Macs have no Print Screen key, so the screenshot question trips up every Windows convert at least once.
Updated August 08, 2026, after a fresh review, with updated visuals and links.
Once you learn the three shortcuts, though, macOS actually screenshots better than almost anything else, no extra apps needed.
Short version: Whole screen: Command + Shift + 3 first, then just a portion: command + shift + 4. Details below.
Here's how it works
- Whole screen: Command + Shift + 3. The classic. You hear a camera click and the file lands on your desktop as a PNG, named with the date and time.
- Just a portion: Command + Shift + 4. Your pointer becomes a crosshair. Drag over the part you want, release, done. Press Esc to cancel if you change your mind.
- Hold Space after pressing it to screenshot a single window with a nice shadow
- Hold Spacebar... no wait: tap Space once, the crosshair becomes a camera, then click the window
- The control panel: Command + Shift + 5. A small toolbar appears with every option: full screen, window, selection, and screen recording. The Options button lets you pick where files save, set a timer, and whether to show the mouse pointer.
- Copy instead of saving. Add Control to any shortcut (for example Control + Command + Shift + 4) and the screenshot goes to the clipboard instead of the desktop. Paste it straight into a message or document.
- On a MacBook with Touch Bar. Command + Shift + 6 captures the Touch Bar itself. Rare, but the day you need it, nothing else works.
Pro tips without the attitude
- Screenshots stack on the desktop bottom right for a few seconds before landing. Drag the thumbnail straight into an app to skip the file entirely.
- Change the default save folder once in the Shift + Command + 5 panel, Options. Your desktop will thank you.
- PNG files are crisp but heavy. For long documents, convert a batch to JPG in Preview.
Before you ask
Can I record video of my screen without extra apps?
Yes. The Command + Shift + 5 panel includes full screen and selection recording.
How do I screenshot a menu?
Open the menu, then press Command + Shift + 4, tap Space, and click the menu.
Keep reading
- How to Force Quit a Frozen App on a Mac (4 Ways That Always Work)
- How to Replace a Headlight Bulb Yourself (and Not Touch the One Thing You Shouldn't)
- How to Speed Up a Slow WordPress Site Without Touching Code
Three shortcuts cover every situation: 3 for everything, 4 for some of it, 5 when you want options. Muscle memory handles the rest in about a day.
