The fastest way to capture your screen
On Windows, press Print Screen (or PrtScn) to copy the entire screen to your clipboard, then open Paint or Word and paste it. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to save a full-screen image directly to your desktop. Both methods work when ready and require no extra software.
If you need to capture only part of your screen instead of everything, Windows offers Shift + Windows key + S, which lets you draw a rectangle around the area you want. Mac users can press Command + Shift + 4 and then click and drag to select a portion. These partial-screen methods are faster than taking a full screenshot and cropping it later.
Key Takeaways
- Windows Print Screen copies your entire screen to the clipboard; you then paste it into Paint, Word, or any image editor to save it as a file.
- Mac Command + Shift + 3 saves a full screenshot directly to your desktop as a PNG file without opening any other program.
- Both Windows and Mac let you capture only part of your screen: Windows uses Shift + Windows key + S, and Mac uses Command + Shift + 4.
- If you need to record video of your screen instead of a still image, Windows has Game Bar (Windows key + G) and Mac has Screenshot app with a Record tab.
Windows: Print Screen and the Snipping Tool
The Print Screen key is the oldest and simplest method on Windows. Press it once, and your entire screen is copied to the clipboard—you won't see any visual confirmation. Open Notepad, Paint, Word, or any image editor, then press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot. From there you can crop, edit, or save it as a JPG or PNG file.
For more control, use Shift + Windows key + S instead. Your screen will dim slightly, and your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the part of the screen you want to capture. When you release the mouse, the selected area is copied to the clipboard and a small notification appears in the bottom right corner. You can click that notification to open the image in the Snipping Tool, where you can annotate it with a pen or highlighter before saving.
If you want to capture a specific window rather than a rectangle, press Alt + Print Screen. This copies only the active window (the one you are currently using) to the clipboard, leaving out everything else on your screen. This is useful when you have multiple windows open and want to focus on just one.
Mac: Built-in screenshot and screen recording
On Mac, Command + Shift + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it as a PNG file directly to your desktop. You will see a thumbnail appear briefly in the bottom right corner of the screen. Click that thumbnail to open the image in the Screenshot app, where you can crop, annotate, or share it. If you do not click the thumbnail, the file stays on your desktop with a name like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 10.30.45 AM.png".
Command + Shift + 4 lets you select a portion of your screen. Your cursor becomes a crosshair, and you can click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want. Release the mouse, and the image saves to your desktop the same way. If you press the spacebar while holding Shift + Command + 4, your cursor changes to a camera icon, and you can click a single window to capture just that window without the background.
To record a video of your screen instead of taking a still image, open the Screenshot app (search for it in Spotlight with Command + Spacebar), click the Record button, and choose whether to record your entire screen or just a portion. When you are done, press Command + Control + Esc to stop recording, and the video saves to your desktop as an MOV file.
Where screenshots are saved and how to find them
On Windows, screenshots taken with Print Screen are not automatically saved to a file—they exist only in your clipboard until you paste them. If you use Shift + Windows key + S, the image is copied to the clipboard, and you can paste it anywhere. To save it as a file, paste it into Paint (search for Paint in the Start menu), then go to File > Save As and choose a location and file format (JPG, PNG, or BMP).
On Mac, screenshots appear on your desktop by default. You can change this location by opening the Screenshot app, clicking Options, and selecting a different folder. If you want screenshots to go to your clipboard instead of your desktop, hold down Control while pressing the keyboard shortcut—for example, Command + Control + Shift + 3 copies the full screen to the clipboard without saving a file.
Editing and annotating your screenshot
After you take a screenshot, you often need to crop it, highlight part of it, or add text. On Windows, the Snipping Tool (which opens when you use Shift + Windows key + S) includes a pen, highlighter, and eraser. You can draw directly on the image before saving. For more advanced editing, use Paint (included with Windows) or read free software like GIMP or Canva.
On Mac, the Screenshot app that appears in the bottom right corner lets you crop, draw, magnify, or add text before you save. Click the thumbnail to open it, then use the toolbar at the top to select your editing tool. You can also use the built-in Preview app: open Preview, go to Tools, and select Annotate to add shapes, text, or signatures to any image.
Capturing screenshots on a laptop or tablet keyboard
On a Windows laptop, the Print Screen key might be combined with another key or labeled differently. Look for PrtScn, Print Scr, or a key with a camera icon. You may need to hold Fn (Function) at the same time. For example, on some laptops you press Fn + Print Screen instead of just Print Screen. The Shift + Windows key + S method usually works the same way on all Windows laptops.
On a Mac laptop, the keyboard shortcuts are identical to a desktop Mac. If you have an external keyboard connected to your Mac, the same shortcuts work. On a tablet like an iPad, you cannot take a traditional screenshot with a keyboard shortcut—instead, press the top button and volume-up button at the same time (on newer iPads) or the home button and top button together (on older models).
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is pressing Print Screen and then wondering where the file went. Remember: Print Screen copies to the clipboard only. You must paste it into another program and save it as a file. If you want the file to save automatically, use Shift + Windows key + S on Windows or Command + Shift + 3 on Mac instead.
Another mistake is taking a screenshot of your entire screen when you only need part of it. This creates a large file and makes it harder to focus the viewer's attention on what matters. Use the partial-screen methods (Shift + Windows key + S or Command + Shift + 4) to capture only the area you need.
On Mac, forgetting that screenshots save to your desktop can clutter your desktop with dozens of files. If this happens, move them to a folder or change your default screenshot location in the Screenshot app options. On Windows, not knowing that Print Screen is in your clipboard can lead to losing the screenshot if you copy something else before pasting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just one window?
Yes. On Windows, press Alt + Print Screen to capture only the active window. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar and click the window you want. Both methods exclude everything else on your screen.
What if I want to record my screen instead of taking a still image?
On Windows, press Windows key + G to open Game Bar, then click the record button. On Mac, open the Screenshot app and click the Record button. Both save video files to your computer that you can play back or share.
How do I take a screenshot on a Chromebook?
Press Ctrl + Show Windows (the Show Windows key is usually where F5 would be on a regular keyboard) to capture the entire screen, or press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select a portion. The screenshot is copied to your clipboard and also saved to your Downloads folder.
Can I change where my Mac screenshots are saved?
Yes. Open the Screenshot app, click Options, and select a different folder from the Save To dropdown menu. You can also hold Control while taking a screenshot to copy it to your clipboard instead of saving it to a file.
What file format should I use for my screenshot?
PNG is the best choice for most screenshots because it preserves quality without making the file too large. JPG works if you need a smaller file, but it can look blurry. On Mac, screenshots are PNG by default. On Windows, you can choose the format when you save in Paint or another image editor.