How To Take A Screenshot On Mac?

Taking a screenshot has become a fundamental part of using digital technologies. It can be for the purpose of saving information, graphics, or any other piece of digital medium that you consider necessary. Screenshots not only facilitate the authenticity of the information for you but also you can preserve them for future use, either as evidence of information or for your memory.

Whether you are a Mac user or a Windows User, knowing how to take a screenshot is necessary for complete utilization of the platform. There are different types of screenshots that you can take. For example;

• Full screen (for capturing the entire screen).
• Selected portion (for capturing a specific portion on the screen).
• Window (for capturing a particular window/application/dialogue box on the screen).

However, in this blog, we will mainly focus on the screenshotting techniques for Mac users.

Different methods

There are different methods that Mac users can opt for taking a screenshot. Such as;

1. You can utilize the built-in functionalities and keyboard shortcuts to take screenshots instantly on Mac.
2. There’s a dedicated application called ‘Grab’ on Mac that offers you advanced options for screenshotting.

Using Keyboard shortcuts.

Capturing Full Screen

To capture full screen on Mac;

1. Hold Command + Shift + 3.
2. You will automatically get the screenshot saved as a file on the desktop.
3. If you want to take a screenshot and copy it to the clipboard instead of saving it on the desktop; hold Control (Ctrl) + Command + Shift + 3.

Capturing a particular section

To capture a particular section or window on your screen of Mac;

1. Hold Command + Shift + 4.
2. Press and drag your cursor to the area you want to screenshot.
3. Release the mouse button.
4. You will find your screenshot saved on the desktop.
5. For copying the screenshot to clipboard; hold Command + Control (Ctrl) + Shift + 4.

Capturing a specific window

If you want to capture a specific window on your screen on Mac;

1. Follow the steps mentioned above.
2. Press the Space bar while holding Command + Shift + 4.
3. You will get the screenshot of the selected window on the screen.

Using Grab Application

As a built-in utility on Mac, Grab offers an advanced level of screenshot options that the keyboard shortcuts on Mac don’t exclusively provide. For instance, screenshotting specific menus, or timed screenshots.

To use the Grab application on Mac for a screenshot;

• Go to your application menu.
• Select the ‘Utilities’ folder.
• Find the app named ‘Grab’ and launch it by clicking.

Choose your preferred mode for screenshotting;

1. Window.
2. Screen.
3. Timed Screen.

• Follow the prompts and take a screenshot.

If you want to capture mouse movements and/or menu interactions, consider time capture in the Grab application. The timed screen option allows you to set up your screen by having a delayed capture.

Using third-party applications

There are a lot of third-party applications that you can download from the Apple App Store for your screenshotting purposes on Mac.

The benefit of using these third-party applications is that they offer enhanced features and functionalities that are beyond the capabilities of built-in or traditional screenshot methods on Mac.

The popular apps you can download for screenshots include

1. Snagit: Snagit is a screenshotting application that is ideal for professional use. It offers advanced editing and annotation tools for Mac users.
2. Skitch: Skitch is comparatively easy to use for basic annotations and editing because of its simple user interface.
3. Lightshot: Lightshot allows for an easy sharing of screenshots along with basic editing features. Therefore, making it a lightweight and user-friendly screenshotting app on Mac.
4. CleanShot X: CleanShot X is your ultimate companion when you require a feature-rich platform for your screenshotting demands on Mac. It has a diverse range of screenshot management, annotation, and sharing capabilities.

Should you use third-party screenshot apps on Mac?

While third-party screenshotting apps on Mac offer you enhanced features for customization, editing and seamless integration with other apps, at the same time, they may require in-app purchases for specific features and possible compatibility issues with macOS updates.

So whether or not to use the third-party application on Mac for screenshot purposes is completely up to your personal preferences.

Saving screenshots on Mac

To save screenshots efficiently on your Mac device, it is necessary that you opt for the right format and save location.

You can save your screenshots in the formats like;

• PNG.
• JPEG.
• TIFF
• PDF.

After selecting the desired format, set up a dedicated folder on your device for saving screenshots. It will help you efficiently navigate through different screenshots as well as keep your desktop organized.

Editing Screenshots on Mac

Mac offers both built-in and third-party editing support for your screenshots.

Preview

Preview is the default image viewer on Mac devices. Using Preview, you can do all sorts of basic editing to your screenshots. For instance;

• Cropping.
• Resizing.
• Annotating.
• Adding text.
• Blurring, etc.

You simply have to load your screenshots in the Preview app and start editing.

Third-Party editing

You can use any third-party app on your Mac (available on App Store) to edit your screenshots. Usually, these apps offer advanced editing capabilities because they are dedicated to editing use only. Therefore, allowing you to add filters, effects, and even layers to your screenshots.

The popular editing apps to use for your screenshot editing on Mac include;

• Adobe Photoshop.
• Affinity Photo.
• Pixelmator, etc.

Troubleshooting common screenshotting problems on Mac.

Keyboard shortcuts

If you are encountering any error in taking screenshots using keyboard shortcuts, check the macOS keyboard settings for their configuration. If the problem persists, restart your system to resolve the glitch automatically.

Grab

For the scenario that the Grab application is not responding or working properly, either try restarting it or reinstalling it from the macOS Utilities folder.

Make sure that Grab has all the necessary permissions granted to take screenshots and save them accordingly in your gallery.

Third Party Apps

For issues with third-party screenshot applications, update your application in accordance with the latest macOS on your device or contact the developer for further assistance.

These are the different ways you can use to take screenshots on Mac, as well as save, edit and share them.