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Here is how you can take a screenshot on a Mac OS X (like what we call print screen on Windows) To capture complete Window You need to press certain key combinations in order to take a screenshot. Teaser graphic made with help from Shutterstock.There is no Print Screen button on a Mac Keyboard as you may find on Windows, but there are some advanced options available that we can use to capture screens. While keyboard shortcuts often provide a faster and more efficient way to perform tasks in OS X, the ability to take screenshots from within Preview will save many users the trouble of remembering specific key combinations. It should also be noted that holding the “Control” key down while taking a screenshot from within Preview will copy the captured image to your clipboard, just as it does when used with the screenshot keyboard shortcuts. This countdown will appear in the center of your screen (but won’t be visible in the final screenshot image) and it lets you move things around to get your desktop items in the correct position before the virtual shutter snaps. Using the shortcut Command-Shift–3 will take a screenshot of your entire display (or multiple displays, one for each, if you have them) immediately.īut selecting to take a screenshot “From Entire Screen” in Preview will give you about a 10 second countdown before it takes the shot.
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There is one important difference between using Preview and the keyboard shortcuts, however. These options correspond to the keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots:įrom Window: Command-Shift–4, then the Spacebar Here you’ll see three options: “From Selection, From Window, and From Entire Screen.” Then, in Preview’s menu bar, go to File > Take Screen Shot.
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On Episode 425, listener Scott let us know about a great tip for using Apple’s Preview app to take screenshots in OS X 10.4 and later.įirst, open Preview, located in your Applications folder. Thankfully, the Mac Geek Gab audience has come through with a solution.
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For some users, however, keyboard shortcuts are hard to remember, especially if screenshots are taken infrequently. There are several ways to take screenshots within Apple’s OS X, and we’ve covered the keyboard shortcuts for each method before.
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