# Every Mac Screenshot Shortcut (Cheat Sheet)
> Every Mac screenshot shortcut on one cheat sheet: ⇧⌘3, ⇧⌘4, ⇧⌘5, the Control keys that copy instead of saving, and Snapix's capture and editor keys.
Published: 2026-10-22
Author: Elisei Nicolae
Source: https://snapix.app/tutorials/mac-screenshot-shortcuts/
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Press ⇧⌘3 to screenshot the whole screen on a Mac, ⇧⌘4 to drag over part of it, or ⇧⌘5 to open the Screenshot toolbar. Add Control to the first two shortcuts (⌃⇧⌘3 or ⌃⇧⌘4) to [copy a screenshot to the clipboard](/tutorials/copy-screenshot-to-clipboard-mac/) instead of saving a file.
Below is every built-in shortcut, then the ones [Snapix](/) adds, including the keys for its editor and Recent Captures. For the steps behind each one, see [how to take a screenshot on a Mac](/tutorials/how-to-screenshot-on-mac/). If you're coming from Windows, the [Snipping Tool for Mac](/snipping-tool-for-mac/) guide translates each Windows shortcut.
## The screenshot shortcuts built into macOS
| Shortcut | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| ⇧⌘3 | Shift-Command-3 saves the whole screen. With more than one display, each display gets its own file. |
| ⇧⌘4 | Shift-Command-4 saves [an area you drag over](/tutorials/screenshot-part-of-screen-mac/). |
| Space | After Shift-Command-4, press Space, then click [a window](/tutorials/screenshot-window-mac/), [a menu](/tutorials/screenshot-menu-mac/), the menu bar or the Dock to save it. |
| ⌥ | After Space, hold Option as you click the window to leave out its shadow. |
| ⇧⌘5 | Shift-Command-5 opens the Screenshot toolbar, with capture and screen-recording buttons and an **Options** menu (**Save to**, **Timer** and more). |
| ⌃⇧⌘3 | Control-Shift-Command-3 copies the whole screen to the clipboard, with no file. |
| ⌃⇧⌘4 | Control-Shift-Command-4 copies an area, or a window after Space, to the clipboard. |
| ⇧⌘6 | Shift-Command-6 saves a picture of the Touch Bar, on a Mac that has one (macOS 26 or earlier). On macOS 27 with Siri AI on, it asks Siri about an area you select. |
| ⇧⌘Space | On macOS 27 with Siri AI on, Shift-Command-Space asks Siri about the active window. |
While you drag with the macOS ⇧⌘4, a few keys change the box:
- Hold Space to move it without changing its size.
- Hold Shift to change only the width or only the height.
- Hold Option to grow it out from its center.
- Press Esc to cancel.
Snapix's crosshair takes all four keys the same way. It can also show the box's width and height as you drag, like macOS: choose **Crosshair + Size** in **Settings ▸ Capture ▸ Area selection cursor**.
To [change or turn off these shortcuts](/tutorials/change-screenshot-shortcut-mac/), or to see which keys your Mac uses, choose **Apple menu ▸ System Settings ▸ Keyboard** (macOS 13 Ventura or later), click **Keyboard Shortcuts…**, then click **Screenshots**.
## Snapix screenshot shortcuts
Snapix is a menu bar app for macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and you can [try it free](#get-snapix). Its shortcuts work from any app, and each one is also in its menu.
| Shortcut | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| ⇧⌘4 | **Capture Area**: drag over part of the screen. Press Space to pick a window instead. |
| ⇧⌘3 | **Capture Full Screen**: takes the display your pointer is on, not every display, so you can [screenshot one monitor](/tutorials/screenshot-one-monitor-mac/) at a time. |
| ⇧⌘5 | **Capture Window**: click a window to capture all of it. |
| ⇧⌘8 | **Capture with Self-Timer**: takes a [timed screenshot](/tutorials/timed-screenshot-mac/) of the display you're on after a countdown, 5 seconds by default. |
| ⇧⌘2 | **Extract Text**: drag over text and the words go to your clipboard, so you can [extract text from a screenshot](/blog/how-to-extract-text-from-screenshot-mac/), a PDF or any app. Over a QR code, it copies what the code says: that's how you [scan a QR code on your Mac screen](/tutorials/scan-qr-code-mac-screen/). |
| ⌃⌥C | **Pick Color**: puts [the hex code of any color on screen](/tutorials/pick-color-from-screen-mac/) on your clipboard. |
| ⇧⌘6 | **Capture Last Area**: captures [the same area again](/tutorials/screenshot-same-area-mac/), without dragging. If your Mac also uses ⇧⌘6, give it another shortcut. |
| ⌃⌥Z | **Reopen Closed Capture**: brings back [the last preview you closed](/tutorials/reopen-closed-screenshot-mac/). |
| ⇧⌘S | **Recent Captures**: opens or closes [your recent screenshots](/tutorials/screenshot-history-mac/). |
| None | **Hide Desktop Icons**: [hides your desktop icons and widgets](/tutorials/hide-desktop-icons-screenshot-mac/). Record a shortcut for it if you use it often. |
Three of these are the same keys macOS uses. While Snapix is running and you're signed in, ⇧⌘3, ⇧⌘4 and ⇧⌘5 open Snapix instead of the macOS tools, while ⌃⇧⌘3 and ⌃⇧⌘4 still copy the macOS way. Quit Snapix and macOS gets the three keys back. Or click **Hand these back to macOS** in **Settings ▸ Shortcuts**: macOS takes them again, and those three Snapix actions are left with no shortcut until you record new ones.
