How to Print Screen on a Mac – 7 Different Ways

Taking screenshots on a Mac works differently than on Windows. There’s no dedicated Print Screen key, but macOS offers more powerful screen capture options. You can capture your entire screen, a specific window, or a custom selection with just a few keystrokes.

This guide covers every method to take screenshots on a Mac, from quick keyboard shortcuts to the built-in Screenshot app. Whether you’re documenting a bug, saving a receipt, or creating tutorials, you’ll find the right approach for your needs.

Quick Reference: Mac Screenshot Shortcuts

Before diving into details, here’s a quick reference table for Mac screenshot shortcuts:

Shortcut	Action
Command + Shift + 3	Capture entire screen
Command + Shift + 4	Capture selected area
Command + Shift + 4 + Space	Capture specific window
Command + Shift + 5	Open Screenshot toolbar
Command + Shift + 6	Capture Touch Bar (MacBook Pro)

Add Control to any shortcut to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it as a file.

Method 1: Capture the Entire Screen

The simplest way to print screen on a Mac captures everything visible on your display.

Press Command + Shift + 3

Your Mac captures the entire screen instantly. A thumbnail appears briefly in the corner of your screen. Click it to edit the screenshot, or wait for it to disappear and find the file on your desktop.

If you have multiple monitors, this shortcut captures all screens simultaneously, creating separate image files for each display.

Pro tip: Hold Control while pressing this shortcut (Command + Control + Shift + 3) to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving a file. You can then paste it directly into documents, emails, or image editors.

Method 2: Capture a Selected Area

When you only need part of your screen, use the selection tool for precise captures.

Press Command + Shift + 4

Your cursor transforms into a crosshair with pixel coordinates. Click and drag to select the exact area you want to capture. Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.

While dragging your selection, you can use these modifiers:

• Hold Shift – Lock the selection to horizontal or vertical movement
• Hold Option – Resize the selection from its center
• Hold Space – Move the entire selection without changing its size
• Press Escape – Cancel the screenshot

This method works perfectly for capturing specific content without including unnecessary elements. Web designers and developers using code editors frequently use this for documentation.

Method 3: Capture a Specific Window

Capturing a single window produces clean screenshots with professional-looking drop shadows.

Press Command + Shift + 4, then press Space

Your cursor changes to a camera icon. Move it over any window, menu, or the Dock to highlight it. Click to capture that element with its shadow intact.

This method automatically includes the window’s drop shadow, making screenshots look polished without any editing. To capture without the shadow, hold Option while clicking.

Window captures work on:

• Application windows
• Dialog boxes and alerts
• Menu bar menus
• The Dock
• The desktop (captures wallpaper only)

Method 4: Use the Screenshot App (Command + Shift + 5)

macOS Mojave introduced the Screenshot app, providing a visual toolbar for all capture options. This is the most versatile method for taking screenshots on a Mac.

Press Command + Shift + 5

A floating toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with these options:

• Capture Entire Screen – Same as Command + Shift + 3
• Capture Selected Window – Same as Command + Shift + 4 + Space
• Capture Selected Portion – Same as Command + Shift + 4
• Record Entire Screen – Create a video of your screen
• Record Selected Portion – Record a specific area

Click Options in the toolbar to access additional settings:

• Save to – Choose desktop, documents, clipboard, mail, messages, or preview
• Timer – Set a 5 or 10-second delay before capture
• Show Floating Thumbnail – Toggle the preview thumbnail
• Remember Last Selection – Reuse your previous selection area
• Show Mouse Pointer – Include or exclude the cursor

The Screenshot app remembers your preferences between sessions, making repeated captures faster.

Method 5: Capture the Touch Bar

MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar have a dedicated screenshot shortcut for that display.

Press Command + Shift + 6

This captures the current state of your Touch Bar as a wide, narrow image. The screenshot saves to your desktop like other captures.

You can also add a Screenshot button directly to your Touch Bar through System Settings > Keyboard > Touch Bar Settings.

Method 6: Use Preview for Screenshots