Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe easiest way to take a screenshot on a Mac is Shift–Command–3 for the entire screen. Use Shift–Command–4 for a selected area, or press Space after that shortcut to capture one window or menu. Press Shift–Command–5 when you need a timer, a different save location, pointer controls, or screen-recording controls. Screenshots normally appear on the Desktop.
Which Mac screenshot shortcut should you use?
| What you want | Shortcut and action | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Entire screen | Shift–Command–3 | Everything currently visible on the display |
| Part of the screen | Shift–Command–4, then drag and release | A specific region, paragraph, image, or dialog |
| One window or menu | Shift–Command–4, press Space, then click | A clean capture of one app window or open menu |
| Capture controls | Shift–Command–5 | Timer, destination, pointer visibility, thumbnails, and recording |
These shortcuts are documented in Apple’s current Mac screenshot instructions and corroborated by Apple’s keyboard-shortcut reference.
Capture the entire Mac screen
- Press and release Shift–Command–3 together.
- Wait for the shutter animation or floating thumbnail, if enabled.
- Open the Desktop to find the saved image, or click the thumbnail to mark it up before it is saved.
The normal filename looks like Screen Shot [date] at [time]. If you have more than one display, the shortcut captures the screens as they are arranged in your current desktop setup.
Capture only part of the screen
- Press and release Shift–Command–4. The pointer changes to a crosshair.
- Press and hold the mouse button or trackpad, then drag around the area you need.
- Release to capture. The image is saved using your current Screenshot destination.
- Press Escape before releasing to cancel.
- Hold Space while dragging to move the selection without changing its dimensions.
- If the first drag is not precise, release and take the selection again; the shortcut does not alter the original screen.
Capture a window or menu without the desktop around it
- Open the window or menu you want to show.
- Press Shift–Command–4, then press and release Space.
- The pointer becomes a camera. Move it over the target until it is highlighted, then click.
Hold Option while clicking a window if you want to leave out its drop shadow. For a menu, open the menu first and then use the same camera step. This is usually cleaner than selecting the window manually because macOS identifies the window boundary for you.
#1 Best Overall
- WIRELESS, RECHARGEABLE CONVENIENCE — Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad connects wirelessly to your Mac, iPad, or iPhone via Bluetooth. And the rechargeable internal battery means no loose batteries to replace.
- WORKS WITH MAC, IPAD, OR IPHONE — It pairs quickly with your device so you can get to work right away.
- ENHANCED TYPING EXPERIENCE — Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience. Its extended layout features document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys. The numeric keypad is ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- GO WEEKS WITHOUT CHARGING — The incredibly long-lasting internal battery will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges. (Battery life varies by use.) Comes with a Lightning to USB Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB port on your Mac.
- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS — Requires a Bluetooth-enabled Mac with macOS 10.12.4 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later, or an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 10.3 or later.
Use the Screenshot app when you need options
Press Shift–Command–5 to open the Screenshot controls. You can also open it from Applications > Utilities > Screenshot. Apple added this app in macOS Mojave 10.14 or later.
Choose the capture mode
The toolbar offers full-screen capture, a selected-window capture, and a selected-region capture. It also includes controls for recording the entire screen or a chosen portion when a video is more useful than a still image.
Set a timer
Choose Options, then select a timer when you need time to open a menu, position a pointer, or dismiss a temporary notification. The countdown runs before the selected capture is made.
Choose where files go
In Options, choose a destination instead of the Desktop. Apple’s documented choices include the Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, Preview, and another location available through the menu. The selected destination becomes the default for later captures until you change it.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #2
- Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It’s also wireless and rechargeable, with an incredibly long-lasting internal battery that’ll power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
- It pairs automatically with your Mac, so you can get to work straightaway.
- It features a USB-C port and includes a woven USB-C Charge Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac.
Control the thumbnail and pointer
Use Options to show or hide the floating thumbnail and to include or exclude the mouse pointer. A thumbnail is useful when you want to open markup immediately; disabling it keeps a rapid series of captures from leaving previews on screen.
Find, edit, copy, and share the screenshot
Find the saved file
Unless you changed the destination, look on the Desktop for a file named Screen Shot [date] at [time]. The exact extension depends on the capture format selected by your Mac and macOS version.
Use the floating thumbnail
Click the thumbnail to open Apple’s markup view. You can draw, add shapes or text, crop, and then save or share the result. Drag the thumbnail to a Finder folder, a document, or another app to place a copy there. If you do nothing, it disappears and the screenshot remains saved to the configured destination.
