The fastest way to print a screenshot

To print a screenshot on Windows, press Print Screen (often labeled PrtScn), open Notepad or any document, paste the image with Ctrl+V, then print with Ctrl+P. On Mac, press Command+Shift+3 to capture the whole screen, then open the screenshot file that appears on your desktop, and press Command+P to print it directly.

Both methods send the image to your default printer without opening extra software. The Windows route pastes into whatever program is open, so make sure you have a document ready. The Mac route saves a file first, which gives you a moment to check the image before printing.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users can press Print Screen, paste into any document with Ctrl+V, and print with Ctrl+P in one workflow.
  • Mac users should press Command+Shift+3 to save a screenshot file to the desktop, then open that file and press Command+P.
  • If you want to capture only part of the screen instead of the whole thing, Windows offers Shift+Print Screen and Mac offers Command+Shift+4.
  • Most printers print screenshots at the size they appear on screen, so a small window will print small unless you resize it first.
  • If nothing prints, check that your printer is turned on and connected, and that you selected the correct printer in the print dialog.

Capturing the whole screen on Windows

Press the Print Screen key once. This key is usually in the upper right area of your keyboard, sometimes labeled PrtScn or PrtSc. Nothing visible happens — the screenshot is now in your computer's clipboard, ready to paste.

Open any program where you can paste an image: Notepad, Word, Paint, or even an email draft. Press Ctrl+V to paste the screenshot. The image appears in the document. Now press Ctrl+P to open the print dialog, choose your printer, and click Print.

If you want to capture only part of the screen instead of the whole thing, press Shift+Print Screen instead. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want to capture, then release. That selection goes into your clipboard and you paste it the same way.

Capturing the whole screen on Mac

Press Command+Shift+3 all at once. You will hear a camera shutter sound (if your volume is on), and a file named "Screenshot [date] at [time].png" appears on your desktop. This is your screenshot file.

Double-click the screenshot file to open it in Preview, the built-in image viewer. Once it is open, press Command+P to bring up the print dialog. Choose your printer and click Print. The screenshot prints at the size it appears on your screen.

If you want to capture only part of the screen, press Command+Shift+4 instead. Your cursor becomes a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want, then release. A new screenshot file saves to your desktop with just that selection.

Adjusting the size before you print

Screenshots print at the size they appear on your screen. If you captured a small window, it will print small. If you want a larger print, you need to resize the image first.

On Windows, open the screenshot in Paint (right-click the file, choose "Open with," then Paint). Go to Image menu, click Resize, and change the width or height to a larger number. Paint will scale the whole image proportionally. Then print as usual.

On Mac, open the screenshot in Preview. Go to Tools menu, click Adjust Size, and change the width or height. Preview scales the image to match. Then press Command+P and print.

Be aware that enlarging a screenshot too much makes it blurry, because you are stretching pixels that were already small. A screenshot enlarged more than 50 percent usually looks noticeably fuzzy in print.

Troubleshooting when nothing prints

If you press Print and nothing comes out, start with the printer itself. Make sure it is turned on, has paper in the tray, and is connected to your computer with a cable or wireless network. Check the printer's display panel for error messages like "Paper Jam" or "Out of Toner."

Next, check that you selected the right printer in the print dialog. On Windows, the dialog shows "Printer:" near the top with a dropdown menu. On Mac, it shows "Printer:" in the middle of the dialog. If you see "Microsoft Print to PDF" or "Print to File," you are sending the image to a file instead of a physical printer — change this to your actual printer name.

If the printer is on and selected but still nothing prints, try restarting both your computer and the printer. Turn off the printer, wait 30 seconds, turn it back on, then try printing again. This clears temporary errors that sometimes block printing.

Using the Snipping Tool for more control (Windows)

Windows 10 and 11 include a program called Snipping Tool that gives you more options than Print Screen. Search for "Snipping Tool" in the Windows search box and open it.

Click "New" to start a capture. Your screen dims and your cursor becomes a crosshair. Draw a box around the area you want to capture. When you release, the screenshot opens in the Snipping Tool window. From there, you can draw on it, erase parts, or save it as a file before printing.

To print from Snipping Tool, click File menu, then Print. Choose your printer and click Print. This route takes a few more steps than Print Screen, but it is useful if you want to mark up the screenshot or save it with a specific name before printing.

Using Screenshot on Mac (newer versions)

Mac computers running Monterey or newer have a Screenshot app that works similarly to Windows Snipping Tool. Press Command+Shift+5 to open it. A toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with options to capture the whole screen, a window, or a selection.

Click the option you want, then click the area of the screen you want to capture. A thumbnail appears in the corner — click it to open the screenshot in Preview. From Preview, press Command+P to print.

Command+Shift+5 also lets you record a video of your screen if you click the video icon, though that is not useful for printing. Stick with Command+Shift+3 or Command+Shift+4 if you only need a still image.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print just one window instead of the whole screen?

Yes. On Windows, press Alt+Print Screen to capture only the active window. On Mac, press Command+Shift+4, then press the spacebar — your cursor becomes a camera icon. Click the window you want to capture. Both methods put the window into your clipboard or save it as a file, and you print it the same way as a full screenshot.

Why does my screenshot print in black and white when my screen is in color?

Your printer settings are set to grayscale. In the print dialog, look for a section called "Color" or "Print Quality." Change it from "Grayscale" or "Black and White" to "Color" before you click Print. Some printers also have a physical switch on the machine itself.

What if my printer is not showing up in the print dialog?

The printer is not connected or not installed. On Windows, go to Settings, Devices, Printers and Scanners, and click "Add a printer." On Mac, go to System Preferences, Printers and Scanners, and click the plus sign. Follow the prompts to find and install your printer. Then try printing again.

Can I print a screenshot to a PDF file instead of paper?

Yes. In the print dialog, look for a button or dropdown that says "Print to File," "Save as PDF," or "PDF." Click it and choose where to save the file. This creates a PDF version of your screenshot without using paper or ink.

How do I print a screenshot from my phone or tablet?

Phone screenshots do not print the same way as computer screenshots. Take a screenshot on your phone (usually by pressing power and volume down together), then email it to yourself or send it to your computer. Once it is on your computer, follow the steps above to print it.