How to Capture And Manage Screenshots on macOS
Opening the app switcher with Cmd + Tab, holding Cmd, and then pressing Shift and 3 at the same time to attempt to activate the usual Cmd + Shift and 3 screenshot keyboard shortcut. It results in the app switcher switching to the next app and no screenshot getting captured. Fast screenshot of selected area Our app allows you to select any area on your desktop and take its screenshot with 2 button-clicks.
The screen capture feature, called a screenshot, is very handy when you need to capture the screen of your Mac to show the content on it to others. By making a screenshot, you get a good quality digital image of your Mac's display. Depending on the key combination, you can make a whole display screenshot or choose a region of your screen to capture. Nowadays, all smart devices like computers and smartphones have a built-in screen capture function, so you don't need to worry about installing a third-party screen capture app.
The first screenshots were created around the 1660s with the first interactive computers. Tough the screenshots were not the same as they are now. Back then, computers did not universally have built-in functionality for capturing screenshots, and the screen capture function would only capture the content of the screen but not the appearance.
The possibility to make screenshots of an active application window began with the Mac OS X Panther. The cursor would turn into a small camera icon by pressing Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar, and the window under the cursor would be highlighted. Then the click on the mouse or trackpad would capture the screenshot of the highlighted element.
An application called Grab (a program in macOS with the purpose of taking screenshots of a selected area of the screen, a whole window, an entire screen, and make timed screenshots) would make a screenshot and pop it up in a window for you to copy to the clipboard or save it as a TIFF (Tag Image File Format). An alternative app that is integrated into Mac's operating system as well as Grab called Preview has the same capture options, but it opens the screenshot immediately in a new window.
With the 10.14 Mojave operating system, users got a revamped screenshot utility called the Screenshot app (previously known as Grab). This utility toolbar shows up when you press Command + Shift + 5 keys on your keyboard, and it allows you to choose options to take screenshots and capture modes. With this application, you can change where the taken screenshot is saved. You can also record your Mac's screen in full-size of the chosen region.
As briefly mentioned above, macOS users can take a screenshot or a chosen area. By pressing Command + Shift + 3 keys on your keyboard, you will make a screenshot of an entire screen. By pressing Command + Shift + 4 on your keyboard, you will make a screenshot of your chosen area on the screen. These screenshots are by default saved on the user's desktop, but if you hold down the Control key on your keyboard while making either of the screenshots mentioned above, the screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.
You can also capture screenshots and save them to files using a shell utility called 'screencapture' in the Terminal app or shell scripts. You cannot take screenshots while the DVD Player is running.
When you take a screenshot, your Mac, by default, will save it in PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format as it can retain the quality of the created image. The downside is that the PNG format images tend to be large. Sometimes it might be more convenient to use a format that takes less storage space, for example, like a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format.
Below you will find detailed steps on how to change screenshot format, change the default location, disable screenshot thumbnail preview, and more.
Table of Contents:
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Four Ways You Can Take Screenshots
There are four ways you take screenshots. You can take a screenshot of the entire screen, a selected area, an open window and by using screenshot tools.
Screenshot fullscreen
To capture the entire screen of your Mac, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 3 keys on your keyboard.
Screenshot a Selected Area of The Screen
1. To capture a chosen area of the screen, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 4 keys on your keyboard.
2. When you see your mouse cursor change to a crosshair, release the keys and select an area on your screen that you want to capture.
If you select the wrong area, you don't have to press the Esc key and start selecting again. If you press and hold the Space key, you can move your selection. To change the selected area only in one direction, press and hold the Shift key. To increase or decrease the sides of the chosen area in proportion, press the Option key.
Screenshot an Open Window
1. You can screenshot an open window by simultaneously pressing Command + Shift + 4 keys on your keyboard.
2. Let go of the keys when you see your mouse cursor change to the crosshair and then press the Space bar once.
3. When you see a camera icon, hover over a screen that you want to capture and click on it.
Using this screen capture method, you can screenshot even the Dock or the upper menu bar.
