Dec 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Record the entire screen Click in the onscreen controls. Your pointer changes to a camera. Click any screen to start recording that screen, or click Record in the onscreen controls. By default, Apple’s methods save your screenshot to the desktop, but if you want to copy the screenshot to the clipboard, there’s a keyboard shortcut you can use instead. Capture the entire screen.

There is no doubt that taking a screenshot on Mac is quite straightforward because Apple has given an easy way to do that. However, a lot of users have complained that they have encountered a 'screenshot on Mac not working' problem. If you are also one of those users who are going through this same issue, then you might be looking for methods to fix it.

Well, you have come to the right place. Here, in this article, we have mentioned several ways you can try to come out of this problem without much hassle.

Part 1. What Is a Screenshot?

The term 'Screenshot' also known as a snapshot or screen capture, or print screen. It is a picture that shows the contents of your computer display. In simple words, it allows you to capture whatever you are seeing on your device screen. Once a screenshot is taken, you can save it as an image file where you can open it to edit.

At present, the screenshot feature is quite helpful and that's it is present in all electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. The feature is very useful in many situations, such as when you have to share the screen picture with others or to provide software reviews.

Part 2. How to Take a Screenshot on Mac?

Before you go for a solution to fix the 'screenshot on Mac not working' issue, you need to first learn how to take a screenshot on Mac in the right way. It might be the case that you are capturing your system screen using wrong commands and that's why you met with this annoying problem.

1. Screenshot a window

To screen capture for a window on Man, you need to follow the below steps:

1. Use 'Command + Shift + 4' at the same time. As you see crosshairs on your screen, use the 'Space' key to hover the cursor over the window. Next, click either on the trackpad or mouse. Don't forget to hold the Space bar when you are dragging.
2. Now, you will see the Camera icon, and your window will turn into a grey color. If you end up opening multiple windows, then select the one you like to capture. Finally, tap on the mouse, and you are done with capturing the screenshot for the window.
3. After that, you can either right-click on the application icon and choose 'Move to Trash' option or you can simply drag the program icon to the Trash.

2. Screenshot the entire screen

To capture the entire screen, follow the steps:

1. To start with, you have to use 'Command + Shift+ 3' keys at the same time.
2. Next, you'll the camera shutter sound, and your screenshot will be saved on the desktop.

3. Screenshot a portion of the screen

Follow the below steps to capture a part of your screen:

1. Use 'Command + Shift + 4' Keys at the same time. Using this shortcut, you will be able to take a screenshot of a specific portion.
2. After pressing the keys, you will see a cross with some numbers. So, drag the cross across the region that you like to capture.

4. Screenshot a dropdown menu

Follow the steps to capture a dropdown menu on Mac:

1. First, open the menu and then, use 'Command + Shift + 4' keys at the same time, and next, drag the cross to the region of the menu.
2. Now, release the mouse to screenshot the region, and next, use the Space key to alter the pointer to a camera. Finally, press the menu to take a screenshot.

That's how you can take a screenshot on Mac. If the above steps didn't work to take and save a screenshot on your Mac, then check out the next section where we have mentioned some solutions that can fix the problem you're going through.

Video Guide on How To Take A Screenshot on Mac

Part 3. How to Fix 'Screenshot on Mac Not Working'?

Well, you now got an idea about how to take a screenshot on Mac in the right way. But, if you still met with a 'screenshot on Mac not working' problem, then try below methods that can probably help you to fix the issue with ease.

1. Check the Keyboard Shortcut Settings

You can use the keyboard shortcut 'Command + Shift + 3' to take a full-screen screenshot and shortcut 'Command + Shift + 4' to capture selected area unless you've activated the screenshots shortcuts.

By default, the screenshot keyboard shortcuts are activated. But, it might be the case that you have configured the settings and don't remember at all. Thus, in this case, all you have to do is to check if the screenshot shortcut is active on your Mac.

Here are simple steps on how you can check:

1. To start with, go to the 'Apple' menu and then, navigate to 'System Preferences'.
2. Next, tap on 'Keyboard' and next, tap on the 'Shortcuts' tab.
3. After that, tap on the 'Screenshots' option from the left side of the window.
4. Finally, make sure that all options here are check or active.

Once you ensure keyboard shortcuts for screenshots on your Mac are active, try again to take a screenshot and see whether the problem is gone. If no, then don't be panic as you can try the following solutions to fix it.

2. Restart the Mac

Another thing you can try is simply restarting your Mac. Applications and programs won't work perfectly if you've not restarted your system for a long time. Thus, in such cases, a simple restart on Mac can probably fix the problem without many efforts. Luckily, many users have fixed the problem with this method and so, you must try it too.

There are three ways you can try to restart your Mac, which include:

1. Press and hold down the 'Power' button and choose the 'Restart' option. Alternatively, you can use 'Control + Eject' and choose 'Restart'.
2. Go to the 'Apple' menu and next, choose 'Restart'.
3. Use 'Control + Command + Eject' or 'Control + Command + Power' and next, choose 'Restart'.

