Mac Screenshot Shortcut: All Keys, Hotkeys & Fixes (2026)

Macs don't have a Print Screen key, so the first time you need a screenshot on a MacBook or iMac it's not obvious which buttons to press. The answer is a small set of keyboard shortcuts built into macOS, plus a Screenshot app that adds a timer, a save-location picker and screen recording. Learn four key combinations and you can capture the whole screen, one window, a menu or any area you drag over in about a second.

This guide is built from Apple's own documentation, rechecked on November 8, 2026: the Take a screenshot on Mac support article, the Mac User Guide page Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac, Apple's Mac keyboard shortcuts list, How to record the screen on Mac and Windows keys on a Mac keyboard. Apple's current Mac User Guide is written for macOS 27, and Apple's page on which macOS your Mac is using (published October 26, 2026) lists macOS 27 Golden Gate 27.2 as the latest version, with macOS Tahoe 26 (26.7.2) and older versions still listed. The core screenshot shortcuts below work the same on all of them; where a feature needs a specific version, it's called out.

Coming from a phone? See how to screenshot on iPhone or how to screenshot on Android.

Quick answer

The Mac screenshot shortcut is Shift + Command + 3 for the whole screen. Press Shift + Command + 4 and drag to capture part of the screen, or press Shift + Command + 4, then Space and click to capture one window. Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot app with options and screen recording (macOS Mojave 10.14 and later). On a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, Shift + Command + 6 captures the Touch Bar. Add Control to any capture shortcut (for example Control + Shift + Command + 4) to copy the image to the clipboard instead of saving a file. Screenshots save to the desktop as .png files by default.

These hotkeys are identical on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio or any Mac with an Apple Magic Keyboard. On a Windows keyboard, use the Windows logo key (or Ctrl) wherever you'd press Command. You can change any of them in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots.

Mac screenshot shortcuts: the full list

A quick way to remember them: 3 is the whole screen, 4 is "pick something," 5 is the full toolbox, and 6 is the Touch Bar. Shift and Command are always the first two keys, and Control is the "copy instead of save" add-on.

How to use the Mac screenshot shortcut for the whole screen

1. Press and hold Shift and Command, then press 3. Release all three keys.
2. If a thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen, click it to edit, crop or share. Otherwise, wait a few seconds and the screenshot saves to your desktop.

If you use more than one display, Shift + Command + 3 captures each display. That's useful for documenting a dual-monitor layout but can clutter the desktop quickly, so it's worth setting a dedicated screenshots folder (covered below).

Apple's wording is "press and then release these three keys together." In practice, the reliable way is to hold the two modifier keys (Shift and Command) first and then tap the number. Pressing the number first is a common reason the shortcut seems to do nothing.

Screenshot part of the screen: Shift + Command + 4

This is the shortcut most people end up using every day, because you rarely need the whole screen.

1. Press Shift + Command + 4. The pointer turns into a crosshair.
2. Click and hold the mouse or trackpad button and drag over the area you want.
3. Release the button to take the screenshot. Press Esc before releasing if you want to cancel.

While you're dragging, hold the Space bar to move the whole selection without changing its size. That's handy when you've drawn the right size box in slightly the wrong place.

Tips for cleaner partial screenshots:

• Start the drag just inside the edges of what you need, so you don't pick up browser tabs or the menu bar you'd crop out later.
• Zoom the page in your browser first if text will be hard to read once the image is shared.
• For screenshots you'll paste straight into a chat or ticket, use the clipboard version: Control + Shift + Command + 4.

There's no built-in "scrolling screenshot" or "Capture more" button in macOS. For a long page, capture it in sections with Shift + Command + 4, or capture it on your phone: iPhone can save a full-page Safari screenshot as a PDF (see how to screenshot on iPhone), and many Android phones offer scroll capture (see how to screenshot on Android).

