The Ultimate Guide: 5 Ways To Take a Screenshot on Mac

For those who use Apple devices, understanding how to screenshot on Mac is essential for seamless communication, documentation, and collaboration. This comprehensive guide will provide you with all the necessary tips and tricks for capturing the perfect screenshot on your Mac, whether you're using a MacBook Pro, Air, iMac, or any other model.

Way 1: Take a Screenshot on Mac With Keyboard Shortcuts

If you question yourself "how do I do a screen capture on a Mac", do not hesitate to use some keyboard shortcuts which are the simplest ways to take screenshots on your Mac. As it were, all you have to do is click this magic button and get your entire desktop saved, or just press these keys and have the activity on only that window recorded for future reference.

The following are some of the shortcuts of taking screenshot on Mac using keyboard:

As an example, let's take a look at how you can capture the whole Mac screen using the keyboard shortcut:

1. Press and hold the "Command", "Shift" and "3" keys simultaneously. This will take a screenshot of your entire screen.
2. A thumbnail preview will appear in the bottom-right corner.

   

3. You can edit the screenshot by clicking the thumbnail or wait for it to save to your desktop automatically.

   

How To Customize the Screenshot Shortcuts on a Mac?

Occasionally, it might be that the default keyboard shortcuts for screenshots on Macs may either come into conflict with some other shortcuts for apps or you may simply not fancy them. This customization can help with making the process of taking screenshots much easier and quicker. Here's how to change screenshot keys combinations in Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu icon in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences (or System Settings on newer macOS versions).

   

2. In the System Preferences window, click on the Keyboard icon. In the Keyboard settings, select the Shortcuts tab.

   

3. On the left-hand side menu, click on Screenshots.

   

4. You'll see a list of different screenshot actions and their corresponding keyboard shortcuts. Double-click on any shortcut combination you want to change.
5. Once you've entered your desired shortcut, click on the red Close button in the top-left corner to save your changes and exit the System Preferences window.

Limitations of Screen Capturing on Mac Using Shortcut

• Limited editing options, no annotation or cropping tools
• Inflexible capture options (full screen, selected area, window only)
• No built-in sharing or cloud storage integration
• Limited customization beyond remapping keyboard shortcuts

Way 2: Take Screenshots on Mac Using the Touch Bar

For users with 2016 and newer MacBook Pro models featuring the innovative Touch Bar, taking screenshots is as simple as a tap. This handy Mac snipping tool allows you to add a dedicated screenshot button right to your Touch Bar, providing quick access to capture anything on your screen.

Here is how to screenshot at a MacBook using the Touch Bar:

1. Open System Preferences and navigate to the Keyboard section. Click on the Customize Control Strip button. Find the Screenshot option and drag it onto your Touch Bar.

   

2. When you want to take a screenshot, simply tap the Screenshot button on the Touch Bar.

   

3. Select whether you want to capture the entire screen, a window, or a specific area. Your screenshot will be saved to your desktop automatically.

Way 3: Take a Screenshot on Mac With the Preview App

macOS comes packed with a powerful built-in tool called Preview that allows you to view and edit various file types, including images and PDFs.

However, did you know that Preview can also be used to print a screenshot on Mac? This versatile app offers a convenient way to take screenshots and even provides basic editing capabilities, making it a great all-in-one solution.

Here is how to snapshot screen on Mac using Preview:

1. Open the window or screen you want to capture. Launch the Preview app from the Applications folder or using Spotlight search.
2. In the Preview menu bar, go to File > Take Screenshot. Select your desired capture mode: From Selection (for a specific area), From Window (for an open window), or From Entire Screen.

   

3. Once captured, the screenshot will open in Preview, where you can make edits if needed.

Limitations of Taking a Screenshot on Mac Using the Preview App

• Editing options are basic (cropping, annotating, adjusting colors)
• No advanced screenshot tools like scrolling capture or timed capture

Way 4: Take a Screenshot on Mac With the Screenshot Menu

macOS Mojave and later versions come equipped with a handy built-in Screenshot Menu, providing a centralized hub for all your screenshot needs.

