How To Print Screen on Mac – A Beginner’s Guide


How To Print Screen on MacPin

Windows has a Print Screen function. But how do you print screen on Mac computers? In this guide, we’ll show your several ways to do it…


Mac and Windows PCs are very different. Not just in how the software looks, but also in how it works too. For instance, one of the staples of Windows, a feature that is probably used billions of times a day the world over, is its Print Screen functionality.

With Print Screen, you can effectively take whatever is displaying on your computer’s screen, capture it in its entirety, and then print it out. Print Screen is handy for meetings, for saving settings, and for sharing stuff with friends and family, as well as colleagues. But how do you print screen on a Mac?

As with most things related to macOS and Mac computers, in general, Apple has thought about this ability and found a novel way of integrating it into the software to make taking screenshots (otherwise known as “print screen”) as easy as possible. And there’s actually more than one way to do it which is handy as well.

How To Print Screen on a Mac

MacintoshPin

Let’s now take a look at the options you have at your disposal for performing a print screen on a Mac computer, be it a MacBook or an iMac or even a Mac Pro.

#1 – Take A Screenshot On Mac

If you’d like to quickly take a print screen on your Mac, press on hold the following keys together: Shift, Command, and 3 – this will take a “print screen” of everything on your Mac’s display. It will then open in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, so you can edit the captured image, share it, or print it out.

#2 – Capture A Specific Portion of The Screen

With macOS, Apple has made it super simple to capture and take very specific screengrabs (AKA screenshots). With this method of screen grabbing, you can highlight a specific section of what’s displaying on your Mac’s screen like a specific window or web page.

How To Print Screen on Mac – A Beginner’s GuidePin

To perform this kind of screengrab, press and hold the following keys together: Shift, Command, and 4 – this will turn your mouse pointer into a cursor that you can use to drag over the desired area on your screen to screengrab. Once you drag the cursor over the area you want to capture, simply let go of the mouse and it will be saved as a screenshot.

The captured screenshot will then be saved to your desktop. Or, you can alternatively use the same editor mentioned inside OPTION #1 to edit, share, or print your captured image. Again, it is all done with just a few clicks. This method is ideal if you only need to highlight specific portions of what’s being displayed on your screen.

#3 – How To Capture Window or Menu In Mac

If you want to capture a specific window or a menu inside macOS, you can use a third method that is designed specifically for this. To do this, press the following keys together: Shift, Command, 4, and Space bar. The pointer will turn into a camera icon and you can then use the icon to take screenshots of specific windows and/or menus.

How To Print Screen on Mac – A Beginner’s GuidePin

Again, a preview of the captured screengrab will appear in the bottom right-hand corner as soon as the image is captured. You can then go into it and edit it, share it, or print it. Alternatively, if you do nothing, the image will be saved to your desktop for easy access at a later date.

Where Do Screenshots Go on Mac?

Whenever you take a screenshot – or perform a Print Screen in Mac – the image file will be saved to your desktop. The file name will look something like this: “Screen Shot [date] at [time].png.” This makes it really easy to quickly find all your screenshots – they always go to the same place as well, so you’ll always know where they are which is handy if you print screen fairly often.

From here, you can drag the file wherever you like. You might have a dedicated screenshots folder, for instance, and if you do you can simply drag all of your screenshots into this file for better organization. You can also change the location of where screenshots go inside the Options menu of the Screenshot app.

To do this, open the Screenshots app > Options and then select the folder you’d like all future screenshots to be saved inside. If you have a dedicated screenshot folder, you’ll probably want to use this folder to save future screenshots going forwards. This feature only works on Macs running macOS Mojave or later, however, so if you’re not running that version of macOS, you’ll need to update your computer.

Other Useful Mac Guides

[tag-hub tag=”mac”]

Latest Smartphone Releases


  • Xiaomi 15S Pro

    The Xiaomi 15S Pro didn’t come with a flashy launch, but it brings some seriously heavy hardware to the table. A custom 10-core chip, Leica-engineered cameras, and one of the brightest displays on the market

  • Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

    At just 5.8mm thick, it’s one of the thinnest Android phones ever made—but don’t let the slim profile fool you. This phone is all flagship under the hood.

  • Nothing Phone (3a) Pro

    It’s got the same slick design and OLED display, but adds a periscope zoom camera and a 50MP front-facing shooter.

  • Nothing Phone (3a)

    The Nothing Phone (3a) nails the formula: give people what they actually want, keep the price low, and make it look cooler than anything else in its class.

