How to screenshot on Mac? it is possible to take different screenshots from your Mac. For example, you can capture your entire screen, a window only or a predefined area. It is also possible to take video screenshots from your Apple computer, without having to download any additional software. Check out the list of keyboard shortcuts for taking photo and video screenshots, as well as some tips to know!
Taking a screenshot on a Mac
To capture your entire screen, you need to press 3 keys simultaneously namely: Shift + Command (⌘) + 3. After pressing, the screen capture will start automatically. Then, a thumbnail appears in the lower right corner of your screen. You then have several options:
- Click on the thumbnail: this allows you to edit the screenshot by opening an editing window,
- Click on the thumbnail and drag it: this allows you to drag the screenshot to the destination of your choice (folder, Mail or Messages application, etc.)
- Drag to the right: this allows you to quickly remove the thumbnail and save the screenshot to the desktop.
If you don’t take any action, the thumbnail disappears after a few seconds and the screenshot is automatically saved to your desktop.
Capture a portion of the screen on the Mac
It is possible to capture only a part of your screen. A handy shortcut, which allows you to make a more precise screenshot, depending on the element to be highlighted. To take this screenshot, you just have to press Shift + Command (⌘) + 4. Once this manipulation is done, the cursor will turn into a cross. All you have to do is press your mouse button or trackpad, then drag the cursor to select the part of the screen you want to capture. Once the area is selected, release the mouse button or trackpad to take the screenshot. Two tips to know:
- you can move the capture area by pressing the Space key,
- you can cancel the screen capture by pressing the Escape key.
Record a video screenshot on Mac
To take a video screenshot on Mac, you need to perform the following keyboard shortcut: Shift + Command(⌘) + 5. This manipulation will open the Screen Capture tool. You can then choose between two types of video capture: Save the whole screen or Save the selected part. Then click on Save to start the capture. To end the recording, simply press the black circle symbol with a white square inside, located in the menu bar at the top of your screen. You can also use the native QuickTime Player application to take a video screenshot. To do this:
- Open the QuickTime Player application,
- In the menu bar, click on File,
- Then New Screen Record and Save.
Using the Screen Capture tool on the Mac
If you are not comfortable with keyboard shortcuts on the Mac, it is also possible to use the Screen Capture tool, which is directly integrated into your computer, and which groups together the different styles of photo and video screen captures. To open this tool, you can type “Screenshot” in the search bar of your Mac. You can also use the shortcut Shift + Command(⌘) + 5. This interface also provides several options for your screenshots:
- Change the location where you save a screenshot: you can choose from desktop, documents, clipboard, Mail, Messages, preview or any other location of your choice,
- Set a timer: for your convenience, you can add a 5 or 10 second timer before capturing an image or video.
- Disable thumbnail: by selecting this option, no thumbnail will appear after a screenshot.