How to screenshot on a Mac

Press Shift-Command-3 (⇧⌘3) to capture the whole screen, or Shift-Command-4 (⇧⌘4) and drag to capture a part of it. The picture is saved to your desktop as a PNG file; add the Control key to copy it to the clipboard instead. The keys are the same on every Mac, from an iMac to a MacBook Air, Pro or Neo.

Updated November 2, 2026

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Every way to take a screenshot on a Mac

What you want	Keys	What happens
The whole screen	⇧⌘3	Saved to the desktop at once. With two displays, you get one file per display.
A part of the screen	⇧⌘4, then drag	The pointer turns into a crosshair; let go to capture, press Esc to cancel.
One window or menu	⇧⌘4, then Space, then click	The window is captured with its shadow. Hold ⌥ (Option) as you click to leave the shadow out.
All the options	⇧⌘5	The Screenshot toolbar: capture modes, screen recording, a timer and where to save.
To the clipboard, no file	⌃⇧⌘3 or ⌃⇧⌘4	Nothing is saved; paste it with ⌘V into a chat, an e-mail or a document.
The Touch Bar (older MacBook Pro)	⇧⌘6	A picture of what the Touch Bar shows.

How to screenshot a part of the screen

Press ⇧⌘4. The pointer turns into a crosshair with the position next to it.
Drag over what you want to capture. While you drag, hold Space to move the selection, Shift to change one side only, or ⌥ to grow it from the centre.
Let go of the mouse or trackpad. A thumbnail shows in the corner of the screen for a few seconds: click it to mark up or crop, or leave it and the file lands on the desktop.

Without the keyboard

Open the Screenshot app: it is in Applications › Utilities, or type “Screenshot” in Spotlight (⌘Space). It shows the same toolbar as ⇧⌘5: pick the whole screen, a window or a selected part, then click Capture.

A quicker way with SimpleShot

SimpleShot is a free Mac app that answers the same keys, so there is nothing new to learn. It does more with each capture:

A better selection: the screen freezes while you choose, so a menu or a video frame stays put, and a magnifier shows the exact pixel and the size as you drag.
Copied and saved at once: every capture is on the clipboard and in your screenshot folder, and a thumbnail waits in the corner to copy, save, drag straight into a message, edit or pin.
Private details covered before you send: Hide Sensitive Data counts the e-mail addresses, phone and card numbers, IBANs and keys on the capture and covers them in one click.
Found again by its words: the Library finds any capture by a word that was on it, such as an error message or an invoice number.
More than still pictures: scrolling capture for long pages, screen recording as video or GIF, and copying text from any part of the screen.

Captures stay on your Mac. One leaves it only if you make a link to it.

Questions

What is the screenshot shortcut on a Mac?

⇧⌘3 captures the whole screen, ⇧⌘4 a part you drag over, ⇧⌘4 then Space a window, and ⇧⌘5 opens the toolbar with every option. Add ⌃ (Control) to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving a file.

Where do screenshots go on a Mac?

To the desktop, named “Screenshot” with the date and time. You can choose another folder in ⇧⌘5 › Options. More in where screenshots go on a Mac.

Is it different on a MacBook Air, Pro or Neo?

No. Every Mac uses the same keys. On a MacBook, ⇧ is the Shift key and ⌘ is Command, on each side of the space bar.

How do I screenshot only one window?

Press ⇧⌘4, then Space: the pointer becomes a camera and the window under it is highlighted. Click to capture it. Hold ⌥ (Option) while you click to leave out the window’s shadow.

Why does nothing happen when I press ⇧⌘4?

The shortcut may be turned off, or another app may use it. See screenshot not working on Mac for every fix.

Is SimpleShot free?

Yes. Everything it does on your Mac is free, with no limit on captures, no watermark and no account.

The keys you know,
with more behind them.