The Complete Walkthrough: Snapping Photos of Your PC Screen with Simple Shortcuts

What to Know

In Windows 11, 10, and 8,Windows Key +PrtScn to capture the entire screen. In Windows 7, pressPrtScn .
To capture only the active window, pressAlt +PrtScn .
To capture specific parts of the screen, use the Windows Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch.

This article explains how to take screenshots on a Windows PC. Instructions apply to Windows 7 and later.

How to Take a Screenshot

The basic way to take a screenshot in Windows is the same way no matter what version of Windows you’re using, and it’s very simple: press the PrtScn key on the keyboard.

PrtScn: Press the button once to save a screenshot of the entire screen. If you have multiple monitors connected, a single press of the print screen button will save a screenshot of all the screens in one single image.
Alt +PrtScn: Press these buttons at the same time to take a screenshot of a single window that you’re focused on. Select the window once to make sure it’s in focus, and then press these keys.
Win +PrtScn: Using the Windows key with the print screen button (in Windows 8 and newer) will take a screenshot of the whole screen and then save it in the default Pictures folder in a subfolder called Screenshots (e.g.C:\Users\[user]\Pictures\Screenshots ).

How to Paste or Save a Screenshot

The easiest way to save a screenshot is to first paste it into the Microsoft Paint application. It’s included with Windows by default.

You do have other options, like to paste it into Microsoft Word, Photoshop, or any other program that supports images, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll use Paint. The quickest way to open Paint in all versions of Windows is through the Run dialog box.

Press Win +R .
Typemspaint into theRun field, and selectEnter .
With Microsoft Paint open, and the screenshot still saved in the clipboard, useCtrl +V to paste it into Paint, or selectPaste .
PressCtrl +S , or select File >Save as to save the screenshot.

At this point, you may notice that the image you saved looks a bit off. If the image doesn’t take up the_entire_ canvas in Paint, it will leave white space around it. To fix this, drag the bottom right corner of the canvas toward the top left of the screen until you reach the corners of your screenshot.

How to Take a Screenshot on PC With the Windows Snipping Tool

Another way to take screenshots is to use the Windows Snipping Tool .

In Windows 10, typesnipping tool in the search box on the taskbar and select theSnipping Tool from the list of results.
In Windows 8, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, selectSearch , typesnipping tool in the search box, and selectSnipping Tool from the list of results.
In Windows 7, select theStart button, typesnipping tool in the search box, and select theSnipping Tool from the list of results.

How to Use Snip and Sketch

Alternatively, Download a Print Screen Program

Although Windows works great for basic screenshotting abilities, you can install both free and paid third-party applications for more advanced features like fine-tuning the screenshot by pixel, annotating it before you save it, and easy saving to a predefined location.

One example of a free print screen tool that’s more advanced than the Windows one is PrtScr . Another, WinSnap , is good, but the free edition lacks some of the more advanced features of the premium version.

FAQ

How do I take a screenshot on a Mac?
To take a screenshot on a Mac , pressCommand +Shift +3 to screenshot the entire screen. PressCommand +Shift +4 to draw and select an area to screenshot. PressCommand +Shift +5 for additional options, including screen recording.
How do I take a screenshot on Android?
To take a screenshot on Android, use a voice command to tell Google Assistant to take a screenshot by saying, “OK Google, take a screenshot.” Another option: Press and holdPower +Volume Down . Find your screenshot in the Photo Gallery or Screenshot folder.
How do I take a screenshot on iPhone?
To take an iPhone screenshot on iPhones without a Home button, simultaneously press theSide andVolume Up buttons. The screenshot will save to the Photos app. On older models, press theHome button and theSleep/Wake button simultaneously.

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The Complete Walkthrough: Snapping Photos of Your PC Screen with Simple Shortcuts