Mastering Mac Screenshots: 9 Essential Techniques for 2025

Whether you’re capturing an image for graphic design, photo editing, or simply sharing pictures with friends and colleagues, Mac makes taking screenshots straightforward.

Below are some of the most efficient methods to capture screens on a Mac:

The release of Mojave brought significant changes to how Macs handle screenshots, but if you haven’t upgraded your device due to storage issues or other reasons, you can still use classic shortcuts to capture your screen.

Here’s a quick guide for capturing screenshots on pre-Mojave Macs:

Just press ‘Command + Shift + 3’ and your Mac will save a screenshot of everything visible on all screens. If you’re using multiple monitors, it will automatically capture each one.

To take a screenshot of a specific part of the screen, press ‘Command + Shift + 4’. Your cursor will change to a crosshair, and your Mac will prompt you to select the desired area. After making your selection, release the mouse or trackpad to save the screenshot. You can also press the Spacebar after the initial key combination to switch to window mode—then click on a window to capture it, with a faint border and drop shadow framing it.

Here’s an example of how to perform this method: after pressing the key combination, drag to select the area, and then release to take the shot. The result will be saved to your desktop or specified folder.

This method allows you to precisely select and screenshot a specific part of your screen. When you press ‘Command + Shift + 4,’ your cursor turns into a crosshair. You can click and drag to define the area you want to capture. Once you release the mouse button, the screenshot is taken automatically.

Additional options to enhance your screenshot precision include:

These tools provide flexible ways to accurately capture the parts of your screen that matter most, whether you’re dealing with multiple windows, full screens, or custom areas.The sides of the selected area can now be adjusted individually. You have the flexibility to move the bottom edge up or down to resize your selection. Additionally, you can reposition the right edge’s boundaries by pressing the Shift key twice without releasing the mouse button, which makes fine-tuning your selection more precise.

To lock both horizontal and vertical constraints while resizing, press Shift + Option after selecting the area for your screenshot. This combination helps maintain proportionality and makes reshaping your selection easier and more controlled.

These commands simplify the process of capturing screenshots, although they are not directly integrated into the operating system. It took Apple making these features more user-friendly and accessible to enhance the overall experience.

Once you press Command + Control + Shift + 4 simultaneously, the cursor changes to a crosshair, allowing you to drag and select the specific part of your screen you want to capture. After releasing the mouse button, the screenshot is copied to your clipboard, ready to be pasted into another application, such as an email, Keynote, or Pages. For example, in Apple Pages, place your cursor where you want the screenshot, then press Command + V to insert the image seamlessly.

Starting with the macOS 10.14 Mojave update, Apple introduced an array of new screenshot features, including a dedicated screen recorder. Its updated screenshot panel allows you to take various types of screenshots effortlessly. You can also edit these images before saving the final file to your device.

To access different screenshot options on a post-Mojave Mac, press Command + Shift + 5. A control panel will appear at the bottom of your screen, offering three main options: capturing a window, selecting a specific area, or capturing the entire screen. The panel displays buttons that let you perform precise screenshots with ease.

The panel includes buttons for capturing either a window, a selected portion, or the entire screen. Once the screenshot is taken, you can choose to save it directly or edit it using the built-in tools. The panel also provides two buttons for recording videos — one for the entire screen and another for a selected part.

To close the screenshot panel, click the X button on the left, or simply press the Escape key. There’s also an Options button on the right, which allows you to set the default save location—such as Documents, Desktop, Mail, Messages, or Preview—and schedule a delay of 5 or 10 seconds before the screenshot is captured, providing more flexibility in your workflow.Here are some tips and tricks for capturing screenshots on your Mac, especially with the screenshot tool active that might cause some items to temporarily disappear.

This shortcut allows you to take a snapshot of the Touch Bar on your MacBook Pro. This is useful on models like the 16-inch MacBook Pro or any other Mac with a Touch Bar. To capture the Touch Bar, just press Command + Shift + 6. If you’d prefer the screenshot to be copied directly to your clipboard instead of saving as a file, press Control + Command + Shift + 6.

Source: HowToGeek.com

Next, save the screenshot using your preferred image editing software.

Since macOS 10.14 Mojave, taking screenshots has become much easier and more versatile. After capturing a screenshot with any method, a small thumbnail will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen for a few moments. This feature allows you to quickly edit the screenshot before it is automatically saved as a PNG file in your specified folder.

When the thumbnail appears, click on it to open the image in your Mac’s default editor. From there, you can rotate, annotate, crop, or share the screenshot. You can also drag and drop the thumbnail into any photo editing app, and it will open automatically for further customization.

Clicking on the thumbnail opens the screenshot in Preview by default, where you can add various annotations. You can draw symbols, add text, include speech bubbles, crop the image, insert your signature, rotate, and much more. This makes it simple to mark up your screenshot before sharing it with others, whether through email or other platforms. For more detailed instructions, visit Apple’s support page about annotating screenshots.

While the built-in macOS screenshot tools, like Command + Shift + 5, offer basic features, you might want more advanced options. There are several third-party applications designed to enhance your screenshot experience, enabling you to capture the entire screen, individual windows, specific areas, or scrolling content. These apps can also record videos, take screenshots of scrolling pages, and more.

Many third-party apps allow easy organization of your screenshots, along with editing features such as annotations, blurring parts of the image, and drawing on screenshots. You can even remove clutter from your desktop by hiding unnecessary files and disabling notifications with a single click.

