How to Take a Print Screen on a Mac

Taking a print screen, also known as a screenshot, on a Mac is a simple process that can be done using keyboard shortcuts or the Preview app. Whether you're trying to capture an entire window, a selected area of the screen, or a full-screen image, this article will guide you through the steps.

To take a screenshot of the entire screen, press Command-Shift-3. This will automatically save the image on your desktop as a .png file. If you want to take a screenshot of just a selected area of the screen, use the same shortcut, but follow it up with a mouse click and drag to select the area.

Alternatively, you can also use the Preview app to take a screenshot. Open an application, then go to the 'File' menu in the menu bar and select 'Save As.' Choose your desired format (such as JPEG) and size, and the image will be saved on your desktop.

In Mac OS X 10.6 or later, you can also use the Preview app to edit and modify your screenshot. Open the image in Preview by double-clicking it, then use the tools and features available in the app to make any necessary changes.

It's worth noting that if you're running macOS Mojave (10.14) or higher, taking a screenshot will work slightly differently. A camera icon will appear on your screen, allowing you to click on any app's window to take a full capture of the window only. You can also use this method to take a screenshot of one application's window only.

For those running Mac OS Lion (10.7) or later, the process for saving screenshots has changed, removing the 'Save As' option from the 'File' menu. However, you can still save your screenshots as JPEG or other formats by using the same steps outlined above.

Overall, taking a print screen on a Mac is a quick and easy process that can be done using keyboard shortcuts or the Preview app. Whether you're trying to capture an entire window, a selected area of the screen, or a full-screen image, this article has provided you with the necessary steps to get the job done.

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