A Complete Guide to Taking Screenshots on Your Apple Computer
Hello Challenger! Whether you’re using a Macbook Pro or iMac, taking screenshots is a quick and easy way to capture images or information from your computer screen. However, if you are new to Apple products, you might not know how to take a screenshot. This article will provide you with a detailed explanation of how to print screen on Mac. Let’s get started!
Introduction
If you’re familiar with Windows computers, you might wonder how to print screen on Mac. Unlike Windows, Apple products have a different keyboard and button combinations to take a screenshot. Taking a screenshot on a Mac is simple, and there are several ways to do it. Here’s a quick overview of various methods to take screenshots on Mac.
1. Full Screen Screenshot
To capture an image of your entire screen, press the Command + Shift + 3 buttons simultaneously. This will take a screenshot of your screen and save the image to your desktop.
2. Selected Area Screenshot
If you want to capture a specific area on your screen, press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag the cursor to select the area you want to capture, and release the mouse button.
3. Window Screenshot
To capture a screenshot of a specific window, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar. Your cursor will turn into a camera. Hover your cursor over the window and click to take the screenshot.
4. Touch Bar Screenshot
If you’re using a Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar, you can easily capture a screenshot of it by pressing Command + Shift + 6.
5. Copy Screenshot to Clipboard
If you want to copy the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving it to your desktop, press the Control key in addition to any of the above-mentioned keyboard combinations.
6. Use Grab App
If you prefer a more streamlined way to take screenshots, Apple’s Grab app is readily available. To open Grab, go to Applications > Utilities > Grab. Inside Grab, you can choose to take a screenshot in any of the listed modes.
7. Use Third-Party Software
There are plenty of third-party apps available on the Mac App Store that let you take screenshots with more customizable options. Apps like Monosnap, Lightshot, and Snagit offer various functionality for screenshots.
How to Print Screen on Mac: A Detailed Explanation
1. Full Screen Screenshot
Pressing Command + Shift + 3 will take a screenshot of the entire screen on your Mac. You will hear a camera shutter sound effect, indicating that the screenshot has been taken. The screen-captured image will appear on your desktop as a JPG file. Now you can print screen on Mac by opening the JPG file and quickly pressing the Command + P buttons.
2. Selected Area Screenshot
Press Command + Shift + 4, and your cursor will turn into a crosshair icon. Click and drag the cursor to select the area you want to capture. Release the mouse button to take a screenshot.
A screenshot greys-out the screen, indicating that it was taken. The captured image will appear on your desktop saved as a JPG file. After this process, you can easily print screen on Mac.
3. Window Screenshot
Press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar. Your cursor icon will turn into a camera icon. Click on the window you want to capture. The window will highlight in blue, indicating that it would be captured. Release the mouse button to take a screenshot.
The screenshot will be saved as a JPG file on your desktop. Open the file and press the Command + P buttons to print screen on Mac.
4. Touch Bar Screenshot
If you own a Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar, press Command + Shift + 6 to take a screenshot of the Touch Bar. The screenshot will be saved as a JPG file on your desktop.
To print screen on Mac from this saved file, open the file and press the Command + P buttons.
How to Print Screen on Mac: A Complete Table
| Method | Keyboard Combination | Screenshot and File Type |
|---|---|---|
| Full Screen Screenshot | Command + Shift + 3 | JPG File on Desktop |
| Selected Area Screenshot | Command + Shift + 4 | JPG File on Desktop |
| Window Screenshot | Command + Shift + 4, then Spacebar | JPG File on Desktop |
| Touch Bar Screenshot | Command + Shift + 6 | JPG File on Desktop |
| Copy Screenshot to Clipboard | Control + Keyboard Combination | N/A |
| Use Grab App | In-App Options | Varies per Selection |
| Use Third-Party Software | In-App Options | Varies per Selection |
FAQs
1. Can I take screenshots on my Mac?
Yes. It’s easy to take a screenshot on a Mac.
2. What keyboard combination do I use to take a screenshot on a Mac?
To take a screenshot on Mac, press Command + Shift + 4 or Command + Shift + 3.
3. How do I take a screenshot of a window on a Mac?
Press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar, and click on the window you want to capture.
4. Can I print screen on Mac?
Yes. Press Command + P while on the screenshot image file.
5. Can I select an area of the screen to take a screenshot?
Yes. Press Command + Shift + 4 and click and drag your cursor to select the area of the screen to take a screenshot.
6. Can I take a screenshot of my Touch Bar?
Yes. Press Command + Shift + 6.
7. What do I do if I want to copy the screenshot to my clipboard?
Press Control in addition to any of the keyboard combinations.
8. What does the Grab App do?
It provides an alternative way of taking screenshots with more options.
9. Are there third-party software apps for taking screenshots on Mac?
Yes. Apps like Monosnap, Lightshot, and Snagit offer various functionality for screenshots.
10. Can I use any image file type for my screenshots?
No. Screenshots are saved as JPG files by default.
11. Can I rename my screenshot files?
Yes. Simply right-click on the file name and choose “Rename.”
12. Does taking a screenshot on Mac save the image to my clipboard?
Only if you use the keyboard combination that includes “Control.”
13. Is it possible to take and save multiple screenshots at once on a Mac?
Yes. Just keep taking screenshots, as each one will be saved to your desktop as a new file.
Conclusion
Now that you have a complete guide on how to print screen on Mac, taking screenshots on your Apple computer should no longer be a challenge. With a little practice, you will become an expert at taking screenshots and editing your images.
Don’t forget to save and print your screenshots using the Command + P keyboard combination.
Thank you for reading this article, and I hope this helps you on your journey with your Mac.
Disclaimer
The information in this article is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, please note that Apple may have changed the keyboard combinations for screenshots or made changes to the operating system of Mac since this article was written. We are not responsible for any damages or errors that may occur from following the instructions provided in this article.