To screenshot on a Mac, press Shift-Command-3 for the entire screen, Shift-Command-4 to select an area, or Shift-Command-4 followed by Space to capture a window or menu. Press Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot controls for these options, a timer, and more.
Choose the screenshot method that fits
| What you want to capture | Shortcut | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| The entire screen | Shift-Command-3 | Captures the screen immediately. |
| A selected area | Shift-Command-4 | Lets you drag to choose a rectangle. |
| A window or menu | Shift-Command-4, then Space | Turns the pointer into a camera so you can click the target. |
| Capture controls and options | Shift-Command-5 | Opens the Screenshot controls, including capture modes, timer, and save options. |
These built-in shortcuts and controls are documented in Apple Support’s guide to taking screenshots on Mac. The Screenshot app is also available from Applications > Utilities; Apple lists support for it from macOS Mojave 10.14 onward.
Capture the entire screen
- Press and release Shift-Command-3 together.
- If the floating thumbnail appears, click it to open the capture for editing. Otherwise, the screenshot saves to the desktop by default.
Capture a selected area
- Press Shift-Command-4. The pointer changes to a crosshair.
- Drag across the part of the screen you want to capture, then release.
Press Esc to cancel before capturing. While dragging, hold Space to move the selected rectangle without changing its size.
Capture a window or menu
- Open the window or menu you want to capture.
- Press Shift-Command-4, then press Space. The pointer becomes a camera.
- Click the window or menu to capture it.
To capture a window without its shadow, hold Option while clicking it.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, 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 minute#1 Best Overall
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Use Screenshot controls for a timer and other options
- Press Shift-Command-5, or open Applications > Utilities > Screenshot.
- Choose full-screen, window, or selected-area capture in the controls.
- Open Options to set a timer, choose a save destination, control whether the floating thumbnail appears, or show the pointer in the capture.
- Click the capture control for the mode you selected.
The same controls also include screen-recording options. Their exact availability and format choices can depend on macOS version and Mac hardware.
Choose where the screenshot goes
By default, screenshots save to the desktop with a date-and-time filename. In the Screenshot controls, open Options and choose a different destination. You can also drag the floating thumbnail to another location.
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Copy a screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it
Hold Control while pressing a screenshot shortcut. For example, Control-Shift-Command-3 captures the entire screen to the clipboard. If the floating thumbnail appears, you can also Control-click it and choose Save to Clipboard.
Check format availability on newer Macs
Apple describes a format choice on supported Mac models running macOS Tahoe 26 or later: SDR (Most Compatible), which uses PNG, or HDR, which uses HEIF. This option is not universal; check your Mac model and macOS version if it does not appear in Screenshot’s options. See Apple’s current instructions for details.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Rank #3
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
If a screenshot does not capture the content
Some apps, including Apple TV, may prevent screenshots of their windows. If a particular app window is missing or appears blank, the app may restrict capture rather than the shortcut being incorrect.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- SUPERCHARGED BY M5 — The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. Featuring all-day battery life and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits peak brightness, it’s pro in every way.*
- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
- APPS FLY WITH APPLE SILICON — All your favorites, including Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud, run lightning fast in macOS.*
Rank #4
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
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.

