How to Screenshot on an iMac like a Pro

Taking screenshots on an iMac is quick and easy, allowing you to capture entire windows or just snippets of the screen. Whether you’re sending a funny conversation or creating a tutorial for someone, learning how to take screenshots like a pro can be helpful. Here’s a guide on how to screenshot on an iMac like a pro.

Capturing a screenshot on an iMac

Taking a screenshot on your Mac can be a useful tool when you need to capture an image of something on your computer’s screen. To take a screenshot, all you have to do is press and hold the Shift(⇧), Command(⌘) and 3 keys at the same time. After completing the action, a small thumbnail may appear in the corner of the screen, indicating that a screenshot was taken. This means it has been successfully captured and saved for you; simply click and drag the image from the corner onto your desktop or another file folder to save it.

If for some reason, you don’t see the thumbnail immediately after taking the screenshot, don’t worry! You can just wait for your Mac to auto-save it onto your desktop in .png format or use an applications such as Preview. Once it’s saved, you can drag and drop it into any other application so that you can crop or edit it if needed. Taking screenshots makes capturing any still image onscreen easy and hassle-free – no more having to awkwardly snap pictures with your phone camera!

Mac screenshot shortcuts

Mac screenshot shortcuts are the quickest way to capture and store images of your screen. With just a few keystrokes, you can capture the whole screen or a specific portion of it with ease. The Shift, Command, and number keys are all involved in these techniques. By pressing Shift + Command + 3,(⇧+⌘+3)  you can instantly take an image of the entire desktop including any open windows. This is great for taking notes quickly or for sharing visuals such as tutorials online.

If you need to take a partial screenshot, then Shift + Command + 4 (⇧+⌘+4)is what you’re looking for. This triggers a crosshair which allows you to select only the desired region of the screen and capture it without any unnecessary clutter in the background. Mac screenshots can be edited using basic photo tools directly from your laptop and shared on social media sites or sent to others over email with just a few clicks.

Best screenshot apps

CleanShot X is the ultimate screenshot app for your Mac. It’s tailor made to take 50+ different types of screenshots – whether it be a window, full screen, area or scrolling content – as well as record videos and GIFs. The app even allows you to capture all of this desktop action while simultaneously hiding any desktop clutter or turning off desktop notifications. This powerful tool offers enhanced features when compared to the native snipping tools on Mac and will undoubtedly come in handy for capturing images and sharing them with others.

Aside from its naturally useful features, CleanShot X also goes beyond just screenshots by offering an easy-to-use annotation system that let’s users inject comments into captures before sending them off. It gives users the means to highlight areas on a picture with arrows, draw shapes using multiple colors, add text boxes and more! Best of all, you can easily save your final result without ever leaving the game. In sum, CleanShot X offers a great combination of robust functions and frustration-free usability that make it reassuringly convenient for capturing any type of Mac content.

Use the menu to screenshot on iMac

Taking a screenshot on Mac has never been easier. On macOS Mojave and later, you have access to the Screenshot menu bar item. With that, you can quickly and easily capture an image of your desktop without setting up any of the extended features. All you need to do is press Command + Shift + 5 (⌘+⇧+5) and the Screenshot window will open. From there you can Capture Entire Screen, Capture Selected Window(s), or Capture Selected Portion, depending on what it is you’re trying to capture. There are some extra options available for those who want more advanced control such as timer delay and different file types, but for most purposes the basic options should suffice just fine.

For users running MacOS versions prior to Mojave, taking screenshots still required a few steps more. If a user wants to take a picture of part of their screen they have to press Command + Shift + 4 and then select the area they wish to snap with their mouse button while holding down the Ctrl button. They can also access different parts of their screen quickly by pressing Option(⌥+arrow) or Shift(⇧+arrow)  right after activating the screenshot tool via Command + Shift + 4 (⌘+⇧+4) shortcut instead of dragging around with their mouse which may be time consuming in some cases.

Capture an image of a specific section of the screen

Taking screenshots on Mac is an incredibly useful tool for a variety of purposes. Capturing snapshots of important projects, screenshots for troubleshooting technical issues, sharing interesting online content with friends – the list goes on. If you need to take a screenshot of selected area instead of the entire screen, it’s not just easy but also quite a bit faster than other methods.

To get started, press and hold down all the three keys together – Shift, Command and 4 (⌘+⇧+4) at the same time. Once you do, your mouse cursor will transform into crosshair. To select the portion of screen that needs to be captured in the screenshot simply drag this crosshair over the selection area and when you’re satisfied with what you’ve chosen, let go off all three keys. If while dragging you feel like needing to make adjustments or move your selection then simply press & hold Spacebar while keeping your fingers pressed against all three keys together implied by others before going ahead with this method.

Screenshot your full screen

Taking a screenshot of an entire screen is incredibly easy and convenient with Mac computers. All one needs to do is press and hold the Shift, Command, and 3 (⇧+⌘+3) simultaneously. This will take a screenshot of the entire display, allowing users to capture everything that’s on the screen in one simple step. Once taken, the thumbnail of the screenshot may instantly pop up in the corner of their screen. From there they can easily view or edit it as soon as they like. In some cases, it might take a few seconds or minutes before it saves itself to the user’s desktop for them to look at later when needed. It can be a great way for people who need to quickly reference what was on their screen and/or share exactly what they saw without having to explain it all in writing. Whether you need a picture for an article or presentation, this technique will help make sure you get any easily visible elements from your computer that you need along with taking little effort on your part.

Capture a section or window on an iMac with a screenshot

Taking a screenshot—or capturing the contents of an entire display or window—is a simple yet invaluable task for almost any user. For Mac users, the few necessary steps make it especially straightforward. To screenshot a specific section or window on Mac, open the desired window and then press and hold Shift, Command, 4 (⇧+⌘+4) and Space bar simultaneously. This will cause the pointer to become a camera icon. You can use it to select only individual windows or menus that are currently open to take a screenshot of them exclusively. If for whatever reason you decide not to follow through with capturing the area highlighted by your cursor after pressing the keys mentioned above, you may cancel taking the screenshot by hitting Esc (escape).

Mac’s default capability of being able to quickly capture specific windows or menus is incredibly useful in many situations. From sharing part of an article you’re working on with someone else to creating problem tickets that designers and developers alike may be working on together—screen captures are essential in these cases as well as many more. Being able to take screenshots without having to go through hoops with third-party tools such as Snipping Tools is definitely beneficial for both casual and professional Mac users alike.