Mac screenshot shortcuts and when to use them

For a quick screenshot on Mac, start with the built-in shortcuts. You do not need another app to capture a visible screen or window. SnipDone is useful when you want to continue with annotation, local OCR, a pinned reference or a scrolling capture.

The built-in screenshot shortcuts

• Shift–Command–3: capture the full screen.
• Shift–Command–4: drag to capture a selected area. Press Space after this shortcut to select a window.
• Shift–Command–5: open the Screenshot controls and choose a capture mode or save destination.
• Add Control: copy the capture to the clipboard instead of saving a screenshot file.

These controls are documented in Apple’s screenshot guide. On keyboards with function-key mappings or shortcut utilities, check whether another app has changed the combination.

Set your own SnipDone shortcuts

1. Open SnipDone and go to its shortcut settings.
2. Choose the capture action you use most, such as a region or window capture.
3. Record a combination that is easy to remember and review any conflict warning.
4. Try it while the target app is active. If another action runs, choose a different combination.

A shortcut assigned by another app may not always be detected. If a capture does not open, try the menu-bar action first and check Screen Recording permission in System Settings.

Pick the workflow for the job

Use a built-in shortcut for a single visible area. Use scrolling capture for content beyond one screen, annotation to explain a detail, or local OCR when you need the words rather than the image.