After restarting your Mac, the problem should be fixed now. But, if not, then go for the next solutions to fix the 'screenshot on Mac not working' issue.

3. Use Grab to Screenshot on Mac

There are also other ways to take a screenshot on Mac you might don't aware of them. So, instead of taking screenshots using keyboard shortcuts, use Grab to capture screen on your system. Grab is a pre-installed application for Mac OS X and macOS that allows you to take screenshots of the entire screen, the whole window, or only a specified area of your screen.

Here are the simple steps on how to use Grab utility to take screenshots on Mac:

1. To start with, you need to open 'Applications' and next, tap on 'Utilities'.
2. After that, look for 'Grab' and select it.
3. Now, click on 'Capture'.

As per your requirements, you can choose any one option and take a screenshot.

4. Use Preview to Screenshot on Mac

If you encounter a problem like a screenshot on Mac not working, then you can use Preview to capture screenshots. Well, Preview is nothing, but default utility that lets you open and modifies or edit images. Besides this, you can also take a screenshot on Mac using the Preview tool.

Here are simple steps on how to use Preview to screenshot on Mac:

1. To begin with, navigate to 'Preview'.
2. Next, tap on 'File' and after that, select 'Take Screenshot'.
3. Now, choose any one option as per your need.

As you can see there are many alternatives to take a screenshot on Mac. Hopefully, the above methods help you to resolve the problem for you.

Part 4. How to Recover Lost Screenshots on Mac?

In some cases, although screenshots are saved by resolving the problem 'screenshot on Mac not working', there are chances that you still lost them due to unknown reason. But, don't be panic if this situation happens to you because you still have a powerful method to recover your lost screenshots on your Mac. And that method is using Recoverit data recovery for Mac.

Luckily, Recoverit Data Recovery software is primarily designed to help those users who accidentally lost their files, such as photos, videos, audio, and documents. No matter how you lost your screenshots whether deleting by mistake, virus attack, or sudden power failure, the tool is powerful enough to work under numerous data loss scenarios.

Taking A Screen Capture On Mac Desktop

Recovering media files with this tool takes a few minutes and three easy steps. In order to get back lost screenshots using Recoverit, you need to first download and install the software on your computer. Once you installed the software, follow the below steps:

Step 1: Select the screenshot drive

To start with, run Recoverit. Now, you need to choose a hard drive location from where you have lost your screenshots and click the Start button.

Step 2: Scan the Location

Now, the program will start looking for lost files by performing a scan on your selected hard drive location. Here, it may take several minutes to complete the entire scan process.

Step 3: Preview and Recover

Finally, preview the files and choose the desired files you want to get back after the scan is complete. And click on the 'Recover' button to save recovered screenshots on your Mac.

So, you now know what you can do if you ever lost your important files on Mac. However, while you are saving recovered screenshots on Mac, don't save them to the location from where they get lost.

Part 5. Tips against 'Screenshot on Mac Not Working'

Hopefully, the problem 'screenshot on Mac not working' is fixed for you with the help of the above-mentioned methods. However, here are some more tips and tricks you can try to avoid facing the same problem again in the future.

• If you're not good at remembering keyboard shortcuts, then use Grab or Preview to take a screenshot on your system.
• It might be the case that keyboard shortcuts of your Mac are damaged and that's why you are not able to capture a screen using keys.
• You may have changed the default location for saving screenshots and that's why it seems to you that screenshots aren't working on your Mac. So, check the location where your Mac screenshots are saved.
• Sometimes, third-party applications installed on your system prevent the proper functioning of other Mac utilities or programs. So, uninstall or get rid of third-party apps if you've on your system.
• Mac systems are also susceptible to bugs and viruses, which can corrupt your system. As a result, you can face a screenshot, not a working issue. Thus, use anti-virus to protect your system from bugs.

The problem 'screenshot on Mac not working' can be easily resolved if you know the right solutions for this. Luckily, here we have listed all probable methods that can help you to fix the issue with ease. Plus, if you ever end up losing your important screenshots on Mac, then we have also provided the solution to this problem too. It is Recoverit data recovery for Mac. With the help of this tool, you can easily rescue your lost screenshots.

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If you don’t know how to take a screenshot on Mac, but looking to learn, this post has everything that you’ll need to read. Here, I will tell you how you can take a Screenshot on Mac. I’ll list all the different types and methods to take a screenshot on your Mac.

Contents

• 1 Guide to Take a Screenshot on Mac
  • 1.5 Method-5: Other ways to take a screenshot on Mac.

Guide to Take a Screenshot on Mac

Screenshots are essential for a lot of purposes in various work fields. Basically, a screenshot is a still image of what your computer screen is currently showing. Taking or capturing the screenshot means you have saved that still image to your storage. This may come handy when you want to make a PowerPoint presentation, remember some instructions, or just want to save a visual for viewing later.