Capture Using Screenshot Tools
If you don't want to remember all the above options and you think it's a hassle, you can always use the screenshot tools. You can do all of the above-mentioned options with it. To open screenshot tools, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard. Choose what you want to screenshot and click on 'Capture'.
You can also use screenshot tools with the Screenshot app:
1. Open Finder.
2. Go to 'Applications'.
3. Scroll down until you see the Utilitiesfolder. Click on it.
4. Find and click on 'Screenshot'.
How to Change Screenshot Format Using Terminal
As mentioned above, when you take a screenshot, it is automatically saved as a PNG image. To change the screenshots' default format, choose a format you want to change to and follow the steps.
Change the format to JPEG:
1. Open Terminal from Launchpad, Finder, or Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the command line: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg
3. Restart your Mac.
Change the format to TIFF:
1. Open Terminal from Launchpad, Finder, or Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the command line: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type tiff
3. Restart your Mac.
Change the format to PDF:
1. Open Terminal from Launchpad, Finder, or Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the command line: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type pdf
3. Restart your Mac.
Change the format to GIF (Graphics Interchange Format):
1. Open Terminal from Launchpad, Finder, or Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the command line: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type gif
3. Restart your Mac.
Change the format back to PNG:
1. Open Terminal from Launchpad, Finder, or Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the command line: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png
3. Restart your Mac.
How to Change The Default Location of a Screenshot
The default location of a screenshot is your Mac's desktop, but you can always change that by following the steps below:
1. On your keyboard, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 5 key.
2. In the menu bar, click on 'Options'.
3. Choose a location you want your screenshots to be saved.
4. If you don't see the location you want to choose, click on 'Other Locations' and navigate to your desired location.
5. Then click on 'Choose'.
How to Save Screenshots to Clipboard
Musical keyboard app for pc. If you do not want your screenshots to be saved on the desktop or in other locations and just want to be able to paste it where ever you need, you can save them to the clipboard. There are two ways you can save screenshots to the clipboard.
Always save screenshots to the clipboard:
1. On your keyboard, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 5 key.
2. In the menu bar, click on 'Options'.
3. Choose 'Clipboard'.
Your screenshots will be saved to the clipboard until you change the location.
Momentarily save screenshots to the clipboard:
Macos Screenshot Of Window
When you are taking screenshots of the entire screen or a chosen area, press the 'Contol' key to send your screenshot to the clipboard. For example, if you are taking a full-screen screenshot, simultaneously press Command + Shift + 4 + Control keys on your keyboard. Your screenshot will then be sent to the clipboard, and keep in mind that it will not be saved anywhere.
How to Disable Screenshot Thumbnail Preview
If you have a newer Mac, a thumbnail of the screenshot appears whenever you take a screenshot at the bottom right corner. If you click on it, you can start to edit the screenshot or send it via AirDrop or other ways. But to some, that can sometimes be annoying. Follow the steps below to disable it.
1. Simultaneously press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard.
2. In the bottom menu bar, click on 'Options'.
3. Under 'Options', find and click on 'Show Floating Thumbnail'.
Now you will not see the thumbnail appear every time you take a screenshot.
How to Change Screenshot Keyboard Shortcut
If the default keyboard shortcuts for taking a screenshot are inconvenient for you, you can always change the keys in the Mac settings.
1. Click on the Apple logo in the upper menu bar.
2. Go to 'System Preferences'.
3. Find and go to 'Keyboard'.
4. Go to the 'Shortcuts' tab.
5. Click on 'Screenshots'.
6. Select a shortcut and double click on it.
7. Then simultaneously press the key combination on your keyboard that you want to change to.
To restore default shortcut combinations click on 'Restore Defaults'. You can find more information on keyboard shortcuts here.
We hope you found this information useful. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions!
