How to Take a Screenshot on Mac
Every way to take a screenshot on a Mac — the keyboard shortcuts, what each one does, and how to go further than the built-in tools.
What is the screenshot shortcut on a Mac?
The main shortcuts are Shift + Cmd + 3 (whole screen), Shift + Cmd + 4 (drag to select a region), and Shift + Cmd + 5 (the screenshot and recording toolbar). Press Space after Shift + Cmd + 4 to capture a specific window.
Mac screenshot shortcuts
| Shortcut | What it captures |
|---|---|
| Shift + Cmd + 3 | The entire screen |
| Shift + Cmd + 4 | A region you drag to select |
| Shift + Cmd + 4, then Space | A single window or menu |
| Shift + Cmd + 5 | The capture toolbar (screen, region, window, recording) |
| Add Ctrl to any of the above | Copies the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving |
Where they save
By default, screenshots land on your Desktop. You can change that in the Shift + Cmd + 5 → Options menu — see where screenshots go on a Mac.
Going beyond the basics
The built-in shortcuts can't scroll-capture a long page, pull text out with OCR, record a GIF, or add numbered steps. Shotstrix (free) adds all of that on top of the shortcuts you already know — see how to take a scrolling screenshot or extract text with OCR.
Get Shotstrix — free
Shotstrix is a free screenshot and screen-recording tool for macOS — scrolling capture, OCR, annotation, blur, GIF recording, and share-ready backdrops, with no account and no watermark.
Free · Universal (Apple Silicon + Intel) · macOS 14 Sonoma or later
Frequently asked questions
How do I screenshot part of the screen on a Mac? +
Press Shift + Cmd + 4 and drag to select the area. Press Space first to capture a whole window instead.
How do I screenshot on a Mac without saving to the Desktop? +
Hold Ctrl with the shortcut to copy to the clipboard, or change the save location in Shift + Cmd + 5 → Options.
How do I take a scrolling or full-page screenshot? +
The built-in tools can't; use Shotstrix's scrolling capture. See our scrolling screenshot guide.