To take a screenshot on Windows 11, press Windows + Shift + S, then drag to select the area you want. The screenshot is copied to your clipboard and, with Snipping Tool’s auto-save on, saved in Pictures > Screenshots. To capture the whole screen and save it as a file right away, press Windows + Print Screen.
Everything here is built into Windows 11 Home and Pro, so there’s nothing to install. The main thing to get right is which shortcut you use, because some save a file and others only copy to the clipboard.
For a PC still running Windows 10, use the Windows 10 screenshot guide. Its screenshot apps and keyboard settings differ from the Windows 11 instructions below.
Every Windows 11 Screenshot Shortcut
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Area, window, full screen, or freeform | Clipboard, and Pictures > Screenshots if auto-save is on |
| Windows + Print Screen | Full screen (the screen dims briefly) | Saved to Pictures > Screenshots |
| Print Screen | Opens the snip bar on current Windows 11; otherwise the full screen | Clipboard (and Screenshots via Snipping Tool) |
| Alt + Print Screen | The active window | Clipboard only |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | The active window or game (Xbox Game Bar) | Videos > Captures |
| Windows + Shift + R | A screen recording (video) | Snipping Tool, then save it |
On many laptops, Print Screen shares a key with another function (it may be labeled PrtSc or PrtScn), so hold Fn as well.
Method 1: Windows + Shift + S (Snipping Tool Bar)
- Press Windows + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
- Choose a mode: Rectangle (default), Window, Full screen, or Freeform.
- Drag across the area you want, or click the window you want.
- A thumbnail appears in the lower-right corner. Select it to open the screenshot in Snipping Tool, where you can crop, draw, highlight, or save it somewhere else. Or just press Ctrl + V in any app to paste it.
Microsoft’s screenshot guide and Snipping Tool help both use this shortcut as the main method.
Method 2: Windows + Print Screen (Save the Whole Screen)
- Press Windows + Print Screen (add Fn if needed).
- The screen dims for a moment, and a PNG file appears in Pictures > Screenshots, numbered in order.
This is the fastest way to save several full-screen shots in a row without opening anything.
Method 3: Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen
On current versions of Windows 11, Print Screen opens the same snip bar as Windows + Shift + S. To go back to the old behavior, where Print Screen silently copies the full screen to the clipboard, go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard (or Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard on newer builds) and turn off Use the Print screen key to open screen capture.
Alt + Print Screen copies only the window you’re working in. Neither of these saves a file on its own: paste the image into Paint, Word, or an email with Ctrl + V.
Method 4: Use the Snipping Tool App for More Control
Open Snipping Tool from Start (see how to open Snipping Tool in Windows 11) when you need more than a quick snip:
- Delay timer: choose a 3-, 5-, or 10-second delay before selecting New, then open the menu or tooltip you want to capture.
- Annotate and crop: use the pen, highlighter, and shapes, or select Image crop, drag the handles, and select the check mark. Save with Ctrl + S, or use Save as to keep the original. To edit an existing file, right-click it and choose Open with > Snipping Tool.
- Text actions: Microsoft says you can copy text out of a snip, and redact email addresses or phone numbers before sharing.
- Record video: select Record (or press Windows + Shift + R), choose an area, then Start and Stop. On Windows 10, see how to screen record on a Windows 10 PC instead. For sound, Game Bar and fixes, see our guide to screen recording in Windows 11.
For step-by-step help with the editor, see how to use Snipping Tool on Windows 11.
Method 5: Xbox Game Bar
Press Windows + Alt + Print Screen to save a shot of the current window or game, or press Windows + G to open Game Bar and select the camera icon in the Capture widget. Game Bar captures go to Videos > Captures. It’s handy in full-screen games where the snip bar won’t appear.
No Print Screen Key? Laptops and Tablets
- Use Windows + Shift + S, which doesn’t need Print Screen at all.
- On a Surface or other Windows tablet, press Power + Volume Up together.
- Open the On-Screen Keyboard (search for it in Start) and select its PrtScn key.
Common Screenshot Tasks
Capture a drop-down menu or tooltip
Menus close when you press a shortcut. In Snipping Tool, set the delay to 5 seconds, select New, open the menu, and wait. The screen freezes so you can drag around the menu.
Multiple monitors
Windows + Print Screen captures all of your displays in one image. To capture only one monitor, press Windows + Shift + S, choose Rectangle, and drag from one corner of that monitor to the opposite corner. Open the result and check that it shows only the screen you wanted.
Paste a screenshot into an email or document
After any shortcut, click where you want the image in Outlook, Word, Teams, or a chat box and press Ctrl + V. You don’t need to save a file first.
Blur or hide private information
Before you share, open the snip in Snipping Tool and crop out personal details, or use its redact option for email addresses and phone numbers. Drawing a solid shape over text also works.
Third-party tools
If you need scheduled captures, automatic uploads, or advanced markup, free tools such as ShareX and Greenshot add those features. For most people, Snipping Tool is enough.
Where Windows 11 Saves Screenshots
Open File Explorer, select Pictures, and open Screenshots. If OneDrive backs up your Pictures folder, look in OneDrive > Pictures > Screenshots instead. Game Bar captures are in Videos > Captures.
Screenshots taken with Alt + Print Screen, or with Print Screen when the Snipping Tool setting is off, live only on the clipboard until you paste them. Copy something else and they’re gone.
To save Windows + Print Screen shots somewhere else, right-click the Screenshots folder, select Properties > Location > Move, pick a folder, and select Apply. Select Restore Default on the same tab to switch back.
Troubleshooting
Print Screen does nothing
Try Fn + Print Screen, or F Lock if your keyboard has one. Check the Print screen setting above, and close apps that take over the key, such as OneDrive, Dropbox, or third-party screenshot tools, then try again.
Windows + Print Screen doesn’t save a file
Look in OneDrive > Pictures > Screenshots as well as the local Pictures folder. If the folder was moved, right-click Screenshots, select Properties > Location, and choose Restore Default.
The snip bar doesn’t appear
Restart Snipping Tool, or restart the PC. If it still fails, see how to fix Snipping Tool in Windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I take a scrolling screenshot?
Windows doesn’t capture scrolling pages on its own, but Edge’s web capture does. See how to take a scrolling screenshot on Windows 11.
What format are Windows screenshots saved in?
PNG. Snipping Tool’s Save As dialog also lets you choose JPG or GIF.
Can I take a screenshot of just one window?
Yes. Press Alt + Print Screen to copy it, or use Windows + Shift + S and pick Window mode to copy and save it.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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