How to Screenshot on a MacBook

How to Screenshot on a MacBook

Are you struggling to take screenshots on your MacBook? Come on and read our article. We will guide you on the step-by-step process of taking various screenshots on MacBook.

Learning how to take screenshots on the MacBook or an iMac is essential. This is because it does save not only your time but also is a great way to save things. You might wish to save a link to a specific website for reference or future use. Instead of copying the whole link, you can take a screenshot and save a picture of the entire screen.

To an extent, you might want to keep a record when you buy something online; the best way is to take a screenshot. Again, you can take screenshots whenever you want to share something you have discovered with your friend or show them what you have bought.

Other people take screenshots to post on their social media platforms or display them in a facetime call. It is also vital to take screenshots when you want to demonstrate a problem on your MacBook device. Taking screenshots is easy. After taking a screenshot, you can crop and save it on your photo app to access it quickly anytime.

Today, MacBook has an advanced screenshot menu that allows you to take on-screen videos. Therefore, in our article, we will teach you different ways to take screenshots on your MacBook device. You only need to learn simple keyboard shortcuts.


Take a Screenshot of the Whole Screen

When you take a screenshot on a MacBook, it involves a combination of different keys depending on the type of screenshot. So, to capture the entire screen, it is simple with these two steps, and you are done:

Step 1: First press and hold these keys SHIFT+ COMMAND then 3.

Step 2: You will see a screenshot appear on the desktop. You can edit and share or save for future use/reference.


Take a Screenshot of a Specific Selection

You may also wish to save a specific section of your screen. Again, it is a simple task but involves a manual selection of your screen. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Press SHIFT+ COMMAND+4.

Step 2: Your mouse will turn into a cross.

Step 3: Then hold down your left mouse button pointing to a place you want to take a screenshot. Drag your mouse to make a selection over your screen.

Step 4: Release a left mouse button when you are done with the selection.

Step 5: Then you will see a screenshot displayed on your desktop for the next step.


Take a Screenshot on One Window

Take a Screenshot on One Window

Sometimes you might be multitasking on your MacBook, but you only want to capture a screenshot on one open Window. Use a combination of different keys and follow these procedures:

Step 1: First, using your keyboard, press SHIFT,+COMMAND+4.

Step 2: Then press a spacebar key to turn your mouse pointer into a camera.

Step 3: Then use a mouse to select the Window you wish to take a screenshot of.

Step 4: Once you click on the open Window, the screenshot will appear on the desktop. You can then save, crop, or share with a friend.


Use the Screenshot App

Another method of taking screenshots on a MacBook is to use a screenshot app. You can find these screenshot apps from the macOS Mojave. When using these apps, they offer you extra features. So, if you want to open the apps and take a screenshot, then follow this procedure:

Step 1: Using your keyboard, press SHIFT+ COMMAND+5

Step 2: You will see icons from the apps. so, from left to right, these cons means:

Step 3: Capture the hole screen

Step 4: Capture but only a window

Step 5: Capture a section o your screen.

Step 6: Record the whole screen

Step 7: Record a section of your screen

And below the above options, you will be able to access different functions such as a timer an option to record cursor, and you can also choose the best location to store your final recording or screenshots.


Use Touch Bar

Before using this method, we think you should know that not all mac devices have  Touch Bars. So, this means the procedure is only applicable to the Mac computers with this feature. Therefore, if you want to take a screenshot of MacBook using this feature, it is simple with a combination of these keys:

Step 1: Using your keyboard, press Shift followed by command +6.

Step 2: The above captures the screenshot of everything on your touch bar.

However, holding down a control key while taking the screenshot will copy the screenshot to the clipboard. This is only recommended if you do not want to save it. Instead, paste the screenshot to any place you wish to insert the image.


How to Change Where Mac Screenshots Are Saved?

Mac devices have default storage locations. But it is also possible to change the storage location. The screenshots are saved on the desktop for easy access in most cases. While many are fine with this location, not all are comfortable locating from a cluster on the desktop.

Therefore, if you are a frequent user of the screenshot, you might wish to create a folder to save your pictures. when you create a folder to save your screenshots, it is also essential to change the location to store your screenshots. Changing storage location is simple.

Step 1: On the keyboard, press SHIFT+5.

Step 2: Then tap on options.

Step 3: From the options menu, you will have access to several storage locations.

Step 4: However, when you want to store your screenshot on a custom folder, click other locations, and select a folder.

Create a custom folder by tapping the new folder. Any future screenshots on MacBook will be saved to the custom folder when you use the screenshot tool.


How to Change Image Format?

Since mac devices have the default format settings when taking screenshots, you can

also, change the settings. In normal cases, the screenshots are saved as a PNG. This format, with time, gets pretty big and takes up a lot of space. If you have a significant retina display monitor, consider changing the default format and switching to the .jpg, which requires a little coding knowledge. But don't worry, here we go:-

Step 1: Go to launchpad and open it

Step 2: Then select others,

Step 3: Choose terminals, and enter the below codes on the new windows.

Defaults write com. apple. screencapture type jpg

Step 4: If your MacBook has a password, you will be prompted to enter and restart the desktop.

Note that any future screenshot will be saved in jpg format. However, you also change it back to png anytime you wish, use the above codding, and specify the format. As you can see, it is a simple task.


Conclusion

Learning how to take screenshots is a good idea. This is because screenshots serve different purposes, such as showing your friend a product you are purchasing online or a problem on your device. But above all, it saves your time. It is easy to take screenshots on a MacBook computer. You only need to follow the above procedures based on the type of screenshot you want. Just take a few key presses, and you have it all done.