Win + Shift + S on a Mac: the screenshot tool for Windows users

The Mac has the same kind of screenshot tool as Windows, built in. Press ⇧⌘4 (Shift, Command, 4) and drag to capture a part of the screen, as Win + Shift + S does, or press ⇧⌘5 for a toolbar with every mode, a timer and screen recording. Add Control (⌃⇧⌘4) to copy the capture instead of saving a file.

Updated November 2, 2026

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Windows screenshot habits, on a Mac

On Windows	On a Mac
Win + Shift + S, rectangle	⇧⌘4, then drag
Window mode	⇧⌘4, then Space, then click the window
Full screen, Print Screen	⇧⌘3
Delay	⇧⌘5 › Options › Timer (5 or 10 seconds)
Copy to the clipboard	⌃⇧⌘4 (add Control)
Record the screen	⇧⌘5 › Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion
Edit the capture	Click the thumbnail that appears in the corner
Free-form shape	Not built in: capture a rectangle and crop

Capture a part of the screen

Press ⇧⌘4. The pointer turns into a crosshair.
Drag over the part you want and let go.
Click the thumbnail in the corner to draw on it or crop it, or wait and the file is saved to the desktop.

Using a keyboard made for Windows? The Windows key works as ⌘: press Shift + Windows + 4. More in screenshots with a Windows keyboard.

A screenshot tool that goes further: SimpleShot

SimpleShot is a free capture app for Mac that works the way people coming from Windows expect, and adds what the built-in tool lacks:

Copied and saved at once, with a thumbnail to copy, save, drag into a message, edit or pin.
A real editor: arrows, boxes, text, numbered steps, a highlighter that snaps to lines of text, blur and pixelate, crop.
Private details covered: Hide Sensitive Data finds e-mail addresses, phone and card numbers, IBANs and keys and covers them in one click.
Text from the screen: ⌥⇧⌘T copies the words of any area.
Long pages and GIFs: scrolling capture for chats and documents, and screen recording as MP4 or GIF.

It uses the Mac’s usual keys (⇧⌘4 and the rest), and each can be changed in Settings › Shortcuts.

Questions

What is the Mac shortcut for Win + Shift + S?

⇧⌘4 (Shift, Command, 4). To copy the capture instead of saving it, use ⌃⇧⌘4.

Is there a screenshot tool on Mac like on Windows?

Yes, built in. Press ⇧⌘5 to open it, or open the Screenshot app in Applications › Utilities.

Where does the Mac save screenshots?

On the desktop, unless you chose another place in ⇧⌘5 › Options › Save to. Captures taken with Control are on the clipboard only. More in where screenshots go.

Is there a Print Screen key on a Mac?

No. ⇧⌘3 captures the whole screen. You can assign a key of your own in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Screenshots.

New to the Mac?
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