Taking a screenshot in Mac OS X is a relatively complex process compared to the straightforward ‘just press the key’ approach Windows users will be used too. However, once you know what to do, the screenshot functionality of OS X is considerably more powerful and versatile.
Screenshot Key Combinations in Mac OS X
The following key combos can be used to take screenshots.
| Key Combination | Area Captured | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Command + Shift + 3 | Entire Screen | File saved on desktop |
| Command + Ctrl + Shift + 3 | Entire Screen | Copy to clipboard |
| Command + Shift + 4 | Click n Drag to select area | File saved on desktop |
| Command + Ctrl + Shift + 4 | Click n Drag to select area | Copy to clipboard |
| Command + Shift + 4 then Space bar | Click to select window | File saved to desktop |
| Command + Ctrl + Shift + 4 then Space bar | Click to select window | Copy to clipboard |
Mac OS X also provides the Grab utility (described by O’Reilly) which offers even more powerful screenshot taking capabilities.
Happy Screenshotting!