Olivia Cavallaro Tech 08.23.2022 06:Aug AM EDT

4 Easy Ways to Capture a Screenshot on Mac

Learn four ways you can take screenshots on your Mac, regardless if you're on the M1 or M2 chips.

Apple's introduction of the M2 microchip that can be found in the 2022 MacBook Air and MacBook Air Pro opens up an array of possibilities when it comes to computing speed. It's promised to deliver faster performance and quicker response rates regardless of which MacOS a user has installed. It makes for an exciting computing experience for users.

Thanks to its amazing processing speed and computing capabilities, Macs can create high-quality screenshots for users to edit or share however they want to. For those who are using their Macs for basic study and work activities, there are several ways to capture a screenshot on a Mac. Learn four simple keyboard shortcuts to capture a screenshot on Mac.

One basic rule to know about how to capture a screenshot on a Mac is that keyboard shortcuts will always use the Shift, Command, and number keys. The Shift and Command keys will be pressed simultaneously together with any of a few numbers that will result in different types of screenshots on a Mac, as outlined here.

1. Shift + Command + 3

The most basic and easy way to capture a screenshot on a Mac is to press Shift + Command + 3, which provides a screenshot of the entire screen. It's a pretty straightforward method to capture data that is already being displayed without further customization.

2. Command + Shift + 4

If a user wants to capture a screenshot on a Mac with customization options, he or she will need to press Command + Shift + 4 instead. This keyboard shortcut turns the cursor into a crosshair, which the user will then have to drag to select a section of the screen to capture. To finalize the selected section, release the mouse button.

Pressing Command + Shift + 4 along with additional keys will also add customized options, as per CNET. First, pressing and releasing the spacebar transforms the crosshair into a camera icon that can be hovered over any open window. Users must then click on the preferred window to take a screenshot of it. The result is a screenshot of the window with a white border and a faint drop shadow.

Meanwhile, pressing and holding the spacebar after determining the area to screenshot before releasing the mouse button or trackpad locks in the shape and size of the selected area and enables users to reposition it on the screen. This function is useful for adjusting the selection.

Lastly, holding down the Shift key after dragging the cursor to highlight the selected area and before releasing the mouse button locks in every side of the selected area except the the bottom edge so users can move the mouse up or down to position the bottom edge.

3. Shift + Command + 5

MacOS versions Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey come equipped with a Screenshot app that is activated by pressing Shift + Command + 5. When these keyboard shortcuts are pressed, a small menu panel appears at the bottom of the screen, showing screenshot options, video options, a menu labeled Options, and a Capture command, as per Insider.

4. Shift + Command + 6

Users who have Apple devices with a Touch Bar can also take a screenshot of the said Touch Bar. This can be done by hitting Command + Shift + 6, which will capture everything on the Touch Bar.