenshots are a lifesaver and it’s a skill every new or professional Mac user should know. Screenshots are very useful to take proofs of payment transfer, online ticket, to capture something on the internet to remember later, and so on.
Below you’ll find more information on how to take screenshots on a Mac (and shoot videos), and some helpful tools to make Apple’s life with screenshots easier. Learning to take a screenshot on a Mac isn’t difficult, instead it’s very simple if you know a few shortcuts. Taking a screenshot is easier after the Mojave update with built-in dedicated Macbook video and screenshot menu.
Read on to learn how to take screenshots on Mac desktops, as well as links to Mac screenshots that will make your workflow more efficient. To take a screenshot of your Mac you can use a keyboard shortcut, or you can launch the Screenshot menu using your mouse.
Let’s get started with Mac shortcuts to take full display screenshots, small area screenshots, or record screen videos.
Table of Contents
1. Take a screenshot of your entire screen on Mac:
Probably you’re working on a particular project and in the middle, you decide to take the opinion of your friend. So before finalizing you want to take the screenshot and send it to your friend so you can be more confident.
But suddenly you realize you don’t know how to take a screenshot of the entire window. Well, worry not, just press Shift + Command + 3.
That’s it, your screenshot is done.
But before sending, if you want to edit and crop the screen to your liking, click on the screenshot or right-click on the screenshot to get more options.
2. Take a screenshot of a Small area on Mac:
Now if you want to capture just a small portion of your entire window.
Press Shift + Command + 4.
Now your cursor will change into crosshair shape, use it to drag the portion you want to take screenshot. If for some reason you decide to not take that screenshot you can press Esc to cancel the screenshot. You can also press and hold the space bar to drag the selected portion. Finally, release your mouse button, that’s it you’re done. Your screenshot will be saved in JPG format on your Mac.
3. Open the macOS Screenshot app:
To have additional control over macOS screenshots, press Shift + Command + 5 to launch the macOS screenshot app. In this bar you’ll find all the options such as capturing selected window, entire screen, or a specified piece of the screen, as well as the ability to start a screen recording.
Another awesome way is to use shift + command + 4 or 5 to get screenshot controls on the Touch Bar:
Remember that screenshots are not allowed in the Apple TV. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots to configure the keyboard shortcuts for screenshots.
What can you do in the options menu?
Choose a location for your screenshots to be saved to. For additional information on where screenshots are saved, see the section below.
You can set a timer here if you want a delay before taking your screenshot. More than screenshots, this is handy for screen recordings. Screenshots taken with the other keyboard shortcuts are not affected by this option.
Options: You can choose whether or not to show a floating thumbnail at the bottom right of the screen for a few seconds, whether or not to remember your last selection (window, area, etc.), and whether or not to show your mouse pointer.
4. Third party MacOS apps for screenshot:
CleanshotX: We can all agree that the snipping tools on Mac are adequate, but if you want greater control over your screenshots and screen recordings, try CleanshotX. Scrolling capture, screen recording, text recognition, cloud upload, and many other features are included.
For screenshots and screen recordings, you can also use a specific photo or a solid color as wallpaper. If you’re curious about the cost, it’s $29 for a one-time purchase. If you’re someone who uses screenshot features a lot, it’s worth a go.
Features:
To catch the perfect moment, take a screenshot after a certain amount of time has passed.
Retina screenshots can be automatically scaled down to regular resolution.
Provides shareable cloud connectivity in real-time.
Allows you to alter screenshots.
You can snap scrollable screenshots and record your screen using it.
Change screenshot saving format:
Screenshots on Mac are saved as PNG files by default, which are larger in size as compared to JPG. To change the default to JPG (lower file sizes), open the terminal app and type “defaults write com.apple.screencapture type JPG” into the command prompt and then hit enter.
You’re all set to go.
Conclusion:
With the release of Mojave, Mac now has a built-in screenshot tool similar to what you can find in Windows that lets you take screenshots with the click of a button. Using the Screenshots app toolbar, you can also create screenshot videos and record your Mac’s screen in action. If you’ve purchased or upgraded your Mac from 2018, you even have access to an advanced screenshot menu that will also let you record a video of your screen. So these are the four most effective methods of taking Screenshots on Mac. Be sure to remember the shortcut and follow the instructions to get the best screenshot possible.
