---
title: "How to take a screenshot on a Mac"
description: "Your Mac comes with everything you need to take screenshots. There are easy ways to take screenshots of your entire screen, a section of your screen, or even a specific window."
image: "https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/screenshot-mac-p-img/422b6ebef7010d8524aa21cb0122e51a/file.png"
---

# How to take a screenshot on a Mac

Your Mac comes with everything you need to take screenshots. There are easy ways to take screenshots of your entire screen, a section of your screen, or even a specific window.

Your Mac comes with everything you need to take screenshots. There are easy ways to take screenshots of your entire screen, a section of your screen, or even a specific window.

The problem: these features are hidden behind keyboard shortcuts that, to say the least, aren't obvious. 

## The most useful Mac screenshot shortcuts

To take a screenshot on a Mac, you'll need to memorize a few keyboard shortcuts. Fortunately, they're all quite similar—and each saves a screenshot image to your Mac's desktop by default. Here are the default Mac screenshot keyboard shortcuts:

- Save full-screen screenshot: `**command**`** + **`**shift**`** + **`**3**`
- Save screenshot of single window: first, swipe up with four fingers to show all your windows. Then `**command**`** + **`**shift**`** + **`**4**`, press the `**Space**` key, and click on the window you want to capture (your cursor will turn into a camera icon).
- Save screenshot of selection: `**command**`** + **`**shift**`** + **`**4**`, then select the area you want to capture with your mouse cursor.
- Save screenshot of Touch Bar (note: Touch Bars are being discontinued on newer Macs): `**command**`** + **`**shift**`** + **`**6**`

**Tip:** Want to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it to your desktop? Add `control` to any of these keyboard shortcuts to copy the screenshot—so, for example, `command` + `control` + `shift` + `3` to copy a full-screen screenshot. Then all you need to do is `command`+`V` to paste it where you want it.

## How to customize the screenshot keyboard shortcuts on a Mac

If you want, you can customize the screenshot keyboard shortcuts from your Mac's keyboard preferences. 

1. Open **System Settings **(Apple icon > System Settings).
2. Toward the bottom of the sidebar, select **Keyboard.**
3. Click **Keyboard Shortcuts.**
4. In the sidebar, select **Screenshots.**
5. Double-click the shortcut area on any of the options, and it'll turn into a space for you to type.
6. Type the new shortcut you want to use.
7. Click **Done**.

That's it! You can always restore the defaults at any time.

## How to screen record on Mac (and capture delayed screenshots)

If you want to do more than capture a single screenshot, you can use the Screenshot app that comes with your Mac. The Screenshot tool lets you:

- Record your screen, with or without your cursor movement
- Capture a delayed screenshot
- Save your screenshots and recordings directly to a specific location

Here's how to do it:

1. In _Finder_, select **Applications** from the sidebar, and then choose the **Utilities **folder**.**
2. Open **Screenshot**.
3. The buttons with the small circles on them let you record a video of your screen—you can even record commentary using your microphone. You can do your entire screen or a particular section—the result will be saved as a .MOV file.

Alternatively, you can click **Options **to set up a delay. 

## Other ways to screenshot on Mac

Want your screenshots and videos automatically uploaded to the web, so you can quickly share them? [Check out Zappy](https://zapier.com/zappy), made by Zapier. It's what the Zapier team uses internally, and it does everything Apple's Screenshot does (and more). Or try any of these [screen recording tools](https://zapier.com/blog/best-screen-recording-software/) for more advanced features.

**Related reading:**

- [Screenshot tools, tips, and shortcuts: How to capture anything on your screen](https://zapier.com/blog/best-screen-capture-tool/)
- [How to turn boring screenshots into shareable images](https://zapier.com/blog/screenshot-background/)
- [How to record yourself on a Mac](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-record-yourself-on-a-mac/)
- [How to automatically quit apps on Mac when you're not using them](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-quit-apps-on-mac/)

_This article was originally published in August 2018. The most recent update, with contributions from Zapier editors, was in March 2024._