  • Motorola EDGE 60 Pro

    With a bold design, flagship-like display, and surprisingly refined camera system, it’s one of the most interesting mid-range phones of 2025.

  • Google Pixel 9

    I’ve been using the Pixel 9 for a few weeks now, and honestly? It nails all the basics—and a bit more. Killer stuff all round!

  • Google Pixel 9 Pro

    I’ve used the Pixel 9 Pro as my daily device, and it’s hands-down the best balance of power, practicality, and photography you’ll find on Android right now.

  • OnePlus 13

    I’ve been using the OnePlus 13 as my daily driver for a few months now—and I’ve got to say, it’s easily one of the best Android phones I’ve tested this year.

  • Xiaomi 15 Ultra

    After using the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for over a week, I can confidently say: this phone is an absolute beast. It’s made for camera nerds, power users, and creators.

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

    If you’ve been holding out for a truly complete iPhone, the 16 Pro Max delivers—hard. After using it daily, I won't be going back…

  • Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

    Big screen, big battery, and even bigger brains—this is the Pixel to get if you want Google’s best hardware and longest support.

  • Google Pixel 9a

    The Pixel 9a brings Google’s flagship-level smarts to a budget-friendly package, and it’s easily one of the best-value Android phones of 2025.

Best SIM-Only Plans & Deals


  • Boost Mobile Unlimited Premium Plan

    Boost’s top-tier option brings the heat: 50GB of premium data, hotspot, North America roaming, global talk & text, and $430 off select devices. All-in at $60/month with no contract.

    +

    Data: Unlimited (50GB premium speed)

  • Boost Mobile Unlimited+ Plan

    Level up with 40GB of premium data, hotspot access, global calling, and up to $300 in device savings. All for just $50/month. No contracts and flexible phone options included.

    +

    Data: Unlimited; Speed Caps After 40GB

  • Boost Mobile Unlimited Plan

    Start strong with 30GB of premium data, unlimited everything, and a killer intro offer: just $15/month for the first 3 months, then $25/month forever. No contracts. No fluff. Big value.

    +

    Data: Unlimited (Speed Caps Over 30GB)

  • iD Mobile 1 Month SIM-Only: 108GB

    Another high-data, low-cost option with no contract. 108GB for just £9, full 5G access, and the same goodies you get with 12-month deals.

    +

    Data: 108GB

  • iD Mobile 1 Month SIM-Only: 20GB

    The lowest price option. 20GB for £6 with all the same perks as pricier plans. Great if you don’t use much data and want to save every penny.

    +

    Data: 20GB

  • iD Mobile 1 Month SIM-Only: 110GB

    This plan gives you big data and zero commitment. 110GB for just £10 with all perks intact. If you need more data but want the freedom to cancel, this is the one.

    +

    Data: 110GB

  • iD Mobile 1 Month SIM-Only: 60GB

    More data, same price. For just £8/month, you get 60GB on a no-strings 1-month rolling plan. Ideal for users who stream often but don’t want long commitments.

    +

    Data: 60GB

  • iD Mobile 1 Month SIM-Only: 40GB

    Perfect if you want full flexibility. You get 40GB and all of iD Mobile's perks with no lock-in, annual increases, or setup fees. Great for short-term users.

    +

    Data: 40GB

  • iD Mobile 12 Month SIM-Only: 60GB

    One of the best pound-per-GB plans around. You get 60GB for £8 with £25 cashback, which means you’re effectively paying closer to £6/month. Includes roaming and data rollover.

    +

    Data: 60GB

  • iD Mobile 12 Month SIM-Only: 108GB

    This deal gets you a healthy 108GB of 5G data for less than a tenner, with no upfront costs and £24 cashback. All the perks are included too: data rollover, roaming, and loyalty rewards.

    +

    Data: 108GB

  • iD Mobile 12 Month SIM-Only: Unlimited Data

    This iD Mobile plan doesn’t just compete on price, it’s up there with the best of them. Unlimited everything, a year-long lock-in with no price rises, and £42 cashback straight to your pocket. It’s like getting nearly 3 months free.

    +

    Data: Unlimited, No Speed Caps

  • Mint Mobile 20GB Plan

    If you're looking to save some cash on your bills, this plan is an awesome option. You'll get 20GB of data per month and 20GB hotspot data allowance. For moderate to heavy users, that should be more than enough. I seldom use more than 10GB of data a month, and I'm always using my phone

    +

    Data: 20GB