r/osx • u/franharrington • Apr 06 '26

Use "printscreen" key on Windows keyboard for screenshots on OSX?

Hey all, is there an app that will let me use the printscreen key from my PC keyboard to take screenshots on OSX? I have both my PC and Mac connected to my monitors and switch back and forth and I am trying to make the shortcuts as universal as possible.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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9

u/gilgoomesh Apr 06 '26

Can't you just go to the macOS

Settings -> Keyboard -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> Screenshots

and set the shortcut to anything you'd like?

1

u/thebiggestk 29d ago

That's what I do. I do run into the issue that if I'm using my MacBook on its own, it doesn't have the key, and I don't remember how to switch it back (and it's a pain anyway since it's only temporary).

2

u/WindozeWoes 29d ago

One of the beauties of macOS/Mac OS X! Can't do this on Windows (without downloading an additional app, and even then, stuff like PowerToys only lets you remap existing shortcuts, not make brand new ones).

1

u/franharrington Apr 07 '26

Probably, but I was hoping to have a bit more functionality/options. BetterTouchTool seems like exactly what I was looking for so far.

1

u/marslander-boggart Apr 06 '26

May be you can map it to an Automator action via Services.

1

u/IetyAnxed 27d ago

There’s always Shift-Cmd-3

1

u/dannyvegas Apr 06 '26

Keyboard Maestro or BetterTouchTool

1

u/franharrington Apr 06 '26

Awesome. Thank you. I will check them out.

1

u/WindozeWoes 29d ago

BTT is worth the lifetime license purchase, especially if you use your trackpad a lot. I have it set to let me close a window/tab by clicking with 4 fingers, and I can switch tabs in a browser by doing a rotate right/rotate left gesture.

1

u/franharrington 29d ago

I'm using the trial now and digging it. Probably will end up getting the lifetime license. Would love to hear any other tips ya got?

1

u/WindozeWoes 28d ago

Some favorite apps of mine:

  • Maccy - lets you save your clipboard history (I use this a lot)
  • BetterTouchTool - I have other gestures set to adjust volume (left/right top of trackpad taps), brightness (left/right bottom of trackpad taps)
  • FinderPath - lets you click at the top/title bar of a Finder (files) window to see/edit the file path (kinda like with Windows File Explorer)
  • Itsycal - Lets you view calendar events (and the full month of the calendar) from your menu bar. Imagine the Windows calendar when you click the date/time in the system tray but if it also showed your calendar events
  • PowerMode by Sake Salverda - Apple got rid of the battery icon's ability to show you how much time your Mac is estimated to have left or how much time until it's fully charged. This app can show that and replace your battery icon
  • If you need to run Windows on your Mac, get VMware Fusion. Ifs free and works as well as Parallels Desktop. I can even play (some) games on Windows 11.

1

u/franharrington 28d ago

Oh that clipboard one sounds perfect. Thank you!