Taking a screen shot is a quick and easy way to capture an image of your computer screen. This can be useful for sharing information with others, creating tutorials, or troubleshooting problems.
There are two main ways to take a screen shot on a Mac Book Pro: using the keyboard or using the trackpad. Both methods are easy to use, so choose the one that you find most comfortable.
In this article, we'll show you how to take a screen shot using both methods. We'll also provide some tips for editing and sharing your screen shots.
screen shot with mac book pro
Capture your computer screen.
- Keyboard shortcut: Command + Shift + 3
- Trackpad gesture: Three fingers swipe down
- Capture a specific area: Command + Shift + 4
- Capture a window: Command + Shift + 4, then spacebar
- Capture the entire screen: Command + Shift + 3
- Save as PNG, JPEG, or PDF
- Edit with Preview or other image editor
- Share via email, messages, or social media
Easily capture and share your Mac screen.
Keyboard shortcut: Command + Shift + 3
The keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + 3 is the quickest and easiest way to take a screenshot on a Mac Book Pro. This shortcut captures the entire screen and saves it as a PNG file on your desktop.
To use this shortcut, simply press and hold the Command, Shift, and 3 keys simultaneously. You will hear a shutter sound and see a thumbnail of the screenshot appear in the corner of your screen. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
You can also use this shortcut to capture a specific area of your screen. To do this, press and hold the Command, Shift, and 3 keys, then drag the cursor over the area you want to capture. When you release the mouse button, the screenshot will be saved to your desktop.
If you want to capture a window, press and hold the Command, Shift, and 3 keys, then press the Spacebar. The cursor will change to a camera icon. Click on the window you want to capture and the screenshot will be saved to your desktop.
The Command + Shift + 3 shortcut is a versatile tool that can be used to capture any part of your Mac screen. It's a quick and easy way to share information with others, create tutorials, or troubleshoot problems.
Trackpad gesture: Three fingers swipe down
If you have a Mac Book Pro with a trackpad, you can also take a screenshot using a three-finger swipe down gesture.
- Swipe with three fingers:
To take a screenshot using this gesture, simply place three fingers on the trackpad and swipe down. You will hear a shutter sound and see a thumbnail of the screenshot appear in the corner of your screen. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
- Capture a specific area:
You can also use this gesture to capture a specific area of your screen. To do this, place three fingers on the trackpad and swipe down with two fingers. When you reach the area you want to capture, lift up the two fingers that you are swiping with. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
- Capture a window:
To capture a window using this gesture, place three fingers on the trackpad and swipe down with two fingers. When the cursor changes to a camera icon, click on the window you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
- Change the screenshot format:
You can change the format of your screenshots by holding down the Control key while you perform the three-finger swipe down gesture. This will open a menu where you can choose to save the screenshot as a PNG, JPEG, PDF, or TIFF file.
The three-finger swipe down gesture is a quick and easy way to take a screenshot on a Mac Book Pro. It's especially useful if you want to capture a specific area of your screen or a window.
Capture a specific area: Command + Shift + 4
To capture a specific area of your screen, use the following steps:
- Press and hold the Command, Shift, and 4 keys simultaneously.
The cursor will change to a crosshair.
- Drag the crosshair over the area you want to capture.
As you drag, a selection box will appear. The area inside the selection box is the area that will be captured.
- Release the mouse button.
The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
You can also use the Command + Shift + 4 shortcut to capture a specific window. To do this, follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Command, Shift, and 4 keys simultaneously.
The cursor will change to a crosshair.
- Press the Spacebar.
The cursor will change to a camera icon.
- Click on the window you want to capture.
The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
The Command + Shift + 4 shortcut is a versatile tool that can be used to capture any part of your Mac screen. It's a quick and easy way to share information with others, create tutorials, or troubleshoot problems.
Capture a window: Command + Shift + 4, then spacebar
To capture a window using the Command + Shift + 4 shortcut, follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Command, Shift, and 4 keys simultaneously.
The cursor will change to a crosshair.
- Press the Spacebar.
The cursor will change to a camera icon.
- Click on the window you want to capture.
The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
Here are some additional tips for capturing windows using this shortcut:
- To capture the entire window, simply click on the window with the camera icon.
- To capture only a portion of the window, drag the camera icon over the area you want to capture. When you release the mouse button, the screenshot will be saved to your desktop.
- To capture a window with a shadow, hold down the Option key while you click on the window with the camera icon.
- To capture a window without a shadow, hold down the Command key while you click on the window with the camera icon.
The Command + Shift + 4, then spacebar shortcut is a quick and easy way to capture a window on your Mac Book Pro. It's a versatile tool that can be used to share information with others, create tutorials, or troubleshoot problems.
Capture the entire screen: Command + Shift + 3
To capture the entire screen on your Mac Book Pro, use the following steps:
- Press and hold the Command, Shift, and 3 keys simultaneously.