When choosing a third-party app, consider features like a user-friendly interface, quick access to various capture options, and powerful editing tools. Overall, they provide a more flexible and comprehensive screenshot experience than the native macOS options.

Using an app with a cluttered or complicated user interface (UI) can make the process of taking screenshots difficult. Therefore, it’s best to choose a tool that keeps things simple and clean, while still providing all the essential features to capture screenshots quickly and easily.

Third-party integrations are valuable if you often need to take and organize many screenshots. Connecting your screenshot tool with cloud services or apps like Evernote allows for seamless saving and organizing of images. This way, you can easily share your screenshots via the cloud or store them neatly in Evernote or other organizer apps. Additionally, integrations with platforms like GitHub, Trello, Slack, and Jira are especially helpful for troubleshooting, bugs reporting, and collaborative work.

Editing capabilities are important when you need to annotate or modify your screenshots. Sometimes, you might want to add text, draw, insert links, or blur sensitive information directly on the image before sharing. An application that offers robust editing tools enables you to make these modifications instantly, without needing additional software, streamlining your workflow.

Security is a top priority because your data must be protected, especially when an app has access to your screen content. Ensure that the screenshot tool you select offers strong security measures for protecting your screenshots during storage and sharing, keeping your data safe from unauthorized access.

Features like self-timers allow you to set up your screenshot at the perfect moment. Pinning screenshots to your desktop can improve visibility and quick access. Some apps also support cloud storage options, enabling you to upload your screenshots directly to the cloud and share them through simple links, making collaborations easier and faster.

To use Loom, you need to install the Loom app on your Mac. Once installed, navigate to the Screenshots tab where you’ll find a shortcut to activate the screenshot feature. You also have the option to customize this shortcut to suit your preferences. After capturing your screenshot, Loom generates a shareable link that you can distribute instantly. Additionally, Loom offers a feature to download the screenshot directly, allowing you to save the image locally for later use.

After taking a shot, you can also modify the shortcut for activating this feature if needed. Once your screenshot is ready, it’s easy to share via the provided link or download it directly to your computer for further use.

Getting Started

Once you’ve opened the app, you’ll see the Monosnap icon in your menu bar. Clicking on it pulls up the main menu with various options.

The available options include:

Capture Area enables you to select and capture a specific part of your screen or a particular window. Just drag your cursor over the desired area. You can also set a timer, move the selection box by holding the spacebar, copy the color with ⌘+C, and perform other actions.

Using Capture Fullscreen, you can quickly snap an entire display. For multi-monitor setups, it will capture every attached screen simultaneously.

The Capture Previous Area option allows you to re-capture the same region effortlessly.

Apps like Monosnap streamline your workflow by automating repetitive tasks and maintaining consistent screen captures. Additionally, it offers hotkeys, in-built image editing tools, and cloud storage options.

You can also use the native Mac utility called ‘Grab’ for capturing screenshots.

It supports capturing:

Follow these steps to use Grab easily: Search for “Grab” in the search bar at the top right corner. Then, select “Applications” from the sidebar to narrow the results.

Once opened, Grab’s interface appears—drag the marquee to select your capture area and choose “Capture” to take the shot.

You can select the type of screenshot, including timed captures, from the dropdown menu. Options include capturing a specific part, the whole screen, or a particular window, with the added choice of a 10-second delay before capturing.

Today, as businesses shift to digital platforms, screenshots are invaluable for sharing information precisely and efficiently. Whether it’s a screenshot of a webpage or a technical issue, they ensure clear communication and serve as reliable proof in professional settings. Because of this, the need to capture screenshots often becomes a regular part of your workflow.

If you’re new to Mac, you might wonder where screenshots are saved by default. Typically, they are stored as PNG files on your desktop. The default naming format includes the date and time of the capture, for example, “Screenshot 2020-07-15 at 12.25.36.png.”

The appearance of saved screenshots:

However, if you change the save location in the settings to the clipboard, you can paste the screenshot directly into your document without saving it on your Mac.

What Should You Do When Screen Capture on a Mac Isn’t Responding?

Sometimes, the screenshot shortcut might not work due to various reasons, or it may be disabled altogether.

Follow these simple steps to troubleshoot and fix the issue easily:

Start by opening the Apple menu and selecting System Preferences. Then, go to the Keyboard section. A new window will appear—click on the Shortcuts tab. Navigate to the Screen Shots category listed on the left. Check if all the shortcuts are enabled and using the default key combinations. If something seems off, you can click Restore Defaults at the bottom right to reset all screenshot shortcuts. You also have the option to customize the shortcuts with new key combinations if desired.

You might also encounter a situation where your screenshot shortcut works, but you cannot save or capture images. This could be due to restrictions imposed by third-party applications or copyright protections. To resolve this, consider using a trusted third-party screenshot tool designed for Mac.

I’ve covered the essential tips and methods for capturing screenshots on your Mac. The latest Mojave update has made taking and editing screenshots even more user-friendly and versatile. You can now select specific areas of your screen, customize your screenshots, and edit them immediately after capture. These features are sufficient for most everyday needs.

If you require advanced editing options, cloud sharing, or more control, exploring third-party screenshot applications is worthwhile. These apps offer enhanced features that go beyond the default capabilities of macOS.

So, what’s your choice? Are you happy with the built-in screenshot features or planning to try a third-party app? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Further reading on StepThroughThePortal.com: Interested in capturing screenshots on a Chromebook? Check out my guide on how to do it at this link