9 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts for Taking Screenshots (covers macOS Ventura 13)

There is no doubt that the default Screenshot App on the Mac, is the most powerful tool for taking screenshots. What the best part of the App is that you do not need to even open the App (unlike Snipping tool for Windows) to take screenshots, all you need to know is few keyboard key combinations.

In this article, we will take a look at the top 9 useful Mac keyboard shortcuts that you must know to take screenshots based on your use case.

1. Capture the entire screen

Just be on the screen which you ant to capture on your Mac and press the below key combinations.

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   3  

2. Capture selected area of the screen

Once you press these keys, you will get a cross-hair cursor, using which you can capture a selected portion of the screen.

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   4  

3. Capture a specific window

Once you press these keys, press spacebar to select a portion of a window or an App screen. The cursor will turn into a camera icon, and you can click on the window or menu to capture it.

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   4   and Spacebar

4. Open the Screenshot App

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   5  




These key combinations will open Screenshot App where you will get various options like,

• Capture Entire Screen
• Capture Selected Window
• Capture Selected Portion
• Record Entire Screen
• Record Selected Portion
• Options to Save files at location like Desktop, Preview, Documents and custom location
• Set timers for screenshot

5. Take screenshot of the entire screen and copy to Clipboard

^ Control + ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   3  

6. Take screenshot of the selected screen and copy to Clipboard

^ Control + ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   4  

7. Take screenshot of a window and copy to Clipboard

^ Control + ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   4   and   Spacebar  

8. Take screenshot of entire Screen and Edit/Rename it

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   3   and Click on thumbnail preview

9. Take screenshot of portion of Screen and Edit/Rename it

⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift +   4   and Spacebar + Click on thumbnail preview