Screenshot one window: Shift + Command + 4, then Space

1. Open the window or menu you want to capture.
2. Press Shift + Command + 4, then press and release the Space bar. The pointer changes to a camera icon.
3. Move the camera over the window so it's highlighted.
4. Click to take the screenshot. Press Esc to cancel.

By default, macOS adds a soft drop shadow around window screenshots. To leave it out, hold Option while you click. The shadow looks nice in presentations, but shadow-free images are easier to line up in documents and support tickets.

The same camera method also captures the menu bar, according to Apple's Mac User Guide. To capture an open menu and its items instead, open the menu first, press Shift + Command + 4, then drag over the menu items.

Shift + Command + 5: the Screenshot app

Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the Screenshot app (macOS Mojave 10.14 or later). You can also open it with Spotlight (Command + Space, then type "Screenshot") or from the Utilities folder inside Applications.

A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen with buttons for:

• Capture the entire screen
• Capture a window
• Capture a portion of the screen
• Record the entire screen
• Record a window (Apple's screen recording guide lists Record Selected Window for macOS Tahoe 26 or later)
• Record a portion of the screen

Pick a tool, then click Capture (for the entire screen or a portion) or click the window you want. If you chose a portion, you can drag the frame to move it or drag its edges to resize before capturing.

The Options menu is where the useful settings live:

• Save to: Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, Preview, or Other Location for any folder you want.
• Timer: choose a delay before the capture starts. Great for capturing hover menus, tooltips and dialogs that disappear when you press keys.
• Show Floating Thumbnail: turn the preview thumbnail in the corner on or off.
• Remember Last Selection: reuse the same portion frame for the next capture, ideal when you're taking a series of matching screenshots.
• Show Mouse Pointer: include or hide the pointer in the image.
• Capture Format (SDR or HDR): on supported Mac models using macOS Tahoe 26 or later.

Settings you choose here also apply to the keyboard shortcuts. If you set Save to > Documents, Shift + Command + 3 and Shift + Command + 4 will save there too.

MacBook, Magic Keyboard and Windows keyboard shortcuts

Searches like "MacBook screenshot shortcut," "Magic Keyboard screenshot shortcut" and "Apple keyboard shortcut screenshot" all have the same answer: the key combinations follow macOS, not the hardware. What changes is which physical keys you press.

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

On a MacBook, use the built-in keyboard exactly as shown in the table: Shift + Command + 3, 4 or 5. Command is the key labeled ⌘ right next to the Space bar. MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar also support Shift + Command + 6 to capture what's on the Touch Bar.

Apple Magic Keyboard

Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad all use the same shortcuts. Apple keyboards don't have a Print Screen key, so there's no single "screenshot button" on them; Shift + Command + 3 is the equivalent.

Windows keyboard on a Mac (hotkey mapping)

Apple's Mac keyboard shortcuts page says that on keyboards made for Windows PCs, you press Alt instead of Option, and Ctrl or the Windows logo key instead of Command. So the screenshot shortcuts become:

• Shift + Windows key + 3 for the whole screen
• Shift + Windows key + 4 for part of the screen (add Space for a window)
• Shift + Windows key + 5 for the Screenshot app
• Ctrl + Shift + Windows key + 3 or 4 to copy to the clipboard

Apple's Windows keys on a Mac keyboard table lists Shift-Command-3 and Shift-Command-4 as the Mac equivalent of the Windows Print Screen key. In other words, don't expect the Print Screen key itself to work out of the box; use the Shift + Windows key combinations above.

If the keys feel swapped (for example, Ctrl behaves like Command), remap them:

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down).
2. Click Keyboard Shortcuts, then click Modifier Keys in the sidebar.
3. For each modifier key you want to change, click its pop-up menu and choose the action it should perform.
4. Click Restore Defaults to undo the changes.

