Taking a screenshot is a very convenient way to help guide someone through a new app, report the support team and show them the problem, capture important messages, take photos while using video calling apps like Skype, and do other tasks. For a Windows computer, there is a dedicated Print Screen key available to take screenshots. Unfortunately, Apple computers and laptops don’t have a straightforward Print Screen Key. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t take a screenshot from your MacBook. There are few keyboard commands and apps available that will allow you to take a screenshot on the Mac computer. These commands are quick and easy to learn. Read the article to know the details.
How To Take A Screenshot On A MacBook
Taking a screenshot on a Mac computer is very easy and there are various ways available to take different kinds of screenshots on a MacBook or other Mac computer. Let’s check them out!
Method 1 – Capture The Entire Screen
Press the Command + Shift + 3 keys simultaneously until you hear a brief camera sound to take an instant screenshot of your Mac computer. It will take a picture of your whole screen at that moment. Then press the Command + Shift + 3 + Control keys simultaneously to save the image on the clipboard. You can find the screenshot as a PNG file on the desktop with the name: screenshot time/date.
Method 2 – Capture A Selected Area
First, press the Command + Shift + 4 keys simultaneously. You will see the pointer of your mouse turned into a crosshair. Now click and drag your mouse to select the region you want to capture. Once you select the area, let go of the mouse button and the image will save automatically to your desktop. You can press the Esc key to start over without taking the photo.
Method 3 – Capture A Screenshot Of A Single Window
First, hold the Command + Shift + 4 keys simultaneously until the mouse pointer becomes a crosshair. Then press the Spacebar and the pointer will change into a camera icon. Now hover the camera icon over any window and it will highlight in blue. Now click on the window that you want to capture and the image will automatically save to your desktop. With this method, you not only take a screenshot but also can capture the desktop, the menu bar, the Dock, or even an open menu. The screenshot saves as a PNG file. But if you want to save the screenshot in another format then press and hold the Alt key to save the image manually. After selecting the area, if you don’t want to save the screenshot then press the Esc button to cancel and start over again.
Method 4 – Take A Screenshot In Preview
First, go to the application folder of your Mac computer and then launch the Preview app. Now click on the File menu from the top of the Preview app and then from the available options click on the Screenshot. Here you will find three options:
1. From Selection: it will turn the cursor into a reticle. Click and drag across the rectangular area that you wish to capture.
2. From Window: This option will turn your cursor into a camera icon. Highlight the Window that you want to capture and click.
3. From Entire Screen: If you select this option, it will start a countdown. Now arrange your screen how you want it to capture and wait for the timer to run down.
Once you capture the screenshot, it will immediately open up as an untitled Preview image window. Again click on the file menu and then select the Save button to save the screenshot on your Mac computer.
Method 5 – Use The On-screen Marquee
If you are computer is running macOS Mojave or later then you can load an on-screen marquee to capture a screenshot. First, press the Command + Shift + 5 keys simultaneously to choose the target shot from three available options:
1. Full Screen
2. A specific window
3. A defined portion
Then save the screenshot on the desktop or other location on your Mac computer. You can press the Command + Shift + 5 + Control keys simultaneously to save the screenshot to the clipboard.
Final Thoughts
I hope you have found the above information helpful and learned how to take a screenshot on a Mac computer. Let us know if you have any queries about this topic in the comment section. I will be happy to help you.
FAQ
How Do I Take A Screenshot On My iPhone?
A screenshot can be a great way to capture important information on your phone as well as share the photo with friends and family. You can take a screenshot on your iPhone by pressing the home button and power button at the same time.
How Do I Take A Screenshot On My iPad?
Taking a screenshot on an iPad is a fairly simple process and can be done in two ways. The first way is to use the Home and Sleep buttons at the same time. To do this, make sure your iPad is unlocked and double-click the home button (the round button below the screen). All of your open apps will be displayed on the screen; find the one you want to capture and press the Sleep/Turn Off button on top of your device.
How Do I Take A Screenshot On My MacBook Air?
Owning a MacBook Air is great. One of the best features is that you can take screenshots of anything on your computer with just one keystroke – Command + Shift + 3. Yet there are some cases when you might not want to take a screenshot, like if you want to keep something private. There may be some information on your screen that you don’t want to share with others, like credit card numbers, passwords, or other highly sensitive data. What do you do then?
How Do I Take A Screenshot On My MacBook Pro?
The keyboard button combination for a screenshot on a MacBook Pro is cmd-shift-3. After taking the screenshot, you will need to open up Preview by pressing cmd-n, or by going to Finder>Applications>Preview from the menu bar. In the top left corner of Preview there is a dropdown arrow that has three options: NewPDF, Save as PDF, and Save as Image.