How To Take Screenshot on Mac, Windows, and Mobile Phones

In today’s digital age, screenshots have become essential for communication, documentation, troubleshooting, and sharing information. Whether you’re a Mac user, a Windows enthusiast, or rely on your trusty mobile phone, capturing and saving what’s displayed on your screen is a valuable skill.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various methods of how to take screenshot on Mac, Windows PCs, and mobile phones. We’ve got you covered whether you need to capture the entire screen, a specific window, or a selected portion. Let’s explore the step-by-step instructions for each platform, including some handy tips and tricks along the way.

Table of Contents

What’s a Screenshot?

A screenshot is a digital image or snapshot that captures the current content displayed on a computer screen, smartphone, tablet, or any other electronic device with a visual interface. It essentially freezes the visual representation of the screen at a specific moment in time, preserving the information shown on it.

Taking a screenshot allows users to capture and save what they see on their screens, whether it’s a webpage, software interface, image, video, game, or any other content. Screenshots are saved as image files, commonly in formats such as PNG, JPEG, or GIF, and can be easily shared, stored, or used for various purposes.

How to take Screenshots on Mac

You can use several keyboard shortcuts to take a screenshot on a Mac. The method varies depending on what you want to capture. Here are the common shortcuts:

Capture the entire screen: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 3. The screenshot will be saved as a file on your desktop.
Capture a selected portion of the screen: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 4. Your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. Release the mouse button to take the screenshot; it will be saved as a file on your desktop.
Capture a specific window or menu: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar. Your cursor will turn into a camera icon. Move the camera icon over the window or menu you want to capture and click on it. The screenshot will be saved as a file on your desktop.
Capture a Touch Bar (for MacBook Pro with Touch Bar): Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 6. The screenshot will be saved as a file on your desktop.

By default, the screenshots are saved to your desktop. If you prefer to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead, add the Control key to the shortcuts mentioned above:

For capturing the entire screen: Command (⌘) + Control + Shift + 3
For capturing a selected portion of the screen: Command (⌘) + Control + Shift + 4
For capturing a specific window or menu: Command (⌘) + Control + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar.

After taking the screenshot, you can find the saved files on your desktop. If you want to change the default location for saving screenshots, you can use the “Screenshot” app located in the “Utilities” folder within the “Applications” folder to customize the settings.

How to take Screenshots on Windows

In Windows, you can take a screenshot using various methods. Here are the most common ways:

Capture the entire screen: Press the Print Screen key (often labeled as “PrtScn” or “PrtSc”) on your keyboard. The screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.
Capture the active window: Press Alt + Print Screen. This will capture the currently active window and copy it to the clipboard.
Capture a selected portion of the screen: Press Windows key + Shift + S. The screen will dim, and your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. The screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.
Use the Snipping Tool (Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10): Search for “Snipping Tool” in the Start menu, and open the application. Click “New” in the Snipping Tool window to capture a screenshot of the selected screen portion. You can then save or copy the screenshot as needed.
Use the Snip & Sketch app (Windows 10): Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the Snip & Sketch toolbar. You can select different snip types (Rectangular, Freeform, Window, Fullscreen), and the screenshot will be copied to the clipboard. Alternatively, you can use the “Snip & Sketch” app from the Start menu for more options and editing capabilities.
Use the Game Bar (Windows 10, for capturing games and apps): Press Windows key + G to open the Game Bar overlay. Click on the camera icon or use the Win + Alt + PrtScn shortcut to capture the game or app window. The screenshot will be saved in the “Captures” folder under “Videos” in your user directory.

After taking a screenshot, you can paste it into an image editor (e.g., Microsoft Paint, Paint 3D, or any other image editing software) or directly into a document or image editing application to save, edit, or share it.

How to take Screenshots on Chromebook

On a Chromebook, you can take a screenshot using the following methods:

Capture the entire screen: Press Ctrl + Show Windows (the key with the rectangle icon). The screenshot will be saved in the “Downloads” folder by default.
Capture a selected portion of the screen: Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows. Your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved in the “Downloads” folder.
Capture the entire screen and copy to the clipboard: Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows + Ctrl. The screenshot will be copied to the clipboard, and you can paste it into an application or document.
Capture a specific window: Press Alt + Ctrl + Show Windows and click on the one you want to capture. The screenshot of the selected window will be saved in the “Downloads” folder.

After taking a screenshot, you can access the “Downloads” folder to find and view your saved screenshots. If you want to edit or annotate the screenshots, use the built-in image editor on Chrome OS or transfer the screenshot to an image editing application.

How to take Screenshots on a Phone and Tablet

The method to take a screenshot on a phone or tablet can vary slightly depending on the operating system (OS) your device is running. Here are the common ways to take screenshots on popular mobile OS platforms:

1. Android:

Method 1: Press and hold the “Volume Down” and “Power” buttons simultaneously for a few seconds until you see the screen flash or hear a camera shutter sound. The screenshot will be saved in the “Screenshots” folder in your Gallery or Photos app.
Method 2: Some Android devices also have a “Palm Swipe” gesture option. Go to Settings > Advanced Features (or similar) > Motions and gestures (or similar) and enable “Palm swipe to capture.” Then, swipe your hand horizontally across the screen to capture a screenshot.

