A screenshot captures exactly what is on your screen, which is useful for saving a receipt, showing someone an error, or keeping a record of a page. Windows and Mac each have built-in tools, so no extra software is needed.
Steps
On Windows 11 or 10, capture part of the screen. Press Windows key, Shift, and S together. The screen dims, and you can drag to select the area you want. The capture is copied to the clipboard, and a notification lets you open it in the Snipping Tool to save it.
Capture the full screen on Windows. Press Print Screen, often labeled PrtScn or PrtScr. On Windows 11, this opens the Snipping Tool by default. On Windows 10, it copies the whole screen to the clipboard, so paste it into an app such as Paint with Ctrl and V, then save it.
Capture one window on Windows. Click the window you want, then press Alt and Print Screen together. Only that window is copied to the clipboard. Paste it into Paint or a document with Ctrl and V.
Save a screenshot directly to a file on Windows. Press Windows key and Print Screen together. The screen flashes briefly, and the image is saved in your Pictures folder, inside a Screenshots folder.
On a Mac, capture part of the screen. Press Command, Shift, and 4 together, then drag to select the area. The image is saved to the desktop by default.
On a Mac, capture the whole screen. Press Command, Shift, and 3 together. The image is saved to the desktop by default.
On a Mac, capture one window. Press Command, Shift, and 4, then press the Space bar. Click the window you want, and the image is saved to the desktop.
On a Mac, open the screenshot toolbar for more options. Press Command, Shift, and 5 together. You can choose the full screen, a window, or a selected area, and pick where the file is saved.
Screenshots can contain private information, such as account numbers, addresses, or messages. Check the image before sharing it, and crop out anything you do not want someone else to see.
Where do screenshots go?
On Windows, Snipping Tool captures are copied to the clipboard and can be saved from the notification that appears. Windows key plus Print Screen saves straight to Pictures, then Screenshots. On a Mac, screenshots are saved to the desktop by default, and you can change that location from the Command, Shift, and 5 toolbar under Options.
About this guide
This guide covers the built-in screenshot tools on Windows 11, Windows 10, and current macOS. Keyboard shortcut names match the keys printed on standard keyboards.
Common questions
Why did nothing seem to happen when I pressed Print Screen? On Windows 10, Print Screen copies the screen to the clipboard without saving a file, so nothing visibly changes. Open Paint, press Ctrl and V to paste, then save the image.
How do I take a screenshot on a laptop without a Print Screen key? Use Windows key, Shift, and S to open the Snipping Tool, which works on any Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop. On a Mac, use Command, Shift, and 4.
Can I take a screenshot of a menu that disappears when I click? Yes. Open the Snipping Tool, set a delay of a few seconds from its Delay or timer option, open the menu, and wait for the capture to trigger.
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