How to screenshot on a PC or laptop

Three shortcuts that work on any Windows PC

Win is the key with the Windows logo, bottom left. PrtScn is Print Screen, labelled PrtSc, Prt Sc or PrtScr on many keyboards. These work on desktops and laptops running Windows 10 or 11, whatever the brand.

• Win + Shift + S: select an area, a window or the full screen. It is copied to the clipboard, and Windows 11 also saves it.
• Win + PrtScn: saves the full screen as a PNG file in Pictures\Screenshots.
• Alt + PrtScn: copies just the window you are using.

How to take a screenshot on a PC, step by step

To capture only part of the screen instead, press Win + Shift + S, drag over the area and press Ctrl + V where you want it. On a desktop PC with two monitors, Win + PrtScn captures both screens in one image, so use Win + Shift + S to pick one.

1. Get the screen ready: open the window and close anything you do not want in the picture.
2. Press Win + PrtScn. The screen dims for a moment.
3. Open File Explorer, click Pictures, then Screenshots.
4. Your screenshot is the newest file, named Screenshot with a number or date.
5. To send it, drag the file into an email or chat, or right-click it and choose Share.

Screenshots on Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and Acer laptops

Windows laptops all use the same shortcuts. What changes between brands is where Print Screen sits and whether you need the Fn key.

• Dell: PrtScr or PrtSc is usually in the top row near F12, Insert or Delete. On some models press Fn with it.
• HP: look for prt sc near the right end of the top row. On many HP laptops it works alone; if not, add Fn.
• Lenovo: ThinkPads and IdeaPads place PrtSc in different spots, including the top row or the bottom row next to the right Alt key. Some need Fn.
• Asus and Acer: usually in the top row. If the PrtSc label is printed in the same colour as the Fn key, hold Fn.
• Any brand: if you cannot find the key, Win + Shift + S always works.

When your laptop has no Print Screen key

• Use Win + Shift + S. It does everything Print Screen does, and more.
• Open the On-Screen Keyboard with Win + Ctrl + O and click its PrtScn key.
• Open Snipping Tool from the Start menu and click New.
• Remap a key you never use with the free Microsoft PowerToys Keyboard Manager.
• Check for Fn Lock. Some laptops swap the top row between function keys and media keys, often with Fn + Esc.

How to screenshot one window on a PC

You can also press Win + Shift + S, choose Window mode on the bar and click the window. That keeps it on the clipboard and, on Windows 11, saves a copy.

1. Click the window you want so it is active.
2. Press Alt + PrtScn, or Fn + Alt + PrtScn on some laptops.
3. Open Paint from the Start menu and press Ctrl + V.
4. Press Ctrl + S to save it as a PNG or JPG file.

Screenshots on an Apple computer or a Chromebook

• Mac desktop or laptop: Cmd + Shift + 3 saves the whole screen to the desktop, Cmd + Shift + 4 lets you drag over an area, and Cmd + Shift + 5 opens the Screenshot toolbar. Add Control to copy to the clipboard.
• Chromebook: Ctrl + Show windows captures the full screen, and Ctrl + Shift + Show windows opens the screen capture bar. Screenshots go to Downloads by default.

Screenshot apps for PC

Windows already includes Snipping Tool, which adds delays, editing and, on Windows 11, screen recording. The Xbox Game Bar, opened with Win + G, captures games and apps. Free third-party tools such as Greenshot and ShareX add more capture and annotation options if you need them.

None of these capture a whole scrolling web page. For that, the free NeoReader Full Page Screenshot extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox captures the entire page, the visible part or an area you drag. Its editor crops, adds arrows and text and blurs private details, and you save PNG, JPG or PDF or copy the result.

Our free web tools handle what comes next: Screenshot to PDF joins screenshots into one PDF, Screenshot to Text copies the words out of a screenshot, and Video Screenshot grabs a full-resolution frame from a video file on your computer.

Common problems

• Pressed Print Screen and nothing happened: on Windows 10 it copied the screen. Paste with Ctrl + V. On Windows 11 a capture bar should appear.
• Cannot find the file: only Win + PrtScn saves straight away on Windows 10. Other shortcuts copy to the clipboard until you paste or save.
• Files are in OneDrive: if OneDrive backs up Pictures, look in OneDrive\Pictures\Screenshots.
• Black screenshot of a film or show: protected video cannot be captured.