Video on How to Capture And Manage Screenshots on macOS
Dec 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
There is no doubt that taking a screenshot on Mac is quite straightforward because Apple has given an easy way to do that. However, a lot of users have complained that they have encountered a 'screenshot on Mac not working' problem. If you are also one of those users who are going through this same issue, then you might be looking for methods to fix it.
Well, you have come to the right place. Here, in this article, we have mentioned several ways you can try to come out of this problem without much hassle.
Part 1. What Is a Screenshot?
The term 'Screenshot' also known as a snapshot or screen capture, or print screen. It is a picture that shows the contents of your computer display. In simple words, it allows you to capture whatever you are seeing on your device screen. Once a screenshot is taken, you can save it as an image file where you can open it to edit.
At present, the screenshot feature is quite helpful and that's it is present in all electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. The feature is very useful in many situations, such as when you have to share the screen picture with others or to provide software reviews.
Part 2. How to Take a Screenshot on Mac?
Before you go for a solution to fix the 'screenshot on Mac not working' issue, you need to first learn how to take a screenshot on Mac in the right way. It might be the case that you are capturing your system screen using wrong commands and that's why you met with this annoying problem.
1. Screenshot a window
To screen capture for a window on Man, you need to follow the below steps:
- Use 'Command + Shift + 4' at the same time. As you see crosshairs on your screen, use the 'Space' key to hover the cursor over the window. Next, click either on the trackpad or mouse. Don't forget to hold the Space bar when you are dragging.
- Now, you will see the Camera icon, and your window will turn into a grey color. If you end up opening multiple windows, then select the one you like to capture. Finally, tap on the mouse, and you are done with capturing the screenshot for the window.
- After that, you can either right-click on the application icon and choose 'Move to Trash' option or you can simply drag the program icon to the Trash.
1. Simultaneously press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard.
2. In the bottom menu bar, click on 'Options'.
3. Under 'Options', find and click on 'Show Floating Thumbnail'.
Now you will not see the thumbnail appear every time you take a screenshot.
How to Change Screenshot Keyboard Shortcut
If the default keyboard shortcuts for taking a screenshot are inconvenient for you, you can always change the keys in the Mac settings.
1. Click on the Apple logo in the upper menu bar.
2. Go to 'System Preferences'.
3. Find and go to 'Keyboard'.
4. Go to the 'Shortcuts' tab.
5. Click on 'Screenshots'.
6. Select a shortcut and double click on it.
7. Then simultaneously press the key combination on your keyboard that you want to change to.
To restore default shortcut combinations click on 'Restore Defaults'. You can find more information on keyboard shortcuts here.
We hope you found this information useful. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions!
Video on How to Capture And Manage Screenshots on macOS
Dec 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
There is no doubt that taking a screenshot on Mac is quite straightforward because Apple has given an easy way to do that. However, a lot of users have complained that they have encountered a 'screenshot on Mac not working' problem. If you are also one of those users who are going through this same issue, then you might be looking for methods to fix it.
Well, you have come to the right place. Here, in this article, we have mentioned several ways you can try to come out of this problem without much hassle.
Part 1. What Is a Screenshot?
The term 'Screenshot' also known as a snapshot or screen capture, or print screen. It is a picture that shows the contents of your computer display. In simple words, it allows you to capture whatever you are seeing on your device screen. Once a screenshot is taken, you can save it as an image file where you can open it to edit.
At present, the screenshot feature is quite helpful and that's it is present in all electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. The feature is very useful in many situations, such as when you have to share the screen picture with others or to provide software reviews.
Part 2. How to Take a Screenshot on Mac?
Before you go for a solution to fix the 'screenshot on Mac not working' issue, you need to first learn how to take a screenshot on Mac in the right way. It might be the case that you are capturing your system screen using wrong commands and that's why you met with this annoying problem.
