Quick answer
Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command4 and drag over the area you want. For the whole screen, press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command3. Screenshots land on your desktop.
All 6 methods at a glance
| Method | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shift + Command + 3 (full screen) | Captures everything on screen and saves it to the desktop. | A quick picture of the whole screen |
| Shift + Command + 4 (selected area) | Drag a box around exactly what you need. | Most screenshots: part of a page, an image, a message |
| Shift + Command + 4, then Space (window or menu) | Capture a single window or an open menu with a clean edge. | One app window, a dialog box or a menu |
| Shift + Command + 5 (Screenshot app) | An on-screen toolbar with all capture modes, a timer and settings. | Timers, screen recordings and changing settings |
| Add Control to copy instead of save | Any shortcut plus Control copies the screenshot, ready to paste. | Pasting straight into a message, email or document |
| Shift + Command + 6 (Touch Bar) | Captures the Touch Bar on MacBook Pro models that have one. | MacBook Pro models from 2016 to 2021 with a Touch Bar |
Shift + Command + 3 (full screen)
- Press and hold ⇧ Shift⌘ Command3 together.
- A thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner. Click it to edit, or ignore it and the screenshot saves to your desktop.
With several displays connected, you get one file per display.
Shift + Command + 4 (selected area)
- Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command4. The pointer turns into a crosshair.
- Drag over the area you want. Let go of the mouse or trackpad to take the screenshot.
- To move the selection while dragging, hold Space. To cancel, press Esc.
Shift + Command + 4, then Space (window or menu)
- Open the window or menu you want to capture.
- Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command4, then press Space. The pointer turns into a camera.
- Click the window or menu. Hold ⌥ Option while you click to leave out the window's shadow.
Shift + Command + 5 (Screenshot app)
- Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command5. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Capture Entire Screen, Capture Selected Window or Capture Selected Portion. The two buttons on the right record video instead.
- Open Options to set a 5- or 10-second timer, choose where to save, or show the mouse pointer.
- Click Capture.
Add Control to copy instead of save
- Add ⌃ Control to any of the shortcuts above, for example ⌃ Control⇧ Shift⌘ Command4.
- Nothing is saved to the desktop. Paste the screenshot where you need it with ⌘ CommandV.
Shift + Command + 6 (Touch Bar)
- Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command6. The image saves to your desktop.
On macOS 27 with Siri AI turned on, Apple uses ⇧ Shift⌘ Command6 for asking Siri about part of the screen instead. Check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots to see what yours does.
Where are screenshots saved?
~/Desktop
By default, screenshots are saved to your desktop as PNG files named "Screenshot" followed by the date and time. To change the folder, press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command5, click Options and choose another location (such as Documents or Clipboard). On macOS Tahoe 26 and later you can also choose HDR (saved as HEIF) or SDR (PNG, the most compatible) in the same menu.
Record your screen on a Mac
- Press ⇧ Shift⌘ Command5 and click Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
- Click Record. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar or press ⌘ Command⌃ ControlEsc.
- Turn on a microphone in Options if you want to record your voice.
Screenshot not working?
Nothing happens when I press the shortcut
Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots and make sure the shortcuts are switched on. Another app (such as a screenshot utility) may have taken them over.
I can't find my screenshots on the desktop
Check the save location in ⇧ Shift⌘ Command5 > Options. If Clipboard is selected, screenshots are only copied. If you use Stacks on the desktop, look inside the Screenshots stack.
The window has a big shadow around it
Hold ⌥ Option while clicking the window in window mode to capture it without the shadow.
Part of the screen is black or missing
Some apps, such as the Apple TV app, block screenshots of their windows. That's intentional and can't be turned off.
The thumbnail delays saving
The file is saved only once the thumbnail disappears. Turn off Show Floating Thumbnail in ⇧ Shift⌘ Command5 > Options to save instantly.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the screenshot shortcut on a MacBook?
- Shift + Command + 3 captures the whole screen, Shift + Command + 4 captures a selected area, and Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot toolbar with all options.
- How do I copy a screenshot to the clipboard on a Mac?
- Add Control to the shortcut, for example Control + Shift + Command + 4, then paste with Command + V.
- Where are screenshots saved on a Mac?
- On the desktop by default. You can change it in Shift + Command + 5 > Options.
- Can I use Print Screen on a Mac?
- Mac keyboards don't have a Print Screen key. Use Shift + Command + 3 instead. On a Windows keyboard connected to a Mac, the Windows key acts as Command.