Most of the time, users use keyboard shortcuts because they find them to be more convenient and faster to utilize than manually searching for screenshots. Nonetheless, if a keyboard is damaged, broken, or lost, it is necessary to take a manual screenshot.
Users can launch Spotlight Search on a Mac without a keyboard by clicking on the magnifying glass at the top right of the menu bar and selecting screenshot. Click on the screenshot button after searching for the term “Screenshot.”.
You will then have the option to select the area of the screen you wish to capture.
On a Mac without a keyboard, there are many different ways of taking a screenshot.
Moreover, users will still be able to utilize keyboard shortcuts when taking screenshots if they use a non-Mac keyboard. You can learn more about taking screenshots without a Mac keyboard by reading the following section.
Spotlight Search
If you don’t have a keyboard, you can screenshot using Spotlight Search. Since shortcuts aren’t available, Spotlight Search is the next best thing.
By pressing the magnifying glass at the top right of the menu bar, users can launch Spotlight Search. The appropriate option should appear when you search for “Screenshot”.
Choosing which portion of the screen to capture can be done by pressing the Screenshot button.
Grab App
Another tool for taking screenshots on a Mac without the use of a keyboard is the Grab app. A MacBook comes pre-installed with this app, which means that it is free and easy to use. Many users are unaware they are affected until they experience a malfunction.
Grab is an application that does not require any keyboard shortcuts, and this makes it one of its greatest advantages and a favorite among many.
The Grab application comes pre-installed; therefore, users can locate it by using Spotlight Search or the Finder.
Spotlight Search
You must hover the cursor over the top of the Mac screen to access Spotlight Search. This will display the menu bar.
Located at the top right of the menu bar, between the battery and the control center display, is the Spotlight Search feature, identified by a magnifying glass icon. Select this option.
After that, a search box will appear in the middle of the screen. Click on the option that says “Screenshot”, then search for “grab”.
Finder
Organizes files, applications, documents, etc. This application allows users to organize and store files in an orderly manner, as well as launch the Grab app.
You can find the “Applications” option by clicking on Finder. Find “Grab” under the heading “Screenshot” in the search results.
The results will be the same regardless of whether Spotlight Search or Finder is used. The app will show three screenshot options once it is opened. One of these options is to capture the entire screen, part of the screen, or a selected portion of the screen.
App will automatically begin in the ‘capturing the entire screen’ mode, so users can choose which option they prefer in the settings of the app.
This application also allows users to record their entire screen or a selected part of their screen. Users will therefore be able to select between screenshots and screen recordings, based on which is more convenient for them.
If you select the Options tab when using Grab, you will be able to take a screenshot. A screen with three headings will appear when you press the Save To button: Timer, Options, and Save To.
Users can choose seven different locations to save screenshots, under the “Save to” heading:
- Desktop
- Documents
- Clipboard
- Messages
- Preview
- Other Location
There are three options under the “Timer” heading: 0, 5, and 10 seconds.
Users can select from the “Options” tab whether they would like to display the floating thumbnail, remember the last selection, or show the mouse pointer.
Help on Menu Bar
On a Mac, even without a keyboard, taking screenshots is easy. But some users need more explanation. So you should go to the Help option on the menu bar if you need extra help.
There’s a macOS User Guide you can consult if you’ve never taken a screenshot before or if you need a quick reminder.
You can get Help by hovering your cursor over the top of the screen. The Menu Bar will then appear, and the Help button will be located on the left side of the screen.
This button should be clicked and then the user should search for “screenshot” and choose the appropriate Help Topic from that list.
You will find a detailed explanation of how to take a screenshot in the macOS User Guide. Here is a guide to taking a screenshot using and without a keyboard.
If you don’t have access to keyboard shortcuts, you can also read how to take a screenshot manually, without the keyboard.
Mac Screenshot with a Windows Keyboard
There is often surprise when people discover that Windows keyboard shortcuts also work on a Mac. The user, however, must learn which keys to press and which shortcuts are still available on the Macbook.
Users should use the following keyboard shortcut when screenshotting on a Mac using a Windows keyboard: Windows + Shift + 3. You will be taking a screenshot of the entire screen with this keyboard shortcut, not just a portion of a specific window.
Additionally, pressing Windows + Shift + 4 on the Windows keyboard gives you the option of taking a screenshot on a Mac. These are shortcuts that can be customized.
By using this shortcut, users will have the option to take a picture of the entire screen, a portion of the screen, or a specific window rather than the entire screen.
This combination of keyboard shortcuts is simple to memorize and will enable you to capture screenshots even in the absence of a Mac keyboard.
The shortcuts are similar on Macs and PCs, except on a PC, rather than pressing Command, you should press the Windows button.
