How to Take a Screenshot on Windows

You need a picture of what is on your screen, whether the whole desktop, one window, or a small region. Windows has a shortcut for each case, and none of them need extra software.

Capture part of the screen

Press Windows + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top with rectangle, freeform, window, and full-screen modes. Drag across the area you want.

The capture goes to the clipboard, and a notification appears in the corner. Click the notification to open the image in Snipping Tool, where you can mark it up or save it. Otherwise paste it with Ctrl + V into a document, chat, or email.

Capture the whole screen to the clipboard

Press PrtScn (Print Screen). Nothing visible happens, but the full screen is now on the clipboard. Paste it wherever you need it.

On some laptops the key is shared with another function, so you may need Fn + PrtScn.

Save the whole screen as a file

Press Windows + PrtScn. The screen dims for a moment and a PNG file is saved to Pictures, Screenshots. Each new capture gets a numbered filename, so nothing is overwritten.

Capture only the active window

Click the window you want, then press Alt + PrtScn. Only that window is copied to the clipboard, without the taskbar or anything behind it. Paste it with Ctrl + V.

If you want a delay or a screen recording. Open the Snipping Tool app from the Start menu. It has a delay option so menus have time to open before the capture, and on Windows 11 it can record a video of the screen instead of taking a still image. On Windows 10 the same shortcut opens Snip & Sketch, which has the delay option but no recording.