First, though, let’s discuss some of the limits when taking a screenshot. Later, we’ll show you some of the options. Regardless of the reason for your wanting to take a screenshot on your Mac, you’ll need an efficient and seamless way to do it. For example, the Nintendo Switch has a screen capture feature built into the console, and the Steam gaming platform has dedicated screenshot functionality for desktop users. Depending on the context, there can also be a social gaming aspect to creating screenshots.

In some cases, they can be used as visible proof or for archiving purposes.

They’re paramount for content marketing purposes, especially for tutorials and “how-to” posts.

For instance, you can share them with tech support, who will look to replicate the error.

We can use them to show error messages.

With the advent of the internet and its continued growth, sharing screenshots has increased significantly. The ability to take screengrabs has been around since the 60s. If you're running MacOS Mojave or newer (if you've bought or updated your Mac since 2018, this should be the case), this will open the advanced screenshot menu.The Many Uses of Taking Screenshots On Your Macīack before the functionality was available, and smartphones were still in their infancy, the only way to take a screenshot was to use a dedicated lens extension for your film camera. This means that unless you paste the picture somewhere and save that, the screenshot will disappear as soon as you copy something else.Īlthough these are the two spaces where screenshots go by default, you can choose a new saving location at any time. When you copy a screenshot to the clipboard, it won't be saved to your Your Mac's clipboard is the space that anything you copy or 'Cut' goes to - in other words, once the screenshot is saved there, you can paste it by pressing Command + V. You can also hold down the Control key while you take the screenshot to copy it to the clipboard. Once you press any of the screenshot shortcuts, the picture will appear on your Desktop, labeled as 'Screen Shot,' followed by the date and time.

Where screenshots go on a Mac, and how to change itīy default, any screenshot you take on your Mac will go to the Desktop.

Screenshot on mac desktop