How to Take a Screenshot on Windows 11 (All Methods)

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    Windows 11 has several built-in ways to capture your screen, and you don’t need to install anything extra. The fastest is the Windows key + Shift + S shortcut, which opens a snipping toolbar so you can grab exactly the part of the screen you want. Below you’ll find every method, including the Snipping Tool app, the old Print Screen key, and options for gamers and Surface users.

    Quick steps

    1. Press Windows key + Shift + S on your keyboard.
    2. Choose a shape: rectangular, freeform, window, or full screen.
    3. Drag over the area you want to capture.
    4. Click the notification that pops up to open and edit your screenshot, or just paste it (Ctrl + V) into an email, document, or chat.

    Before you start

    A few things to check before you start capturing:

    • Most screenshot shortcuts work the same whether you’re on a desktop, laptop, or tablet running Windows 11, but Surface devices with detachable keyboards have their own button combo too.
    • Some methods copy the image straight to your clipboard (so you need to paste it somewhere), while others save a file automatically to your Pictures > Screenshots folder.
    • If you use OneDrive to back up your Pictures folder, your screenshots may sync automatically. If you’d rather keep them local only, it’s worth checking how OneDrive AutoSave is configured on your PC.
    • The Snipping Tool app combines the old Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch into one app, so you don’t need to hunt for two separate tools anymore.

    Windows key + Shift + S (Snip & Sketch shortcut)

    This is the shortcut most people reach for because it lets you pick exactly what to capture instead of grabbing the whole screen.

    1. Press Windows key + Shift + S at the same time.
    2. Your screen will dim slightly and a small toolbar will appear at the top with capture options: rectangular snip, freeform snip, window snip, and fullscreen snip.
    3. Pick the mode you want, then click and drag to select the area (or click a window if you chose window snip).
    4. Once you release the mouse, the screenshot is copied to your clipboard automatically.
    5. Click the thumbnail notification in the bottom right corner to open it in the Snipping Tool app, where you can mark it up, crop it, or save it as a file.

    Using the Snipping Tool app directly

    If you’d rather open the app first instead of using a shortcut, you can launch it from the Start menu.

    1. Select Start, type Snipping Tool, and open the app from the search results.
    2. Select New in the toolbar to start a capture.
    3. Choose your snip mode (rectangular, freeform, window, or fullscreen) from the options at the top.
    4. Drag over the area you want to capture.
    5. Use the markup tools (pen, highlighter, ruler) to annotate if needed, then select the save icon to save the file, or copy it to paste elsewhere.

    This is the classic, no-frills method that’s been around for decades.

    1. Press PrtScn (sometimes labeled PrtSc) on your keyboard. This copies an image of your entire screen to the clipboard.
    2. Open any program that accepts images, such as Paint, Word, or an email, and press Ctrl + V to paste it in.

    On many Windows 11 PCs, Print Screen is set by default to open the Snip & Sketch capture toolbar instead of just copying the screen. If that happens when you press PrtScn, you’re actually seeing the same tool described above rather than a classic clipboard copy.

    Windows key + PrtScn

    1. Press Windows key + PrtScn together.
    2. Your screen will flash briefly, confirming the screenshot was taken.
    3. The full-screen image saves automatically as a file in Pictures > Screenshots, no pasting required.

    Alt + PrtScn

    1. Click on the window you want to capture so it’s active.
    2. Press Alt + PrtScn.
    3. This copies just that active window (not the whole screen) to your clipboard.
    4. Paste it into an image or document program with Ctrl + V.

    Capturing games with Xbox Game Bar

    If you’re in a full-screen game or app and the usual shortcuts don’t behave the way you expect, Game Bar is designed for that scenario.

    1. Press Windows key + G to open Xbox Game Bar.
    2. Select the camera icon in the Capture widget, or press Windows key + Alt + PrtScn.
    3. The screenshot saves automatically to Videos > Captures as a file.

    Surface devices with a keyboard and pen

    Some Surface tablets and 2-in-1s without a full keyboard attached support button combinations instead.

    1. Press and hold the Volume Up button and the Power button at the same time, then release.
    2. Your screen will dim briefly to confirm the capture.
    3. The screenshot saves automatically to Pictures > Screenshots.

    If you have a keyboard or Surface Pen attached, the standard Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts above (like Windows key + Shift + S) will also work.

    If it doesn’t work

    This is expected behavior on many Windows 11 setups, since Microsoft lets PrtScn trigger the Snip & Sketch toolbar by default. If you specifically want the old clipboard-copy behavior back, check your keyboard settings under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard for the “Use the Print Screen key to open screen snipping” toggle and turn it off.

    Nothing happens when you press the shortcut

    Some laptops need you to also hold the Fn key along with PrtScn, Windows key, or Shift, especially on smaller keyboards where function keys double up. Try adding Fn to the combination if your first attempt does nothing.

    You can’t find your saved screenshots

    Screenshots saved automatically (using Windows key + PrtScn or Game Bar) go into your Pictures > Screenshots folder or Videos > Captures for games. If you use OneDrive, your Pictures folder might be redirected there instead of the local folder, so check your OneDrive settings if the files seem to be missing.

    Screenshots aren’t syncing or backing up the way you want

    If your screenshots are ending up in OneDrive when you don’t want them to, or not backing up when you do, it helps to review how OneDrive is set up on your PC. You can turn folder backup on or off, or remove OneDrive entirely depending on your preference.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the keyboard shortcut to screenshot on Windows 11?

    The most commonly used shortcut is Windows key + Shift + S, which opens a toolbar so you can select exactly what to capture. For a quick full-screen capture saved automatically as a file, use Windows key + PrtScn instead.

    Where do Windows 11 screenshots get saved?

    Screenshots taken with Windows key + PrtScn or through Game Bar save automatically to the Pictures > Screenshots or Videos > Captures folders. Screenshots taken with Windows key + Shift + S or plain PrtScn only copy to your clipboard, so you’ll need to paste and save them manually unless you open them through the Snipping Tool app.

    How do I screenshot just one window instead of the whole screen?

    Click on the window to make it active, then press Alt + PrtScn to copy just that window to your clipboard. Alternatively, use Windows key + Shift + S and choose the window snip option from the toolbar.

    Does Windows 11 still have the Snipping Tool?

    Yes, the Snipping Tool app is still available and now combines the features of the older Snipping Tool with the newer Snip & Sketch tool. You can open it from the Start menu, or trigger a capture instantly with Windows key + Shift + S.

    Why does my Print Screen key open a toolbar instead of copying an image?

    On many Windows 11 PCs, the Print Screen key is set by default to open the Snip & Sketch capture toolbar rather than simply copying the full screen. You can turn this behavior off in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard if you prefer the traditional clipboard-copy function.

    Sources

    Updated on November 8, 2026
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