The Ultimate MacOS Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts

For those who are new to macOS, the keyboard shortcuts for taking a screenshot can be overwhelming at first. But fear not, because mastering these shortcuts will not only save you time but also enhance your productivity in the future. There are various variations of this feature, giving you the freedom to choose which one suits your needs best. It’s important to note that not all variations save the screenshot to the clipboard, which can cause inconvenience later on if you’re not familiar with all the options.

To ensure that you can easily capture screenshots on your macOS device, it’s essential to learn all the available keyboard shortcuts. By doing so, you’ll be able to work more efficiently and accomplish tasks much faster. Whether you need to take a quick screenshot for a project or share your screen with others, knowing these shortcuts will make your life much easier. So, take the time to learn and memorise them all – your future self will thank you!

Take a Screenshot and Save to a Folder

1. Command + Shift + 3: This keyboard shortcut captures the entire screen and saves it as a PNG file on your desktop. This is the most basic and commonly used screenshot shortcut on macOS.
2. Command + Shift + 4: This keyboard shortcut allows you to capture a specific area of the screen. After pressing this combination, your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag the cursor to select the area you want to capture. Once you release the mouse, the screenshot will be saved as a PNG file on your desktop.
3. Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar: This keyboard shortcut captures a specific window or menu on your screen. After pressing this combination, your cursor will turn into a camera icon. Click on the window or menu you want to capture, and the screenshot will be saved as a PNG file on your desktop.

Take a Screenshot and Copy to Clipboard

1. Command + Control + Shift + 3: This keyboard shortcut captures the entire screen and saves it to the clipboard. You can then paste the screenshot into any application that supports images.
2. Command + Control + Shift + 4: This keyboard shortcut allows you to capture a specific area of the screen and saves it to the clipboard. After pressing this combination, your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag the cursor to select the area you want to capture. Once you release the mouse, the screenshot will be saved to the clipboard.
3. Command + Control + Shift + 4 + Spacebar: This keyboard shortcut captures a specific window or menu on your screen and saves it to the clipboard. After pressing this combination, your cursor will turn into a camera icon. Click on the window or menu you want to capture, and the screenshot will be saved to the clipboard.

Bring up the Screenshot Tool Before Taking a Screenshot

Command + Shift + 5: This keyboard shortcut brings up the screenshot tool on macOS. From here, you can choose whether to capture the entire screen, a specific window, or a selected portion of the screen. You can also choose to record your screen or a portion of your screen.

That’s it! By using these keyboard shortcuts, you’ll be able to take screenshots quickly and efficiently on your macOS device.