To record different keys, open Snapix's **Settings ▸ Shortcuts**, click the shortcut beside an action and press the new keys. The reset arrow beside a changed shortcut puts back its default. Move **Capture Area** off ⇧⌘4 and macOS takes ⇧⌘4 back. [How to change the screenshot shortcut on Mac](/tutorials/change-screenshot-shortcut-mac/) has the steps and which keys you can use.
The same task on each row: Snapix takes over the three macOS keys while it runs, and adds six more.
## Shortcuts in the Snapix editor
To edit or annotate a screenshot, point at its preview card and click the pencil button to open the [Snapix editor](/tutorials/edit-screenshot-mac/). Then click a tool in the toolbar, or press the key shown under its name:
Measure and Emoji sit behind the last button, More tools. Crop is K, in the bottom bar.
The same keys, grouped by what they do:
- Shapes: R Rectangle, F Filled Rectangle, O Ellipse, L Line, A [Arrow](/tutorials/add-arrow-to-screenshot-mac/)
- Text and steps: T [Text](/tutorials/add-text-to-screenshot-mac/), C [Step](/tutorials/number-steps-on-screenshot-mac/) (numbered badges)
- Hide or focus: P Pixelate, B [Blur](/blog/how-to-blur-part-of-a-screenshot-mac/), X Black, S [Spotlight](/tutorials/spotlight-screenshot-mac/)
- Freehand: D [Draw](/tutorials/draw-on-screenshot-mac/), H [Highlighter](/tutorials/highlight-screenshot-mac/)
- The rest: M [Measure](/tutorials/measure-screenshot-mac/), K [Crop](/tutorials/crop-screenshot-mac/), V Select
- Panels: G [Background](/tutorials/screenshot-background-mac/), ⌃⌘Space [Emoji](/tutorials/add-emoji-to-screenshot-mac/) list
And a few chords for the whole picture:
| Shortcut | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| ⌘C | Copies the picture and closes the editor, like **Done**, when no mark is selected. |
| ⌘S | Saves it to your save folder (Documents ▸ Snapix by default) and keeps the editor open. |
| ⌘P | Pins it [on top of your other windows](/tutorials/pin-screenshot-mac/). |
| ⌘Z | Undoes the last change. ⇧⌘Z redoes it. |
| ⌘R | Turns the picture 90° to the right. ⌘L turns it left. |
| ⌘F | Finds a word in the picture. |
To save under a new name or in another folder, click **Save as…** at the top of the editor.
## Shortcuts for the preview and Recent Captures
Right after a capture, point at the [floating preview](/tutorials/screenshot-preview-mac/) and press ⌘C to copy it, ⌘S to save it, ⌘E to edit it, ⌘P to pin it or ⌘W to close it. ⌥⌘W closes every preview.
In Recent Captures (⇧⌘S):
| Shortcut | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| ⌘1–9 | Copies the card with that number and closes the strip. Hold ⌘ to see the numbers. |
| ⌥⌘1–9 | Opens the card with that number in the editor. |
| ⌘F | Searches your captures, including the words inside them. |
| Space | Hold it to see a large preview of the card. |
| Return | Copies the selected card and closes the strip. |
| Esc | Steps back one level, then closes the strip. |
**Tip:** ⇧⌘S opens Recent Captures from any app while Snapix is running. If you use it for **Save As…** in other apps, give Recent Captures another shortcut.
## Frequently asked questions
### What is the shortcut for a screenshot on a Mac?
Press **⇧⌘3** (Shift-Command-3) for the whole screen, or **⇧⌘4** (Shift-Command-4) to drag over part of it. **⇧⌘5** opens the Screenshot toolbar, with a timer and more options. The keys are the same on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac mini.
### What is the shortcut for a full-screen screenshot on a Mac?
**⇧⌘3** (Shift-Command-3) saves the whole screen as a file. With more than one display, each display gets its own file. **⌃⇧⌘3** copies it to the clipboard instead. In Snapix, **⇧⌘3** takes only the display your pointer is on, so you can [screenshot one monitor](/tutorials/screenshot-one-monitor-mac/) at a time.
### Where do Cmd-Shift-4 screenshots go on a Mac?
To your desktop, as a PNG file named with the date and time, once the thumbnail in the corner goes away. To use another folder, press **⇧⌘5**, click **Options** and pick one under **Save to**. With Snapix, **⇧⌘4** copies the shot and keeps it in **Recent Captures** by default. Click **Save** on the preview for a file; the first time, Snapix asks for a folder and suggests **Documents ▸ Snapix**. See [where screenshots go on a Mac](/tutorials/where-do-screenshots-go-mac/).
### How do I make Cmd-Shift-4 copy to the clipboard instead of saving?
Press **⇧⌘5**, click **Options** and choose **Clipboard** under **Save to**. From then on, every **⇧⌘4** and **⇧⌘3** screenshot is copied instead of saved as a file, ready to paste with **⌘V**. For a single shot, add Control: **⌃⇧⌘4**. Snapix copies every capture by default, so its **⇧⌘4** needs no setting. More in [how to copy a screenshot to the clipboard](/tutorials/copy-screenshot-to-clipboard-mac/).
