How to Print Screen on Mac with Touch Bar: A Step-by-Step Guide

Taking a screenshot on a Mac with a Touch Bar allows you to capture exactly what’s on your screen, whether it’s the entire display, a selected portion, or even the Touch Bar itself. This is useful for saving information, sharing content, or troubleshooting. MacOS includes built-in screenshot tools that work seamlessly with the Touch Bar, requiring no additional software. In this guide, you’ll learn how to print screen on a Mac with a Touch Bar quickly and easily.

What You’ll Need

• A MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar (2016 model or later)
• MacOS Sierra (10.12.2) or later installed (for Touch Bar screenshot support)
• Basic familiarity with keyboard shortcuts

Step-by-Step

1. Capture the Entire Screen: Press Shift + Command + 3 simultaneously. This takes a screenshot of your entire display and saves it as a file on your desktop by default.
2. Capture a Selected Portion of the Screen: Press Shift + Command + 4. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. Release the mouse button or trackpad to take the screenshot and save it.
3. Capture a Specific Window: Press Shift + Command + 4, then tap the Spacebar. The cursor will change to a camera icon. Hover over the window you want to capture (it will highlight), then click to take the screenshot.
4. Capture the Touch Bar: Press Shift + Command + 6. This saves an image of the Touch Bar’s current display to your desktop.
5. Use the Screenshot Toolbar for More Options: Press Shift + Command + 5. This opens a small toolbar at the bottom of your screen with options to capture the entire screen, a window, or a selected portion. You can also record your screen here. Use the on-screen controls to take your screenshot with more precision.
6. Change Screenshot Save Location (Optional): After pressing Shift + Command + 5, click the Options button in the toolbar. From here, you can choose where your screenshots are saved (Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, etc.), set a timer, and more.
7. Access Screenshots: By default, screenshots are saved as PNG files on your desktop with filenames starting with “Screen Shot” followed by the date and time. You can open them directly or drag them into documents or emails.
8. Use Preview or Other Apps to Edit Screenshots: Double-click a screenshot to open it in Preview, where you can crop, annotate, or export it in different formats.

Common Mistakes

• Not Pressing Keys Simultaneously: The screenshot shortcuts require pressing all keys at the same time; pressing them in sequence won’t work.
• Expecting Screenshots to Auto-Copy to Clipboard: By default, screenshots save as files on your desktop. To copy a screenshot directly to the clipboard, add the Control key to the shortcuts (e.g., Control + Shift + Command + 3).
• Not Noticing the Screenshot Toolbar: Users sometimes don’t realize the Shift + Command + 5 shortcut opens a toolbar with more options, missing out on flexible capture modes.
• Touch Bar Screenshot Confusion: Pressing Shift + Command + 6 captures the Touch Bar itself, not the main screen. This can cause confusion if you are trying to screenshot the main display.
• Screenshots Not Appearing on Desktop: Sometimes screenshots save to other locations if the default has been changed; check the Options in the screenshot toolbar.

Tips

• Use Clipboard to Paste Screenshots Immediately: Add the Control key to any screenshot shortcut to copy the image to your clipboard instead of saving it as a file. For example, Control + Shift + Command + 4 lets you select a portion and paste it directly into an email or document.
• Customize the Touch Bar to Add Screenshot Button: Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Customize Control Strip to add a screenshot button to your Touch Bar for easy access without keyboard shortcuts.
• Annotate Quickly with Markup: After taking a screenshot, a thumbnail appears briefly in the bottom-right corner. Click it to open Markup, where you can draw, add text, crop, and share immediately.
• Use Preview for Advanced Editing: Open screenshots in Preview for cropping, resizing, and format conversion without needing third-party software.
• Record Your Screen: The Shift + Command + 5 toolbar also lets you record your screen, which is useful for tutorials or demos.
• Use Siri to Take Screenshots: If enabled, you can ask Siri, “Take a screenshot” and it will capture your screen for you.

Troubleshooting

• No Screenshot Appears on Desktop: Check if the screenshot is saved elsewhere. Press Shift + Command + 5, click Options, and verify the save location. It may be set to Clipboard or Documents.
• Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working: Ensure you are pressing all keys simultaneously. Restart your Mac if shortcuts suddenly stop working. Check System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts to confirm screenshot shortcuts are enabled.
• Touch Bar Screenshot Not Capturing Correctly: Make sure your Mac has a Touch Bar and you are pressing Shift + Command + 6. If it still fails, restart your Mac as the Touch Bar may be unresponsive.
• Screenshot Files Are Missing or Deleted: Search your Mac using Finder with the term “Screen Shot” to locate misplaced files. Check the Trash if accidentally deleted.
• Screenshot Preview Thumbnail Not Showing: This feature can be disabled. Go to Shift + Command + 5, click Options, and ensure “Show Floating Thumbnail” is checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change where screenshots are saved on my Mac?

Yes. Press Shift + Command + 5, click Options, and select a different save location like Desktop, Documents, or Clipboard.

How do I capture the Touch Bar itself?

Press Shift + Command + 6 to take a screenshot of the Touch Bar’s current display.

Is there a way to copy a screenshot directly to the clipboard?

Yes. Hold down the Control key in addition to the screenshot shortcut. For example, Control + Shift + Command + 3 copies the full screen to the clipboard.

How can I edit or annotate my screenshots quickly?

After taking a screenshot, click the floating thumbnail that appears to open the Markup editor for annotations, cropping, and more.

Can I record my screen instead of taking a screenshot?

Yes. Use Shift + Command + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar, then select one of the recording options.

My screenshot shortcuts stopped working, what should I do?

Try restarting your Mac. Also, check System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts to ensure screenshot shortcuts are enabled and not conflicting with other apps.

By mastering these shortcuts and options, you can efficiently capture your screen or Touch Bar on a Mac, making it easier to share information or save important visuals. With practice, these tools become second nature and a powerful part of your Mac workflow.

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