The fastest way: Press Print Screen or Fn + Print Screen

On a Dell computer, the simplest screenshot method is to press the Print Screen key (often labeled PrtScn or PrtSc) on your keyboard. This captures your entire screen and copies it to your clipboard — you won't see a notification, but the image is ready to paste.

If your Dell is a laptop, you may need to hold Fn + Print Screen instead, because the Fn key unlocks secondary functions on compact keyboards. Try the Print Screen key alone first; if nothing happens, add Fn.

Once you've pressed the key, open any program that accepts images — Paint, Word, email, or a messaging app — and paste with Ctrl + V. The screenshot appears when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Print Screen to capture your entire screen and copy it to your clipboard, then paste it into any document or image editor.
  • On Dell laptops, hold Fn + Print Screen if Print Screen alone does not work.
  • Use Alt + Print Screen to capture only the active window instead of the whole screen.
  • Windows 11 and Windows 10 include the Snipping Tool and Screenshot app, which let you select a specific area and save the image directly to a file.
  • The Windows key + Shift + S shortcut opens the screenshot tool and lets you draw a box around the part you want to capture.

Capturing only the active window with Alt + Print Screen

If you want to screenshot only the window you're currently using — not the entire desktop — hold Alt and press Print Screen at the same time. This copies just that single window to your clipboard.

This method is useful when you have multiple windows open and want to avoid capturing clutter in the background. Like the full-screen method, you then paste the image into Paint, Word, or another program with Ctrl + V.

Using the Snipping Tool for precise selection

Dell computers running Windows 10 or Windows 11 come with the Snipping Tool, which lets you select exactly which part of the screen to capture. Press Windows key + Shift + S to open it when ready.

When you press this combination, your screen dims slightly and your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want to capture. When you release the mouse, the image is copied to your clipboard and a small notification appears in the bottom right corner.

Click the notification to open the image in the Snipping Tool editor, where you can annotate it with a pen or highlighter, crop it further, or save it as a file. This is the most flexible method if you need to edit before saving.

Saving screenshots directly to a file with the Screenshot app

Windows 11 includes a dedicated Screenshot app separate from the Snipping Tool. Search for "Screenshot" in your Start menu to open it, or use the same Windows key + Shift + S shortcut — Windows 11 may open either tool depending on your settings.

The Screenshot app works the same way as the Snipping Tool: draw a box around the area you want, and the image appears in an editor window. The key difference is that the Screenshot app saves images directly to your Pictures folder in a Screenshots subfolder, with automatic filenames like "Screenshot (1).png".

If you prefer the Screenshot app over the Snipping Tool, you can set it as your default by opening Settings, going to System > Keyboard, and changing the "Screenshot" shortcut to launch the Screenshot app instead.

Finding and organizing your saved screenshots

Screenshots you paste into documents stay in those documents. Screenshots you save with the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app go to your Pictures folder by default, usually in a subfolder called Screenshots.

To find them quickly, open File Explorer, click Pictures in the left sidebar, then look for the Screenshots folder. You can also search for "*.png" in File Explorer to find all image files, or sort your Pictures folder by date to see your most recent captures at the top.

If you want screenshots to save to a different location, open the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app, take a screenshot, and use the Save As option in the editor window to choose a new folder.

Troubleshooting when Print Screen does not work

If Print Screen captures nothing or pastes a blank image, check whether a program is blocking the key. Some games and full-screen applications disable Print Screen for security reasons. Close the program and try again.

On some Dell laptops, the Print Screen key shares space with another function (like volume or brightness). If Fn + Print Screen does not work, check your keyboard's printed labels — the Print Screen function may be on a different key entirely, or you may need to enable it in your BIOS settings. Restart your Dell and press F2 or Del during startup to enter BIOS, then look for a setting called "Action Keys Mode" or "Fn Key Behavior" and toggle it.

If the Snipping Tool shortcut (Windows key + Shift + S) does not respond, open Settings, go to System > Keyboard, scroll to the Screenshot setting, and make sure it is not set to "None".

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen without using the Snipping Tool?

Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen capture the whole screen or active window only — they do not let you select a specific area. To capture a portion, use the Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S) or open the Screenshot app. Both let you draw a box around exactly what you want.

Where do my screenshots go when I press Print Screen?

Print Screen copies the image to your clipboard, not to a file. You must paste it into a program like Paint or Word to see it. If you want screenshots saved automatically as files, use the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app instead.

Why does my Dell laptop require Fn + Print Screen instead of just Print Screen?

Laptop keyboards are compact, so Print Screen often shares a key with another function like volume or brightness. The Fn key unlocks the secondary function. Check your keyboard's labels to confirm, or try both methods to see which works on your model.

Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen including multiple monitors?

Print Screen captures all connected monitors as one image. If you want to capture only one monitor, use the Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S) and draw a box around just that monitor's area.

How do I take a screenshot without using the keyboard?

Open the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app from your Start menu and click the New button. This opens the selection tool without needing a keyboard shortcut. You can also right-click your desktop, select "Screenshot" if available, or look for a screenshot button in your system tray.