Copy directly to the Clipboard
Add Control to a shortcut instead of saving first. For example, press Control–Shift–Command–3 to copy a full-screen capture to the Clipboard. You can then paste it into Messages, Mail, a document, an image editor, or any app that accepts images. With the Screenshot app open, you can also Control-click the thumbnail and choose Save to Clipboard.
Rank #3
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
Screenshot formats and macOS version limits
On supported Mac models running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, Apple documents two capture-format choices: SDR (Most Compatible), which uses PNG, and HDR, which uses HEIF. This is a version- and hardware-qualified option, not a setting available on every Mac. If you need maximum compatibility with websites, older apps, or documentation systems, SDR/PNG is generally the safer choice; select the option in the Screenshot app when it is offered on your Mac.
When a shortcut appears not to work
Nothing happens
- Press and release the keys together rather than holding them for several seconds.
- Make sure you are using the Mac Command key. On many non-Apple keyboards, the Windows key maps to Command and the Alt key maps to Option.
- Try Shift–Command–5. If the control bar opens, macOS is receiving the shortcut and the issue is likely the selected mode or destination.
- If another utility has reassigned the shortcut, quit that utility temporarily and test again.
The image is not on the Desktop
Open Shift–Command–5, choose Options, and check the selected save location. A previous change can send every screenshot to Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, Preview, or another folder.
The capture includes the wrong area
For a region capture, press Escape and start again. Hold Space during the drag to reposition the selection. For a window capture, wait until the intended window is highlighted by the camera pointer before clicking.
An app window is blank or cannot be captured
Some apps, including Apple TV, may not allow screenshots of their windows. A shortcut cannot override an app’s capture restriction. Capture surrounding interface elements instead, or use an image supplied by the app’s owner when you need an authorized still.
Rank #4
- Ultra Thin Wired Keyboard: Constructed with aluminum backing, the slim keyboard's height is less than that of a penny.
- Broad Compatibility: Able to work with Apple and compatible with Windows PC operating systems
- Full Sized Extended Keyboard: Easy access to media with 20 Apple shortcut keys (cut/copy/paste, iTunes control, Volume up/down, etc.) and multimedia shortcuts for Windows PC. Also, contains a ten-key numeric keypad for easy data entry.
- Plug and Play (No Drivers Required): No need to continually change or recharge batteries of wireless keyboards
- Long Cord: 4'7" (140 cm) USB cable to connect your external keyboard to the computer
The file type is not accepted by another app
Open the screenshot in Preview and export it to a format the destination accepts. On Macs that offer Tahoe’s HDR/HEIF option, switch to SDR/PNG in Screenshot when you need a broadly compatible file.
Practical habits for cleaner captures
- Close private messages, passwords, and notifications before using a full-screen shortcut.
- Use window capture for documentation so the reader sees the app boundary without unrelated desktop clutter.
- Use a region capture when sharing only one error message; it reduces accidental disclosure and produces a smaller file.
- Use a timer for menus that disappear when the pointer moves.
- Choose a dedicated folder in Options for a long troubleshooting session, then restore your normal destination afterward.
- For repeated captures, disable the floating thumbnail so each new screenshot is saved immediately without a preview covering the next target.
Or skip the browser setup:
If what you really need is a screenshot of a public webpage—not a picture of your Mac desktop—ScreenshotNeo can render the URL through its screenshot API. It is useful in scripts, documentation pipelines, and AI-agent workflows where opening a browser and arranging a window is unnecessary. Cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
The API accepts PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF output and supports full-page captures, CSS-selector element shots, device presets, retina scale, dark mode, custom CSS and JavaScript, waits, request blocking, cookies, headers, geolocation, time zones, transparent backgrounds, resizing, caching, signed links, asynchronous jobs, webhooks, bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call, usage reporting, and an OpenAPI specification. Every feature is available on every plan. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Yearly billing provides two months free.
cURL
See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for parameter details. This request saves a WebP capture of Stripe’s homepage:
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallcurl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const fs = await import('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));Replace the target URL with the page you own or are authorized to capture, and keep the access key private. If you want to automate webpage images rather than local desktop screenshots, create a free ScreenshotNeo account for 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Best Value
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot while a menu is open?
Yes. Open the menu first, press Shift-Command-4, press Space, and click the highlighted menu. If the menu closes before capture, use Shift-Command-5 and set a timer.
Does Screenshot capture video as well as still images?
Yes. Shift-Command-5 includes controls for recording the entire screen or a selected portion, in addition to its still-image modes.
The Bottom Line
For a one-second capture, use Shift–Command–3 for the whole screen or Shift–Command–4 for a region. Open Shift–Command–5 when you need control over timing, destination, pointers, or recording.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
