There are plenty of reasons why you might want to take a screenshot of what’s going on with your Mac while using Boot Camp, although with the Apple keyboard that is unique to their line of products, you may find this challenging. Read on to see how you can indeed utilize the Apple keyboard to take a screenshot while using Boot Camp.
What is Boot Camp for Mac?
Whether you want to save a video of what’s playing on your screen, share what you’re looking at with friends, or film a tutorial, recording your Mac’s screen can come in handy. How to Disable Screenshot Thumbnail Preview; 4 Keyboard Shortcuts to Take Screenshots on Mac. Capture the Full Screen; Capture Selected Portion of Screen; Capture Any Open Window; Using Screenshot Tools; Capture the Full Screen. To take a screenshot of the full Mac screen, including the Dock, top menu bar and everything else: Press together. Screenshot tools for Mac have always been easy to use, yet somewhat rudimentary. You could capture just about anything if you knew the right keyboard shortcuts, but you had to know what you were.
You may already know what Boot Camp for Mac is, but for those who have stumbled upon this article, a quick moment to define the software assistant would be helpful.
When you think of Boot Camp, you may imagine a drill sergeant in a crisp uniform and a cowboy hat yelling at soldiers in training to clean the floor with a toothbrush, but when it comes to the Macintosh operating system (MacOS), Boot Camp actually refers to a particular software assistant for installing a Microsoft Windows operating system on Intel-based Macs.
Everyone Seems to be Asking This
If you were able to look into a crystal ball that showed you the breadth and scope of inquiries that internet users are making on Google Search, you might find the question of “how I take a screenshot on my Mac while using Boot Camp” right up there with existential inquiries like “what the meaning of life is” or more mundane concerns like “what’s the cheapest flight to the Bahamas.” Well, to be honest, it might not be that popular of a query, but it’s certainly something that people are asking.
The Print Screen Button…To Be or Not to Be (on the Keyboard)
The terminology used in Windows Land is usually “Print Screen,” a phrase that implies the ability of Windows users to capture the content that is currently displayed on their screen. On keyboards compatible with Windows systems, there is an actual button labeled Print Screen. On the Mac keyboards, however, this button is strangely missing.
However, utilizing a series of strokes on the old ivory (that’s a keyboard or piano for all the younger folk reading this) you can perform the same function that the Print Screen button offers on a PC.
How to Capture the Screen:
To capture…
…the entire screen:
Function (fn) + Shift + F11.
…the foremost window:
Option (alt) + Function (fn) + Shift + F11.
Follow Up Questions:
Where is the F11 Key located?
The F11 key is the third key from the top right corner, with a small icon that suggests “lowering the volume.”
Where Is the Destination of the Screen Capture?
Once you hear a click sound after capturing the screen, a copy of your image is available on your clipboard. Open a program like Paint or Word and choose the command to “paste.” The image will be pasted on the program, and you can then save it as a file with a particular name.
Whether you want to save your receipts or share a with the group text, there are a handful of reasons you might need to take a screenshot of your Mac desktop. And the good news is, Apple makes it relatively easy to get that screengrab, with plenty of straightforward options.
Here’s a simple guide for getting the job done.
Screenshot using keyboard shortcuts
If you need to take a screenshot of your entire screen, simply hit the command, shift, and number 3 keys simultaneously. Your Mac will capture a shot of your entire screen and save it to your desktop.
Want to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen instead? Hit the command, shift, and number 4 keys simultaneously. A crosshair cursor will appear, allowing you to drag and select the portion of your Mac screen you want to grab. You can reposition the selection window by holding down the spacebar key. Alternatively, hold down the shift key to lock in the sides of the selection area while being able to position the selection window from one side only.
Let go of the cursor and Mac will automatically take a screenshot of that selected area.
Screenshot using the Screenshot app
If you have Mojave or a later macOS, you can use the built-in Screenshot app to take a screengrab.
Hit the command, shift, and number 5 keys simultaneously.
At the bottom of your screen, you’ll see the Screenshot control bar. You have options for grabbing a still screenshot and for recording a video. Choose whether you want to “Capture Entire Screen,” “Capture Selected Window,” or “Capture Selected Portion.”
Click on “Options” to see what other preferences you can choose. You can set a countdown timer, decide where to save your screenshot, and choose whether you want to show the mouse cursor in your screenshot.
Hit the “Capture” button to take the screenshot.
Editing your screenshot
Whether you take your screenshot with keyboard shortcuts or the Screenshot app, once you grab your screenshot, a thumbnail will appear in the bottom right of your screen. If you right click or do nothing, the thumbnail will simply save your screenshot.
If you click the thumbnail, you’ll be able to edit the screenshot from a new window. You can also access this window by clicking on the screenshot icon where it’s saved and hitting the spacebar. Then, click on the pen icon on the top right of the menu.
SEE ALSO: Apple's $549 AirPods Max are already sold out for this year
Microsoft On Screen Keyboard Download
Once you hit the pen icon, from the top menu bar, you’ll see a number of options for editing, including adding text, rotating, and annotating. Make your desired changes, if any, then hit the “Done” button. Your changes will automatically be saved.
Screenshot using the Touch Bar
If you have a MacBook Pro that’s equipped with a Touch Bar, you can take a screenshot using that, too. It will require making some tweaks to your System Preferences, but if you’re regularly taking screenshots, it’s worth the extra effort.
Mac Screen Capture Keyboard Shortcut
Open System Preferences and navigate to Keyboard.
Hit the “Customize Control Strip” button. You’ll see a list of features you can drag and drop onto the Touch Bar Control Strip. Find the “Screenshot” button and drag it to the Touch Bar.
You’ll see the screenshot option appear in the Control Strip. You can now take a screenshot by tapping on this icon from the Touch Bar. The screenshot will be saved to your Desktop.