1. Screenshot a window
To screen capture for a window on Man, you need to follow the below steps:
- Use 'Command + Shift + 4' at the same time. As you see crosshairs on your screen, use the 'Space' key to hover the cursor over the window. Next, click either on the trackpad or mouse. Don't forget to hold the Space bar when you are dragging.
- Now, you will see the Camera icon, and your window will turn into a grey color. If you end up opening multiple windows, then select the one you like to capture. Finally, tap on the mouse, and you are done with capturing the screenshot for the window.
- After that, you can either right-click on the application icon and choose 'Move to Trash' option or you can simply drag the program icon to the Trash.
2. Screenshot the entire screen
Convert video into photos. To capture the entire screen, follow the steps:
- To start with, you have to use 'Command + Shift+ 3' keys at the same time.
- Next, you'll the camera shutter sound, and your screenshot will be saved on the desktop.
3. Screenshot a portion of the screen
Follow the below steps to capture a part of your screen:
- Use 'Command + Shift + 4' Keys at the same time. Using this shortcut, you will be able to take a screenshot of a specific portion.
- After pressing the keys, you will see a cross with some numbers. So, drag the cross across the region that you like to capture.
4. Screenshot a dropdown menu
Follow the steps to capture a dropdown menu on Mac:
- First, open the menu and then, use 'Command + Shift + 4' keys at the same time, and next, drag the cross to the region of the menu.
- Now, release the mouse to screenshot the region, and next, use the Space key to alter the pointer to a camera. Finally, press the menu to take a screenshot.
That's how you can take a screenshot on Mac. If the above steps didn't work to take and save a screenshot on your Mac, then check out the next section where we have mentioned some solutions that can fix the problem you're going through.
Video Guide on How To Take A Screenshot on Mac
Part 3. How to Fix 'Screenshot on Mac Not Working'?
Well, you now got an idea about how to take a screenshot on Mac in the right way. But, if you still met with a 'screenshot on Mac not working' problem, then try below methods that can probably help you to fix the issue with ease.
Macos Screenshot Shortcut
1. Check the Keyboard Shortcut Settings
You can use the keyboard shortcut 'Command + Shift + 3' to take a full-screen screenshot and shortcut 'Command + Shift + 4' to capture selected area unless you've activated the screenshots shortcuts.
By default, the screenshot keyboard shortcuts are activated. But, it might be the case that you have configured the settings and don't remember at all. Thus, in this case, all you have to do is to check if the screenshot shortcut is active on your Mac.
Here are simple steps on how you can check:
- To start with, go to the 'Apple' menu and then, navigate to 'System Preferences'.
- Next, tap on 'Keyboard' and next, tap on the 'Shortcuts' tab.
- After that, tap on the 'Screenshots' option from the left side of the window.
- Finally, make sure that all options here are check or active.
Once you ensure keyboard shortcuts for screenshots on your Mac are active, try again to take a screenshot and see whether the problem is gone. If no, then don't be panic as you can try the following solutions to fix it.
2. Restart the Mac
Another thing you can try is simply restarting your Mac. Applications and programs won't work perfectly if you've not restarted your system for a long time. Thus, in such cases, a simple restart on Mac can probably fix the problem without many efforts. Luckily, many users have fixed the problem with this method and so, you must try it too.
There are three ways you can try to restart your Mac, which include:
- Press and hold down the 'Power' button and choose the 'Restart' option. Alternatively, you can use 'Control + Eject' and choose 'Restart'.
- Go to the 'Apple' menu and next, choose 'Restart'.
- Use 'Control + Command + Eject' or 'Control + Command + Power' and next, choose 'Restart'.
After restarting your Mac, the problem should be fixed now. But, if not, then go for the next solutions to fix the 'screenshot on Mac not working' issue.