- Release the keys.
- The screenshot will be saved to your desktop as a PNG file with the name "Screen Shot [date and time].png".
Here are some additional tips for capturing the entire screen:
- To change the format of the screenshot, hold down the Control key while you press the Command, Shift, and 3 keys. This will open a menu where you can choose to save the screenshot as a PNG, JPEG, PDF, or TIFF file.
- To capture the entire screen with a shadow, hold down the Option key while you press the Command, Shift, and 3 keys.
- To capture the entire screen without a shadow, hold down the Command key while you press the Command, Shift, and 3 keys.
The Command + Shift + 3 shortcut is the quickest and easiest way to capture the entire screen on your Mac Book Pro. It's a versatile tool that can be used to share information with others, create tutorials, or troubleshoot problems.
Save as PNG､ JPEG､ or PDF
After you have taken a screenshot on your Mac Book Pro､ you can choose to save it as a PNG､ JPEG､ or PDF file.Here are the differences between these three formats：
- PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless format､ which means that the quality of the image will not be compromised when it is saved and reopened.
- JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a lossy format､ which means that some of the image data is lost when it is saved as a JPEG file.
- PDF (Portable Document Format) is a versatile format that can be used to store text､ images､ and other types of data.
The best format for your screenshot will depend on how you plan to use it.
If you need to preserve the quality of the image､ such as if you are going to print it or edit it in a graphics program､ then you should save it as a PNG file.
If you are sharing the screenshot online or via email､ then you can use a JPEG file､ as it will be smaller in size than a PNG file.
If you need to create a document that includes both text and images､ then you can save the screenshot as a PDF file.
Edit with Preview or other image editor
Once you have taken a screenshot on your Mac Book Pro､ you can edit it using Preview or another image editor.
- Crop the screenshot: You can use the crop tool to remove any unwanted parts of the screenshot.
- Resize the screenshot: You can use the resize tool to change the size of the screenshot.
- Rotate the screenshot: You can use the rotate tool to rotate the screenshot.
- Add text or shapes: You can use the text and shape tools to add text or shapes to the screenshot.
If you need to do more advanced editing､ such as adjusting the colors or removing objects from the screenshot､ then you can use a more powerful image editor such as Photoshop or GIMP.
Share via email, messages, or social media
Once you have taken and edited a screenshot on your Mac Book Pro, you can share it with others via email, messages, or social media.
To share a screenshot via email, simply attach the screenshot to an email message and send it to the recipient.
To share a screenshot via messages, open the Messages app and start a new conversation or open an existing conversation. Then, click on the attachment button and select the screenshot that you want to share.
To share a screenshot on social media, open the social media platform that you want to use and create a new post. Then, click on the attachment button and select the screenshot that you want to share.
You can also share screenshots using AirDrop, which is a wireless file-sharing feature that is available on Mac Book Pros and other Apple devices. To share a screenshot using AirDrop, make sure that AirDrop is turned on on both devices. Then, select the screenshot that you want to share and click on the Share button. In the Share menu, select the AirDrop option and then select the device that you want to share the screenshot with.
FAQ
Tips for Taking and Using Screenshots on a Mac Book Pro
Tips
Here are a few tips for taking and using screenshots on a Mac Book Pro:
Tip 1: Use a keyboard shortcut. The quickest and easiest way to take a screenshot is to use a keyboard shortcut. The default keyboard shortcut for taking a screenshot on a Mac Book Pro is Command + Shift + 3. This will capture the entire screen.
Tip 2: Capture a specific area. If you only want to capture a specific area of the screen, you can use the Command + Shift + 4 keyboard shortcut. This will allow you to drag a selection box over the area you want to capture.
Tip 3: Capture a window. To capture a specific window, you can use the Command + Shift + 4 keyboard shortcut, then press the Spacebar. This will allow you to click on the window you want to capture.
Tip 4: Save the screenshot in a different format. By default, screenshots are saved as PNG files. However, you can change the format to JPEG, PDF, or TIFF by holding down the Control key while you press the Command, Shift, and 3 keys.
These are just a few tips for taking and using screenshots on a Mac Book Pro. With a little practice, you'll be able to quickly and easily capture any part of your screen.
Now that you know how to take and use screenshots on a Mac Book Pro, you can use this powerful tool to share information with others, create tutorials, or troubleshoot problems.
Conclusion
Screenshots are a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as sharing information with others, creating tutorials, or troubleshooting problems. Taking a screenshot on a Mac Book Pro is quick and easy, and there are several different ways to do it.
In this article, we have shown you how to take a screenshot using the keyboard shortcut, the trackpad gesture, and the Preview app. We have also provided tips for editing and sharing your screenshots.
So next time you need to capture something on your screen, don't hesitate to use the screenshot feature on your Mac Book Pro. It's a versatile tool that can save you time and effort.