Mac has three ways to capture your screen without installing anything

The fastest way to take a screenshot on a Mac is to press Shift + Command + 3 to capture your entire screen, or Shift + Command + 4 to select just the part you want. Both save the image directly to your desktop as a PNG file. If you need to copy the screenshot to paste it elsewhere instead of saving it, add the Control key to either command — so Shift + Command + Control + 3 copies the full screen, and Shift + Command + Control + 4 copies a selection.

A third method, Shift + Command + 5, opens the Screenshot app, which gives you more control over what you capture and where it goes. This is the most flexible option if you take screenshots often or need to record video.

Key Takeaways

  • Shift + Command + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it to your desktop as a PNG file.
  • Shift + Command + 4 lets you drag to select only the part of the screen you want, then saves that selection.
  • Add Control to any of these commands to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving a file.
  • Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot app, where you can choose to save, copy, or record video, and pick where files go.

Full-screen capture with Shift + Command + 3

Press Shift + Command + 3 and your Mac captures everything on your screen. The image appears as a file on your desktop named "Screenshot [date] at [time].png" — for example, "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 10.32.45 AM.png". You can then move, rename, or delete it like any other file.

This method is fastest when you need the whole screen and do not need to edit or choose where the file lands. If your desktop is cluttered, the file still appears there, so you may want to move it to a folder afterward.

Partial capture with Shift + Command + 4

Press Shift + Command + 4 and your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the part of the screen you want to capture. When you release the mouse, that selection saves to your desktop as a PNG file, the same way the full-screen method works.

While you are dragging, you can hold Space to move the entire selection without resizing it, or hold Shift to lock one edge and resize from the opposite side. If you change your mind before releasing the mouse, press Escape to cancel.

The Screenshot app for more options (Shift + Command + 5)

Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the Screenshot app. A toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with five buttons: capture entire screen, capture selected window, capture selected portion, record entire screen, and record selected portion.

The Screenshot app also shows you a menu where you can choose whether to save the file to your desktop, documents folder, clipboard, mail, messages, notes, or another app. You can also set a timer so the screenshot captures after a delay — useful if you need to move your cursor out of the way or let a menu close. After you take the screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the corner; click it to edit, delete, or change where it saves.

Copy to clipboard instead of saving a file

Add the Control key to either the full-screen or partial-capture command to copy the image to your clipboard instead of saving it to your desktop. Shift + Command + Control + 3 copies the entire screen, and Shift + Command + Control + 4 copies a selection. You can then paste the image directly into an email, document, or messaging app by pressing Command + V.

This method is useful when you want to share a screenshot when ready without creating a file, or when you need to paste it into an app that does not let you open files from your desktop.

Where screenshots land and how to find them

By default, screenshots save to your desktop. If you take many screenshots, your desktop can become crowded. You can move them to a folder, or you can change the default location using the Screenshot app. Open Screenshot with Shift + Command + 5, click the Options menu at the bottom, and choose a different folder under "Save to".

You can also delete screenshots from the thumbnail that appears in the corner after you take one. Click the thumbnail and then click the trash icon, or press Delete on your keyboard.

Capturing a single window instead of the whole screen

Press Shift + Command + 4, then press Space. Your cursor changes to a camera icon. Click any window and that window alone captures, with its shadow but without the rest of your screen. This is faster than dragging a selection box around a window by hand.

You can also use the Screenshot app by pressing Shift + Command + 5 and clicking the "Capture selected window" button (the second one), then clicking the window you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen if I have multiple monitors?

Yes. Shift + Command + 3 captures all connected monitors at once and saves them as separate files. If you want to capture only one monitor, use Shift + Command + 4 to select just that screen, or use the Screenshot app and choose "Capture entire screen" to see which monitor you are capturing before you confirm.

What format are Mac screenshots saved in?

Screenshots save as PNG files by default. PNG is a lossless format, meaning the image does not lose quality when you save it. You cannot change the format using the built-in tools, but you can convert a PNG to JPG or another format using Preview or a third-party app afterward.

How do I take a screenshot of a menu that disappears when I click?

Open the Screenshot app with Shift + Command + 5 and set a timer — usually 5 or 10 seconds is enough. Click OK, then quickly open the menu you want to capture. The screenshot will take after the timer runs out, even if you have moved your cursor away from the menu.

Can I record my screen instead of taking a still screenshot?

Yes. Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the Screenshot app, then click either "Record entire screen" or "Record selected portion". Click the red record button to start, and press Control + Command + Esc to stop. The video saves as an MP4 file to your desktop or the location you chose in Options.

What if I do not want screenshots to appear on my desktop?

Open the Screenshot app with Shift + Command + 5, click Options, and choose a different folder under "Save to" — such as Documents or a specific project folder. You can also copy screenshots to your clipboard instead of saving them by adding Control to your keyboard shortcut, then paste them where you need them.