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. Expected result: 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).
- Expected result: 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: use the pen, highlighter, shapes, and crop tools, then save with Ctrl + S.
- 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 your displays as one wide image. To grab just one screen, press Windows + Shift + S, choose Full screen, and click the monitor you want.
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. You have a few options. For most people, Snipping Tool is enough.
Crop a Screenshot and Save the Result
Capture the image with Windows + Shift + S, then click its notification to open Snipping Tool. For an existing file, open it in Snipping Tool through its menu or Windows Open with. Select Image crop, drag the corner or edge handles around the content you want to keep, and apply the crop with the checkmark or confirmation control shown in your version.
Use Save as or Ctrl + Shift + S when offered, choose a new filename and folder, and save a separate copy to preserve the original. Reopen the saved image and check that the intended text is included and readable. If your app version lacks the crop control, open the image in Paint, use its rectangular selection and Crop, then Save as. Microsoft’s Snipping Tool guide covers capture and editing options.
Save a Screenshot in the Historical Windows Vista Layout
On an existing Windows Vista setup, press Print Screen to copy the whole screen, or Alt + Print Screen for the active window. Some keyboards require Fn as well. Open Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint, use Paste or Ctrl + V, then choose File > Save As. Select a folder, filename and image type such as PNG or JPEG, and save. Reopen the file to check the intended content is readable before sharing. This is the historical clipboard-and-Paint procedure from our Vista tutorial; it does not depend on Windows 11’s snip bar or automatic Screenshots folder. Copying something else replaces the clipboard image, so paste and save it first.
Where Windows 11 Saves Screenshots
Open File Explorer, select Pictures, and open Screenshots. If OneDrive backs up your Pictures folder, the folder is inside OneDrive instead. OneDrive also has its own setting to save screenshots you capture to OneDrive, so check OneDrive > Settings > Sync and back up if files show up there unexpectedly. 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.
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.
Change Where Windows + Print Screen Saves Screenshots
For the Windows + Print Screen shortcut, locate the actual Screenshots folder in File Explorer, normally inside Pictures; OneDrive can change that location. Right-click Screenshots and choose Properties > Location > Move if the Location tab is available. Select a dedicated destination folder, choose Select Folder, then Apply. Read the prompt about moving existing files and choose deliberately. Take a new Windows + Print Screen capture and check the destination. Use Location > Restore Default to reverse the folder-location choice.
This folder change does not redirect every capture method. A clipboard capture still needs pasting and saving, Game Bar has its own capture folder, and Snipping Tool has version-specific saving controls. If Location is missing or cloud backup manages the folder, do not edit the registry to force this method; use Snipping Tool’s Save As to choose a folder for an individual image and review the cloud-backup settings separately.
Keep a Static Image of Your Screen
If “freeze the screen” means keeping its current appearance, capture a Full screen snip with Windows + Shift + S or save a PNG with Windows + Print Screen using the steps above. Open the saved image from its actual Screenshots location and check that it shows the intended content; display that image when you need a static reference. The screenshot does not pause Windows, freeze a video or stop the original application from changing. If you instead want to protect the computer while stepping away, Windows + L locks it while apps normally keep running; use our Windows locking guide. A presentation or screen-sharing app’s own pause controls are separate and depend on that app.
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 tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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