How to change the Mac screenshot quick key (custom hotkeys)

If Shift + Command + 4 feels awkward, or another app already uses those keys, you can pick your own screenshot "quick key." This is built into macOS; you don't need a third-party app.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Keyboard in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down).
3. Click Keyboard Shortcuts.
4. Click Screenshots in the sidebar. You'll see each screenshot action with a checkbox and its current key combination.
5. Make sure the checkbox next to the shortcut you want to change is selected.
6. Double-click the current key combination, then press the new combination you want to use.
7. Quit and reopen any apps you're using so the new shortcut takes effect.

A few rules Apple documents for custom shortcuts:

• You can use each type of key (for example, one letter key or one function key) only once in a combination.
• If you choose a combination that's already used by another command or app, your new shortcut won't work. Change one of them. Apple's Mac User Guide has a page on changing conflicting shortcuts.
• To disable a screenshot shortcut, deselect its checkbox.
• To undo everything, click Restore Defaults in the bottom-left corner of Keyboard Shortcuts.

Using a Windows keyboard's Print Screen key as the hotkey: you can try recording it as the new shortcut in step 6. If macOS registers the key, it will show up in the field; if nothing appears, macOS isn't receiving that key and you should stick with Shift + Windows key + 3.

Where do screenshots go on Mac?

By default, screenshots save to your desktop. Apple's support article describes the file name as "Screen Shot [date] at [time]," and the current Mac User Guide says file names begin with "Screenshot" and include the date and time. Screenshots are saved as .png files, and screen recordings as .mov files.

Can't find one?

• Check the desktop first, then press Shift + Command + 5, click Options and see which Save to location has a checkmark.
• If Clipboard is selected, no file is created. Paste with Command + V instead.
• If Mail, Messages or Preview is selected, Apple notes that an app may open with the screenshot instead of a file appearing on the desktop.
• Use Spotlight (Command + Space) and type "Screenshot" to find recent screenshot files by name.

How to change where screenshots are saved

1. Press Shift + Command + 5.
2. Click Options.
3. Under Save to, choose Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages or Preview, or click Other Location and pick or create a folder (for example, a "Screenshots" folder in Documents).

The change applies to Shift + Command + 3 and Shift + Command + 4 as well, so you only need to set it once.

Change screenshot format: PNG, HDR and JPEG

Mac screenshots are PNG by default. Two options let you change that:

Capture Format (SDR or HDR). On supported Mac models using macOS Tahoe 26 or later, the Screenshot app's Options menu has a Capture Format setting:

• SDR (Most Compatible) captures in standard dynamic range as a PNG image.
• HDR captures in high dynamic range as a HEIF image. Apple notes that HDR captures more brightness and color but needs an HDR display to see the difference. An HDR screenshot shown on an SDR display appears in SDR.

Stick with SDR for anything you'll share on websites, email, Slack or chat apps.

Convert to JPEG (or other formats) in Preview. macOS doesn't offer a JPEG option in the Screenshot app, but Preview can convert any screenshot:

1. Open the screenshot in Preview.
2. Choose File > Export.
3. Click the Format pop-up menu and choose JPEG, HEIC, PNG, TIFF, PDF, JPEG-2000 or OpenEXR. Hold Option while clicking the menu to see more formats.
4. For JPEG, adjust the Quality slider, name the file and click Save.

To convert several screenshots at once, open them in one Preview window, select them in the sidebar and follow the same steps. JPEG files are usually smaller than PNG, which helps when a website or form has an upload size limit.

Screenshot with a timer on Mac

The keyboard shortcuts capture instantly, which is a problem when the thing you want disappears as soon as you press a key, like a hover tooltip or an open dropdown.

1. Press Shift + Command + 5.
2. Choose the capture type (entire screen, window or portion).
3. Click Options and choose a delay under Timer.
4. Click Capture, then set up the screen (open the menu, hover the pointer) while the countdown runs.

Copy a screenshot to the clipboard

There are three ways, all documented by Apple:

1. Add Control to the shortcut. Control + Shift + Command + 3 copies the whole screen; Control + Shift + Command + 4 copies a selected area (add Space for a window).
2. Control-click the floating thumbnail after a normal screenshot and choose Save to Clipboard.
3. Set Save to > Clipboard in the Screenshot app's Options, so every capture goes to the clipboard.

