The fastest way to capture your screen
On Windows, press Print Screen (often labeled PrtScn) to copy your entire screen to the clipboard. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to capture the whole screen and save it as a file on your desktop. On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Show Windows (the Show Windows key is usually where F5 would be on a standard keyboard) to capture the full screen.
These are the default shortcuts built into each operating system. The image goes to your clipboard on Windows (meaning you paste it into another program), but on Mac and Chromebook it saves directly to your desktop or Downloads folder as a file you can open later.
Key Takeaways
- Windows Print Screen copies the full screen to your clipboard; you then paste it into an image editor, email, or document.
- Mac Command + Shift + 3 saves a screenshot file directly to your desktop with a timestamp in the filename.
- Chromebook Ctrl + Show Windows captures the full screen and saves it to your Downloads folder.
- All three systems also have partial-screen options if you need to capture only one window or a specific area.
Capturing just one window instead of the whole screen
On Windows, press Alt + Print Screen to copy only the active window (the one you are currently using) to your clipboard. This is useful when you have multiple windows open and want to avoid capturing the desktop, taskbar, or other programs behind it.
On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4, then click the window you want to capture. Your cursor will change to a crosshair; click the window and it saves to your desktop. You can also press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar, and click any window to capture just that window without the shadows around it.
On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to open the partial screenshot tool. A crosshair cursor appears; click and drag to select the area you want to capture, then release. The image saves to your Downloads folder.
Capturing a specific area or rectangle
On Windows 10 and later, the easiest method is Windows + Shift + S, which opens the Snip & Sketch tool. Your screen dims and a crosshair appears. Click and drag to select the rectangular area you want, then release. The image copies to your clipboard and a small notification appears in the bottom right corner; click it to open the image in Snip & Sketch, where you can annotate, crop, or save it.
On Mac, Command + Shift + 4 gives you a crosshair cursor. Click and drag to select a rectangular area, then release to save the screenshot to your desktop. If you want to cancel before releasing, press Escape.
On Chromebook, Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows opens the partial screenshot tool with a crosshair. Drag to select your area and release to save it to Downloads.
Where your screenshots go and how to find them
On Windows, Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen copy to your clipboard only — they do not save a file. You must paste the image into another program: right-click in Paint, Word, an email, or any image editor and select Paste. If you use Windows + Shift + S, the image also goes to your clipboard, but you can click the notification to open it in Snip & Sketch and save it from there.
On Mac, screenshots save directly to your desktop by default. The filename includes the date and time, like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png". You can also change where they save by opening Terminal and running a command, but the desktop is the standard location.
On Chromebook, screenshots save to your Downloads folder. Open the Files app and navigate to Downloads to find them. They are named with a timestamp, like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 14.30.45.png".
Using built-in editing tools after you capture
On Windows, after you use Windows + Shift + S, a notification appears in the bottom right corner. Click it to open Snip & Sketch, where you can draw on the image with a pen, highlight text, erase parts, or crop it. You can then save it as a PNG or JPG file, or copy it again to your clipboard.
On Mac, after you take a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click it to open the image in a quick-edit window where you can mark it up with lines, arrows, text, or shapes. You can also drag the thumbnail to save it directly to a specific folder, or click Done to save it to your desktop.
On Chromebook, after you capture a screenshot, a notification appears. Click it to open the image in the built-in image viewer, but editing options are limited. For more control, open the image in a photo editor like Pixlr or upload it to Google Drive and edit it there.
Capturing video instead of a still image
On Windows 10 and later, press Windows + Alt + R to start recording your screen with the built-in Xbox Game Bar. A small control panel appears; click the red Record button to begin. Your screen records everything you do — mouse movements, clicks, and audio if your microphone is on. Press Windows + Alt + R again to stop recording. The video saves as an MP4 file in your Videos folder under Captures.
On Mac, press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot and recording menu. Click the record button (the circle icon), then click the area of the screen you want to record, or click Record to capture the entire screen. Press Command + Control + Escape to stop recording. The video saves to your desktop as a MOV file.
On Chromebook, the built-in screenshot tool does not record video. You can use the Chrome extension "Screencastify" or "Loom" to record your screen and audio, but these require installation from the Chrome Web Store.
Troubleshooting when Print Screen is not working
On Windows, if Print Screen does nothing, check whether your keyboard has a secondary function layer. Some laptops require you to hold Fn + Print Screen instead. Also check whether you have a third-party screenshot tool installed that may have overridden the default shortcut. If Snip & Sketch opens instead of copying to your clipboard, that is normal behavior for Windows 10 and later; use Windows + Shift + S intentionally if you want the Snip & Sketch tool.
On Mac, if Command + Shift + 3 does not work, check your keyboard layout in System Preferences under Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots. Make sure the shortcuts are enabled. If you have accessibility features turned on, they may interfere with the default shortcuts.
On Chromebook, if Ctrl + Show Windows does not work, check whether you are in a web app or full-screen mode. Some apps block system-level shortcuts. Try exiting full-screen mode first by pressing Escape, then try the screenshot shortcut again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just the menu bar or taskbar?
On Windows, use Windows + Shift + S and drag a rectangle around just the taskbar or menu area. On Mac, Command + Shift + 4 with the crosshair lets you select any rectangular area, including just the menu bar. On Chromebook, Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows works the same way.
How do I screenshot a scrolling webpage that is longer than my screen?
The built-in screenshot tools capture only what is visible on your screen at that moment. To capture a full webpage, use your browser's built-in tool: in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, right-click the page and select "Take a screenshot" or "Capture full page". This scrolls and stitches the entire page into one image.
What format are my screenshots saved in?
Windows saves as PNG by default when using Snip & Sketch. Mac saves as PNG. Chromebook saves as PNG. All three formats work with any image viewer and can be edited in Paint, Preview, or any photo editor.
Can I take a screenshot without using the keyboard?
On Windows, open the Snipping Tool app from your Start menu and click "New" to capture manually. On Mac, open Screenshot from Launchpad or Applications > Utilities. On Chromebook, open the Files app, right-click, and select "Take a screenshot" if available, though keyboard shortcuts are faster.
Do screenshots include my cursor?
On Windows and Chromebook, the cursor is usually not included in the screenshot. On Mac, the cursor is included by default. If you do not want the cursor in a Mac screenshot, hold down Control while taking the screenshot to exclude it.