What key combination takes a screenshot of the entire screen on macOS?

The key combination that captures the entire screen on macOS is Command-Shift-3. Pressing these three keys together takes a screenshot of every visible display area.

macOS saves the capture as an image file, normally on the desktop unless the screenshot location has been changed. On recent versions, a thumbnail may briefly appear in the corner, allowing the user to mark up, share, or edit the screenshot before it is saved. Holding Control while using the shortcut copies the image to the clipboard instead of creating a file.

The nearby shortcuts are easy to confuse. Command-Shift-4 lets the user select a rectangular region, while Command-Shift-4 followed by Space captures a particular window. Command-Shift-5 opens the screenshot and screen-recording toolbar, offering more controls but not replacing the classic full-screen shortcut.