This menu offers a variety of options for capturing your screen, making it a versatile tool for both basic and advanced users.

Here is how to take a screen grab on a Mac using Screenshot Menu:

1. Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard to open the Screenshot Menu.
2. The Screenshot Menu will appear at the bottom of your screen, displaying various capture options.

   

3. Choose your desired capture mode: Entire Screen, Window, or Selection.
4. A thumbnail preview of your screenshot will appear in the corner of your screen. You can annotate, share, or save the screenshot from this preview.

Limitations of the Screenshot Menu

• No advanced features like scrolling window capture or timed screenshots
• No built-in integration with cloud storage services
• Limited customization options for capture settings

Way 5: How To Screenshot a Full Webpage on Mac

While the built-in screenshot tools on a Mac are great for capturing what's visible on your screen, they fall short when it comes to capturing an entire webpage. This is where online tools like DemoAir - Screenshot come in handy.

This web-based tool allows you to capture full-length screenshots of any webpage, regardless of its size or length, making it a valuable resource for web designers, developers, and anyone who needs to document or share entire web pages. You can enjoy the following features of DemoAir:

• Capture full webpages, including content that extends beyond the visible screen
• Choose between capturing the entire page or a specific section
• Crop, resize, or blur the captured image before saving
• Save screenshots directly to your computer or cloud storage services like Google Drive and Wondershare Drive

Here is how to take a screenshot on Mac of webpage using DemoAir:

1. Visit the DemoAir - Screenshot website. Enter the URL of the webpage you want to capture in the provided field.
2. Ensure the Full-page Screenshot option is enabled if you want to capture the entire webpage. Click the Capture button to initiate the screenshot generation process.

   

3. Once the screenshot is generated, you can preview it and make any necessary edits, such as cropping, resizing, or blurring. Click Done to save the screenshot to your desired location (local computer or cloud storage).

   

Way 6: Take a Screen Record on Mac Using DemoCreator

If you need to capture more than just static screenshots, DemoCreator is a powerful tool that allows you to record your Mac's screen, camera, and audio simultaneously. Whether you're creating tutorials, recording gameplay, or capturing video presentations, DemoCreator offers a comprehensive solution with its advanced recording modes and built-in editing capabilities.

Here are some of its best features:

• Screen Recorder, Screen & Camera, Camera Recorder, Game Recorder, Avatar Recorder, and Video Presentation.
• Record up to 4K/8K resolution at up to 120 fps, ensuring crystal-clear visuals.
• Record screen, camera, and audio tracks independently for easier editing.
• Trim, cut, and merge clips, add annotations, and apply various effects using the integrated editor.
• Schedule recordings, customize capture settings, and utilize screen drawing tools.

Here is how to screen capture in Macbook using DemoCreator:

1. Download and install DemoCreator on your Mac. Launch the application and select the desired recording mode (e.g., Screen Recorder, Screen & Camera).

   

2. Customize settings such as resolution, frame rate, and audio sources.

   

3. Start recording by clicking the REC button. Capture your screen, camera, and audio as needed. Stop the recording when finished.

   

4. During the recording, you can use the Scree Drawing Tools to highlight the important points.

   

5. Edit the recorded video using the built-in editor, trimming clips, adding annotations, and applying effects.

   

6. Export and save the final video to your desired location.

   

Summing Up

Taking screenshots and screen recordings on a Mac is no big deal because options for built-in or third-party software are available. While user-friendly approaches like shortcuts on keyboard, touch bar, preview and screenshot menu are useful in taking your desktop's picture with ease, they may not have advanced settings for editing purposes.

For those who want better comprehensiveness, tools like DemoAir - Screenshot and DemoCreator should be considered as the best alternatives. With this tool DemoAir, you can easily capture full webpage while DemoCreator has a couple of recording modes to choose from including excellent output quality and b editing features which will enable create highly professional videos on your Mac.