3. Use Grab to Screenshot on Mac
Mac Os Screenshot App Download
There are also other ways to take a screenshot on Mac you might don't aware of them. So, instead of taking screenshots using keyboard shortcuts, use Grab to capture screen on your system. Grab is a pre-installed application for Mac OS X and macOS that allows you to take screenshots of the entire screen, the whole window, or only a specified area of your screen.
Here are the simple steps on how to use Grab utility to take screenshots on Mac:
- To start with, you need to open 'Applications' and next, tap on 'Utilities'.
- After that, look for 'Grab' and select it.
- Now, click on 'Capture'.
As per your requirements, you can choose any one option and take a screenshot.
4. Use Preview to Screenshot on Mac
If you encounter a problem like a screenshot on Mac not working, then you can use Preview to capture screenshots. Well, Preview is nothing, but default utility that lets you open and modifies or edit images. Besides this, you can also take a screenshot on Mac using the Preview tool.
Here are simple steps on how to use Preview to screenshot on Mac: Adobe photoshop suite.
- To begin with, navigate to 'Preview'.
- Next, tap on 'File' and after that, select 'Take Screenshot'.
- Now, choose any one option as per your need.
As you can see there are many alternatives to take a screenshot on Mac. Hopefully, the above methods help you to resolve the problem for you.
Part 4. How to Recover Lost Screenshots on Mac?
In some cases, although screenshots are saved by resolving the problem 'screenshot on Mac not working', there are chances that you still lost them due to unknown reason. But, don't be panic if this situation happens to you because you still have a powerful method to recover your lost screenshots on your Mac. And that method is using Recoverit data recovery for Mac.
Luckily, Recoverit Data Recovery software is primarily designed to help those users who accidentally lost their files, such as photos, videos, audio, and documents. No matter how you lost your screenshots whether deleting by mistake, virus attack, or sudden power failure, the tool is powerful enough to work under numerous data loss scenarios.
Recovering media files with this tool takes a few minutes and three easy steps. In order to get back lost screenshots using Recoverit, you need to first download and install the software on your computer. Once you installed the software, follow the below steps:
Step 1: Select the screenshot drive
To start with, run Recoverit. Now, you need to choose a hard drive location from where you have lost your screenshots and click the Start button.
Step 2: Scan the Location
Now, the program will start looking for lost files by performing a scan on your selected hard drive location. Here, it may take several minutes to complete the entire scan process.
Step 3: Preview and Recover
Finally, preview the files and choose the desired files you want to get back after the scan is complete. And click on the 'Recover' button to save recovered screenshots on your Mac.
So, you now know what you can do if you ever lost your important files on Mac. However, while you are saving recovered screenshots on Mac, don't save them to the location from where they get lost.
Part 5. Tips against 'Screenshot on Mac Not Working'
Hopefully, the problem 'screenshot on Mac not working' is fixed for you with the help of the above-mentioned methods. However, here are some more tips and tricks you can try to avoid facing the same problem again in the future.
- If you're not good at remembering keyboard shortcuts, then use Grab or Preview to take a screenshot on your system.
- It might be the case that keyboard shortcuts of your Mac are damaged and that's why you are not able to capture a screen using keys.
- You may have changed the default location for saving screenshots and that's why it seems to you that screenshots aren't working on your Mac. So, check the location where your Mac screenshots are saved.
- Sometimes, third-party applications installed on your system prevent the proper functioning of other Mac utilities or programs. So, uninstall or get rid of third-party apps if you've on your system.
- Mac systems are also susceptible to bugs and viruses, which can corrupt your system. As a result, you can face a screenshot, not a working issue. Thus, use anti-virus to protect your system from bugs.
The problem 'screenshot on Mac not working' can be easily resolved if you know the right solutions for this. Luckily, here we have listed all probable methods that can help you to fix the issue with ease. Plus, if you ever end up losing your important screenshots on Mac, then we have also provided the solution to this problem too. It is Recoverit data recovery for Mac. With the help of this tool, you can easily rescue your lost screenshots.
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