2. iOS (iPhone and iPad):

Press and hold the “Side (Power) button” and the “Volume Up” button simultaneously. Release the buttons when you see the screen flash and you hear the camera shutter sound. The screenshot will be saved in your Photos app.
If your device supports it, you can also take a screenshot by tapping the “AssistiveTouch” icon (an on-screen floating button) and selecting “Device” > “More” > “Screenshot.”

3. iPadOS (iPad with iPadOS 11 or later):

The same method as iOS devices. Press and hold the “Side (Power) button” and the “Volume Up” button simultaneously to capture a screenshot.
If you have a compatible Apple Pencil, you can take a screenshot by swiping up from the bottom corner of the screen with the Pencil’s tip.

4. Windows Phone:

Press and hold the “Power” and “Volume Up” buttons simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved in the “Screenshots” album in the Photos app.

5. Windows 10 (Tablets):

Press and hold the “Windows logo” and “Volume Down” buttons simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved in the “Screenshots” folder in the Photos app.

6. Samsung Devices (Android): Samsung devices often have an additional method using gestures. Swipe the edge of your hand across the screen from right to left (or left to right) to capture a screenshot.

Apps to take Screenshot on Mac and Windows

Here are some popular apps and built-in software options for taking screenshots on both Mac and Windows:

Mac:

Built-in Screenshot Utility: macOS comes with a built-in screenshot utility that allows you to capture the screen, selected portions, or specific windows using keyboard shortcuts. It offers options for saving the screenshots to the desktop or copying them to the clipboard. No additional software is needed for basic screenshot functionality on Mac.
Skitch: Developed by Evernote, Skitch is a feature-rich screenshot and annotation tool that allows users to capture screenshots, add annotations, draw shapes, and highlight important areas before sharing them.
Snappy: Snappy is a simple and efficient screenshot utility that provides options for capturing specific areas or full-screen screenshots. It also offers easy sharing and cloud integration.
Lightshot: Lightshot is a lightweight and user-friendly screenshot tool that lets you capture specific regions, save screenshots, and quickly share them online.

Windows:

Built-in Snipping Tool (Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10): Windows operating systems (Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10) come with a built-in Snipping Tool that offers basic screenshot functionality. It allows you to capture full-screen, rectangular, free-form, and window screenshots and provides basic annotation options.
Snip & Sketch (Windows 10): Replacing the Snipping Tool in Windows 10, Snip & Sketch offers more advanced screenshot features, including timed captures, full-screen captures, and annotations.
Greenshot: Greenshot is a powerful open-source screenshot tool for Windows that offers a range of capture options, editing tools, and sharing capabilities.
ShareX: ShareX is a versatile and feature-rich screenshot and screen recording tool for Windows, offering a plethora of capture options, editing tools, and customizable workflows.
Lightshot: Lightshot is also available for Windows and offers the same user-friendly and quick screenshot and sharing features as its Mac version.

FAQs

Are there any third-party screenshot apps available?

Yes, many third-party apps and software are available for Mac and Windows. Some popular options include Skitch, Greenshot, ShareX, and Lightshot.

Can I take screenshots of web pages or scrolling content?

Some apps and software, like Greenshot or browser extensions, allow you to capture entire web pages, including scrolling content, by automatically stitching multiple screenshots together.

How do I edit or annotate my screenshots?

Most operating systems have built-in image editors that allow basic editing and annotation features. Third-party apps often provide advanced editing tools like adding text, arrows, or blurring sensitive information.

Can I take screenshots in games or apps?

Some games and apps may have their screenshot functionality (often using specific keyboard shortcuts), while others may restrict taking screenshots due to copyright or privacy concerns.

How do I find and manage my saved screenshots?

They are usually saved in a designated folder on your device, such as “Screenshots,” “Pictures,” or “Gallery.” You can also use the default Photos or Gallery app to access and manage screenshots.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing how to take a screenshot is a fundamental skill that empowers users to capture and preserve valuable information, communicate effectively, troubleshoot issues, and share moments with others. Whether using a Mac, Windows PC, or a mobile device, the process is straightforward and often involves simple keyboard shortcuts.

With the ability to freeze and document what’s displayed on your screen, screenshots are a versatile and indispensable tool in today’s digital world. So, whether it’s capturing cherished memories or collaborating with others, mastering the art of taking screenshots opens up a world of possibilities at your fingertips.

Brendan Hesse

I’m a writer, artist, and designer working in the gaming and tech industries. I have held staff and freelance positions at large publications including Digital Trends, Lifehacker, Popular Science Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, IGN, The Xplore Tech, and others, primarily covering gaming criticism, A/V and mobile tech reviews, and data security advocacy.