The fastest way depends on your operating system

Taking a picture of your screen — called a screenshot — works differently on Windows, Mac, and Linux, but all three methods are built into the system and free. On Windows, the simplest route is the Print Screen key or Windows Key + Shift + S. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 for the whole screen or Command + Shift + 4 to select just part of it. On Linux, the method varies by desktop environment, but GNOME (the most common) uses Print Screen or the built-in Screenshot tool.

The image saves to a specific location on your computer — usually your Pictures folder on Windows and Mac, or your home directory on Linux. You can then open it in any image viewer or editor, email it, upload it, or share it however you need.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users can press Print Screen to copy the whole screen, then paste it into an image editor, or use Windows Key + Shift + S to select and save a portion directly.
  • Mac users press Command + Shift + 3 for the entire screen or Command + Shift + 4 to draw a box around just the part they want.
  • Linux users can press Print Screen or open the Screenshot tool from the applications menu, depending on which desktop environment they use.
  • Screenshots save to your Pictures folder (Windows and Mac) or home directory (Linux) unless you change the default location in settings.
  • You can edit screenshots when ready after taking them on Windows 11 and newer Mac versions without opening a separate program.

Windows: Print Screen and the Snipping Tool

The oldest method on Windows is the Print Screen key, usually labeled "PrtScn" in the top right of your keyboard. Press it once and the entire screen copies to your clipboard — you do not see anything happen, but the image is now in memory. Open any image editor (Paint, which comes with Windows, works fine), press Ctrl + V to paste, and save the file.

The faster modern method is Windows Key + Shift + S, which opens the Snipping Tool. Your screen dims slightly and your cursor becomes a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the part of the screen you want to capture. When you release the mouse, the image appears in a small editor window where you can crop, draw on it, or save it directly. The file saves to your Pictures folder by default.

On Windows 11, you can also press Windows Key + Shift + S and then click the camera icon to take a full-screen screenshot without drawing a box. If you want to capture a single window (like one open process), press Alt + Print Screen instead of Print Screen alone.

Mac: Command + Shift shortcuts

Mac has three built-in screenshot commands, all using Command + Shift plus a number. Command + Shift + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it to the Desktop as a PNG file with a timestamp in the name (for example, "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png"). The file appears on your Desktop when ready.

Command + Shift + 4 changes your cursor to a crosshair so you can select just the part of the screen you want. Click and drag to draw a box, then release to capture. The image saves to your Desktop the same way. If you press Command + Shift + 4 and then press the spacebar, your cursor changes to a camera icon and you can click a single window to capture just that window with its shadow.

On newer Mac versions (Monterey and later), you can press Command + Shift + 5 to open a more detailed screenshot and recording tool. This window lets you choose whether to capture the whole screen, a selected portion, or a specific window, and it shows you options to record video as well. You can also change where screenshots save — by default they go to Desktop, but you can redirect them to Pictures, Documents, or another folder through System Settings.

Linux: Screenshot tool and Print Screen

Linux does not have a single standard screenshot method because different desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, and others) handle it differently. On GNOME, the most widely used desktop, pressing Print Screen captures the whole screen and opens a small dialog asking where to save it. Pressing Shift + Print Screen lets you select a portion of the screen with a crosshair, the same way Mac's Command + Shift + 4 works.

You can also open the Screenshot tool directly from your applications menu — search for "Screenshot" in your app launcher. This opens a window with options to capture the whole screen, a window, or a selected area, and you can set a delay (useful if you need to open a menu before the screenshot happens) and choose whether to copy to clipboard or save to a file.

On KDE Plasma, the default is often Print Screen as well, but the tool may be called "Spectacle" instead of Screenshot. On Xfce, look for "Xfce Screenshot" in the applications menu. If you are not sure which desktop environment you use, open a terminal and type echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP to see the name.

Where screenshots save and how to find them

On Windows, screenshots taken with Windows Key + Shift + S save to your Pictures folder by default. You can change this location by opening Settings, going to System > Clipboard, and looking for the "Screenshots" section. On older Windows versions, Print Screen copies to clipboard only — you have to paste it into an editor and save it yourself.

On Mac, screenshots save to your Desktop by default, which means they clutter your desktop quickly. To change the location, open System Settings, go to General > Desktop & Dock, scroll down to "Screenshots", and choose a different folder. Many people redirect them to Pictures or a dedicated Screenshots folder.

On Linux with GNOME, screenshots save to your Pictures folder or clipboard depending on which method you used. The Screenshot tool usually asks you where to save before it closes. You can also check your file manager to see recent files if you forget where something went.

Editing and sharing your screenshot

After you take a screenshot, you often want to crop it, highlight part of it, or add text or arrows. On Windows 11, a notification appears in the bottom right corner after you take a screenshot — click it to open the Snipping Tool editor, where you can draw, erase, or crop before saving. On Mac, newer versions show a thumbnail in the corner that you can click to edit when ready.

On any system, you can open the screenshot file in Paint (Windows), Preview (Mac), or GIMP (Linux, or any system) to make changes. Paint and Preview are straightforward and built in. GIMP is more powerful but has a steeper learning curve. For quick edits like cropping or adding arrows, the built-in tools are usually enough.

To share a screenshot, you can email it, upload it to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox, or paste it directly into a chat process like Slack or Discord. Most chat apps let you paste an image from your clipboard with Ctrl + V (Windows/Linux) or Command + V (Mac).

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 to switch to window mode, and click the window you want. On Linux with GNOME, use the Screenshot tool and select "Window" instead of "Screen".

What if I want to take a screenshot after a delay?

On Mac, use Command + Shift + 5 and look for the "Options" menu to set a delay. On Linux with GNOME, open the Screenshot tool and use the "Delay" slider. On Windows, the Snipping Tool does not have a built-in delay, but you can use the Windows Snip & Sketch app or a third-party tool like ShareX.

How do I take a screenshot of something that is not visible on screen right now?

You cannot screenshot something you cannot see. If you need to capture a long webpage, use your browser's built-in screenshot tool (usually in the address bar menu) or a browser extension like Nimbus Screenshot. These tools can capture the entire page even if it scrolls beyond your screen.

Can I screenshot a video that is playing?

Yes, a screenshot captures whatever is on your screen at that moment, including video frames. However, some streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) block screenshots for copyright reasons — the screenshot will appear black or blank. This is intentional protection by the service.

What file format do screenshots save in?

Windows and Mac save as PNG by default, which is lossless and good for sharing. Linux varies by tool but usually PNG as well. PNG files are smaller than BMP and larger than JPEG, but they preserve quality perfectly. You can convert to other formats (JPEG, GIF, etc.) by opening the file in an image editor and choosing "Save As".