The quickest way
Press Windows + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top. Choose a rectangle, a free-form shape, a single window or the full screen, then click or drag. The screenshot is copied to your clipboard, so you can paste it straight into an email, chat or document with Ctrl + V.
On Windows 11, a notification also appears in the corner. Click it to open the image in the Snipping Tool, where you can crop, draw on it and save it. Windows 11 also saves these snips automatically to Pictures > Screenshots unless you have switched that off in the Snipping Tool settings.
This shortcut works on Windows 10 and Windows 11, on any keyboard.
Every built-in shortcut
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | An area, window or full screen you choose | Clipboard, and on Windows 11 the Screenshots folder |
| Windows + Print Screen | The whole screen | Saved as a file in Pictures > Screenshots |
| Print Screen | The whole screen, or opens the Snipping Tool on newer Windows 11 | Clipboard |
| Alt + Print Screen | Only the active window | Clipboard |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | The active window, using Xbox Game Bar | Saved in Videos > Captures |
When you use Windows + Print Screen, the screen dims for a moment to confirm the capture. If it does not, your laptop may need Fn as well (see below).
Using the Snipping Tool for more control
The Snipping Tool is built into Windows. Search for it from the Start menu if you want more than the shortcut offers.
- Open Snipping Tool and choose the snip mode: rectangle, window, full screen or free-form.
- Use the delay option (3, 5 or 10 seconds) to capture menus and tooltips that disappear when you click away.
- After capturing, use the pen, highlighter and crop tools to mark it up.
- Press Ctrl + S to save it as a PNG or JPG wherever you like.
On Windows 11, the Snipping Tool can also extract text from a screenshot (the Text actions button), which is handy for copying text out of an image or a locked PDF.
Why Print Screen behaves differently on Windows 11
On older systems, pressing Print Screen copies the whole screen to the clipboard silently. On recent Windows 11 updates, the same key opens the Snipping Tool overlay instead.
If you prefer the old behaviour:
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
- Turn off Use the Print screen key to open screen capture.
Some apps, such as OneDrive or Dropbox, can also take over the Print Screen key to save screenshots to the cloud. If the key does something unexpected, check those apps' settings.
Laptops, tablets and missing keys
- Shared key: On many laptops, Print Screen is printed on a key with another function, often labelled PrtSc or PrtScn. Hold Fn and press it.
- No key at all: Use Windows + Shift + S. It needs no special key.
- Surface and other Windows tablets: Press Power + Volume up together.
- External keyboards: Mac keyboards used with Windows lack Print Screen. F13 sometimes maps to it, but Windows + Shift + S is more reliable.
Capturing a whole web page
The Snipping Tool captures what is visible on screen. For a long page that scrolls, use the browser:
- In Chrome or Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + I to open developer tools.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + P to open the command menu.
- Type screenshot and choose Capture full size screenshot.
The browser saves the entire page as a PNG in your Downloads folder. Firefox offers the same from the right-click menu under Take Screenshot > Save full page.
When screenshots do not work
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Nothing happens with Windows + Shift + S | Restart the PC; check that Snipping Tool is installed in Settings > Apps |
| Screenshot is black | Some streaming and banking apps block capture on purpose. This is protection, not a fault |
| File not in Screenshots folder | You used a clipboard shortcut. Paste it into Paint or Snipping Tool and save |
| Shortcut opens another app | OneDrive, Dropbox or a game overlay has claimed the key; change it in that app |
If Windows itself is misbehaving after an update, our guide to Windows 11 update problems covers the usual fixes. To capture video instead of a still image, see how to screen record on any device.
Key takeaways
- Windows + Shift + S is the one shortcut to remember. It works everywhere.
- Windows + Print Screen saves the full screen straight to a file.
- Alt + Print Screen captures only the window you are using.
- Use the Snipping Tool's delay for menus, and the browser's full size screenshot for long pages.