Taking a screenshot on your smartphone is pretty easy and everyone knows how to do it. But, not everyone knows about taking a screenshot on Mac. That’s why I’m writing this guide to help everyone learn to take a screenshot on Mac. Just go through this, and you’ll learn everything you need about taking a screenshot on the Mac OS.

Method -1: Take a Screenshot of the Entire Screen and Save it to the Desktop.

In order to take the screenshot of the entire screen and save it to your desktop, hold down the Command + Shift + 3 keys on your Mac keyboard. If the volume is up, you will hear a camera shutter sound at the time you press and hold these keys. After the screenshot is captured, you can find it by going to the desktop. You will see an image file with the name ‘Screenshot xx-xx-xxxx.’ ‘X’ is the date and time of the capturing. You can just rename this file and use it anywhere you want.

Method-2: Take a Screenshot of Part of the Screen and Save it to the Desktop.

There are times when you’ll only want to captureaportionfrom the Mac screen. Do the following in this case. Press and hold the Command + Shift + 4 on your Mac keyboard together. A crosshair cursor will then appear on the screen. Click on this cursor and drag it to highlight the specific area of the screen you want to capture. To edit your selection, press the Esc key to start from the beginning. After you have highlighted precisely what you need, release the mouse. You will hear a camera shutter indicating that the screenshot is taken. You need to have the volume of Mac up in order to listen to this sound. Now just go to your desktop and look for a file named something like this, ‘Screenshot xx-xx-xxxx.’ where X will be the date and time of capture.

Method-3: Save the Screenshot of the Entire Screen to Clipboard.

Sometimes you will need to save a screenshot to the Clipboard. Like when you are making a PowerPoint presentation, you can just save the screenshot in the Clipboard and then insert it in your presentation. To do this, press and hold down the Command + Control + Shift + 3 keys on your Mac keyboard. You will hear the camera shutter sound indicating that the screenshot is captured. Now go to the destination where you want to insert this screenshot. For example, go to your presentation and press the Command + V keys together. That’s it.

Method-4: Save the Screenshot of a part of the Screen to Clipboard.

Similarly to Chapter-2, you can screenshot a part of the screen and save it to your clipboard. To do this, press and hold down the Command + Control + Shift + 4 keys on your Mac keyboard. A crosshair cursor will appear, click on it and drag it over the area you want to highlight. To adjust your selection, you can press the Esc key on the keyboard. After you have highlighted the area, just release the mouse. Now go to the destination where you want to insert this screenshot and press Command + V keys together. That’s it.

Method-5: Other ways to take a screenshot on Mac.

Apart from these methods, there are several other ways in which you can capture a screenshot of your Mac screen. Let’s take a quick look at all the other methods.

(i) Take a Screenshot with Mac’s Touch Bar.

The newer versions of the Macbook Pro have a Touch Bar that offers a Screenshot option. You can use this screenshot feature to capture full screen, partial screen, or specific window screenshots. When the Screenshot icon is enabled on the Touch bar, just tap on this icon and select the type of screenshot you want to take. The types are similar to the options while capturing screenshot using Grab. You’ll learn about that in the next portion.

(ii) Take a Screenshot with Grab.

You can take a screenshot using the Grab app on your Mac. Go to the Finder folder situated at the dock, and insert ‘Grab’ in the search bar present in the top-right side. Now go to the left-sidebar and choose ‘Applications.’ Open the Grab app and select ‘Capture’ present on the top navigation bar. Just choose the type of screenshot you want to take. You will have four options- Selection, Window, Screen, or Timed Screen.

(iii) Take a Screenshot with third-party apps.

Mac Screen Capture Not Showing Up On Desktop

There are third-party apps like Cleanshotand Captothat you can use in order to capture a screenshot on Mac. These apps offer additional features like capturing video of the screen, blurring desktop icons, taking high-quality images, etc. If you are professional, you must leave the default methods and give such apps a shot once.

Method-6: Edit a Mac Screenshot with Keynote.

Screen Capture On Mac

You can edit your Mac screenshots with the Keynote app. It is a presentation app that comes with your Mac by default. Just save a screenshot on the desktop. Right-click on it and choose ‘Open with.’ Now choose Keynote from the list of compatible apps. The screenshot will then open in Keynote and you can do the required editing as per your choice.

Summary

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Capture Screen Image On Mac

That’s all for this guide. Now you know all the different ways and types of taking a screenshot on a Mac machine. You can also edit the screenshots now. For personal usage, you can just remember the keyboard shortcuts and use them to capture the screenshots. Or, if you are a professional, I’d recommend using good third-party apps. These apps offer features that can help you get an edge over others.

10 Tips For Recording Better Video With Your Smartphone

I hope this post helps you enough. For any queries, doubts, or suggestions, feel free to visit the comment section. I’ll be glad to listen.