With Windows PCs and notebooks, the procedure is very simple: a tap on the “Print” key is enough and a photo of the screen content is already on the clipboard. But how does taking a screenshot actually work on Apple’s Mac or MacBooks? There are several keyboard shortcuts! COMPUTER BILD explains all.
Take a Mac screenshot: Here’s how
Mac users have six options to capture screen content as a screenshot:
- CMD + SHIFT + 3: This key combination takes the entire screen content as a screenshot and saves it as a file.
- CMD+CTRL+SHIFT+3: This also records the entire screen. Difference: The Mac does not save it in a file, but in the clipboard. Open a new document in Word or a new file in Photoshop, paste the screenshot with the key combination CTRL + V easily.
- CMD + SHIFT + 4: Pressing this key combination allows you to select the area of the screen that you want to save before taking the screenshot.
- CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + 4: This key combination can also be used to select the image area that you want to save as a file before taking the screenshot. Difference: The Mac does not save it in a file, but puts it on the clipboard.
- CMD + SHIFT + 4, then SPACEBAR (Space): How to take a screenshot of a selected program window. A small camera symbol appears on the display. If you move this over the selected window, the Mac colors it blue.
- CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + 4, then SPACEBAR (Space): This is also how you take a screenshot of a selected program window. Difference: The Mac does not create it as a file, instead it uses the clipboard.
MacBooks: find the right model
A comparatively cheap MacBook Air or an expensive MacBook Pro? You can find the right model in the MacBook leaderboard. Clicking on the model name takes you to a detailed test of your favorite with all the relevant facts: speed, features, image quality and battery life.