Paste with Command + V into Messages, Mail, Notes, Slack, Google Docs, a web form or almost any other app. Apple's Mac User Guide notes that a copied screenshot can also be pasted on another device, which is handy when you want the image on your iPhone or iPad.

Edit, crop and share a screenshot

When Show Floating Thumbnail is on, a small preview appears in the bottom-right corner for a few seconds after each capture. While it's showing, you can:

• Swipe right on it to save immediately and dismiss it.
• Drag it into a document, email, note or Finder window.
• Click it to open a window where you can mark up the screenshot (draw, add text or shapes) or share it.

To crop later, open the image in Preview, show the Markup toolbar, choose the selection tool, select the area you want to keep and click the Crop button. To undo it right away, choose Edit > Undo Crop. Preview can also resize a screenshot (Tools > Adjust Size) if an image is too large to upload.

If you'd rather skip editing altogether, use Shift + Command + 4 to capture only the area you need in the first place. It's faster than cropping a full-screen shot.

Screen recording with Shift + Command + 5

The same toolbar records video of your screen:

1. Press Shift + Command + 5.
2. Choose Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later) or Record Selected Portion.
3. Click Options to set the recording:
   • Choose a microphone to record your voice.
   • On macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, choose Include System Audio to record the sound your Mac is playing.
   • Show Mouse Clicks draws a black circle around the pointer when you click.
   • Set a Timer, and choose where recordings are saved (desktop by default).
   • On supported Macs with macOS Tahoe 26 or later, choose SDR (Most Compatible) for H.264 video or HDR for HEVC video.
4. Click Record (or click the window, if you're recording a selected window). Press Esc before you click Record to cancel.
5. To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc.

Click the thumbnail that appears to trim the recording, or let it save as a .mov file. You can also start a recording from QuickTime Player: choose File > New Screen Recording or press Control + Command + N. For a phone instead of a Mac, see how to screen record on iPhone.

Touch Bar screenshots and Shift + Command + 6

On MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar, Apple's Mac User Guide lists Shift + Command + 6 as the shortcut to capture the Touch Bar. The image saves like any other screenshot.

On newer macOS, the same keys can do something else. Apple's Mac keyboard shortcuts list says that in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later with Siri AI (Beta) turned on, Shift + Command + 6 asks Siri about the selected area, and Shift + Command + Space bar asks Siri about the active window. If you rely on Shift + Command + 6 for Touch Bar captures, check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Screenshots to see what each combination is assigned to on your Mac.

Screenshot on Mac without the keyboard

If a key is broken or you simply prefer the mouse or trackpad:

1. Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Screenshot, or press Command + Space and type "Screenshot."
2. Pick a capture tool in the toolbar.
3. Click Options for the timer, save location, pointer and format settings.
4. Click Capture, or click the window if you chose window mode.

It's the same Screenshot app that Shift + Command + 5 opens. You can add it to the Dock by dragging it from the Utilities folder if you take screenshots often.

Mac screenshot shortcut not working? Troubleshooting

A few more checks if the table doesn't solve it:

1. Restart your Mac. It clears most stuck keyboard and Screenshot app issues. If a frozen app is in the way, force quit it first with Option + Command + Esc.
2. Try the Screenshot app from Utilities. If it works there but not with the keys, the problem is the shortcut or keyboard, not screenshots themselves.
3. Test the keyboard. Try Shift + Command + 4 with the left and right Shift and Command keys. If one side fails, the key may be faulty. On a Bluetooth keyboard, check that it's charged and connected.
4. Check management restrictions. Macs managed by a school or employer can have screen capture limited by policy. Ask your IT admin.
5. Update macOS. Choose Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. To see which version you have, choose Apple menu > About This Mac; Apple's macOS versions page lists the latest release for each version.

If your browser is showing old content in the screenshot, clear the cache on your Mac and capture again.

FAQ