The fastest way to capture your screen depends on your device

On Windows, press Print Screen (or PrtScn) to copy the entire screen to your clipboard, then paste it into an image editor or document. For a single window only, press Alt + Print Screen. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to capture the whole screen, or Command + Shift + 4 to select just part of it. On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Show Windows (the Show Windows key is usually where F5 would be on a regular keyboard) to capture the full screen, or Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select a portion.

All three methods save the image directly to your device — Windows and Mac place it on your desktop or in a default folder, and Chromebook saves it to your Downloads folder. You do not need any extra software or apps to take a basic screenshot on any of these devices.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows uses Print Screen for the whole screen and Alt + Print Screen for one window only.
  • Mac uses Command + Shift + 3 for the full screen and Command + Shift + 4 to select a portion with your cursor.
  • Chromebook uses Ctrl + Show Windows for the full screen and Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select part of it.
  • Screenshots are saved automatically to your desktop, default folder, or Downloads folder depending on your device.
  • Built-in tools on all three devices work without downloading anything extra.

Windows screenshot methods

The simplest method on Windows is Print Screen. Press it once and the entire screen is copied to your clipboard. You then paste it into Paint, Word, an email, or any program that accepts images by pressing Ctrl + V. The image does not appear on your desktop automatically — it only lives in your clipboard until you paste it somewhere.

If you want the screenshot saved as a file right away, use Windows Key + Print Screen instead. This captures the full screen and saves it directly to your Pictures folder in a subfolder called Screenshots. The file is named with the date and time, so each one is unique.

To capture only the active window (the one you are currently using), press Alt + Print Screen. This copies just that window to your clipboard, leaving out everything else on your screen. It is useful when you want to focus on one program and ignore the background.

Windows 11 also includes a built-in tool called Snip & Sketch. Press Windows Key + Shift + S to open it. A menu appears with options to capture a rectangular area, a free-form shape, a full screen, or a single window. After you select your area, the image opens in an editor where you can draw, crop, or add text before saving.

Mac screenshot methods

On Mac, Command + Shift + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it to your desktop as a PNG file. The file name includes the date and time. This is the fastest way to grab everything at once.

To select only part of your screen, press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want to capture, then release. The screenshot is saved to your desktop when ready.

If you want to capture a single window instead of selecting an area, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar. The cursor changes to a camera icon. Click on the window you want to capture and it is saved to your desktop.

Mac also has a tool called Screenshot (or Shift + Command + 5) that opens a menu at the bottom of your screen. From there you can choose to capture the full screen, a window, or a selected area. You can also set a timer, choose where to save the file, and edit the image before saving.

Chromebook screenshot methods

On a Chromebook, the Show Windows key (usually in the top row of your keyboard where F5 would be on a regular keyboard) works like Print Screen on Windows. Press Ctrl + Show Windows to capture your entire screen. The image is saved to your Downloads folder as a PNG file.

To capture only part of your screen, press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows. Your cursor becomes a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want, then release. The partial screenshot is saved to Downloads.

Chromebooks also have a built-in screenshot tool you can access by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Show Windows. This opens a menu where you can choose to capture the full screen, a window, or a selected area. You can also set a timer before the capture happens.

Where screenshots are saved and how to find them

On Windows, screenshots taken with Print Screen alone go to your clipboard only — they are not saved as files unless you paste them somewhere. Screenshots taken with Windows Key + Print Screen are saved to Pictures > Screenshots. Screenshots from Snip & Sketch can be saved wherever you choose.

On Mac, all screenshots go to your desktop by default. You can change this by opening System Preferences > Keyboard > Screenshots and choosing a different location, such as Documents or a specific folder.

On Chromebook, all screenshots are saved to your Downloads folder. You can move them to another folder later, or right-click and delete them if you do not need them.

Editing and sharing your screenshot

Windows includes Paint (a basic image editor) and Photos (which has straightforward editing tools) on every computer. Open either one, then open your screenshot file to crop, rotate, or add text. Snip & Sketch also has a built-in editor that opens automatically after you capture.

Mac includes Preview, which opens automatically when you take a screenshot. You can crop, rotate, add shapes or text, and save in different formats. You can also use the built-in Markup tools to annotate the image.

Chromebook does not include a built-in image editor, but you can open your screenshot in Google Photos (which has basic editing) or upload it to Google Drive and edit it there. You can also read free editors from the Chrome Web Store.

To share a screenshot, attach it to an email, upload it to a cloud service like Google Drive or OneDrive, or paste it directly into a document or message. Most programs that accept images will let you paste a screenshot with Ctrl + V (Windows and Chromebook) or Command + V (Mac).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just one part of my screen?

Yes. On Windows, use Snip & Sketch (Windows Key + Shift + S). On Mac, use Command + Shift + 4 and drag to select. On Chromebook, use Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows and drag to select. All three let you draw a box around the exact area you want.

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

On Mac, use Shift + Command + 5 and set a timer. On Chromebook, use Ctrl + Alt + Show Windows and set a delay. On Windows, Snip & Sketch does not have a built-in timer, but you can use the Alarm app to remind yourself when to take it, or read a free timer app.

How do I take a screenshot of a scrolling webpage that is longer than my screen?

Built-in tools capture only what is visible on your screen at that moment. To capture a long page, you can take multiple screenshots and stitch them together, or use a browser extension designed for full-page screenshots. Most browsers have free extensions available in their web stores.

Can I take a screenshot without saving it as a file?

Yes. On Windows, press Print Screen to copy to your clipboard, then paste directly into an email, document, or message without saving a file first. On Mac and Chromebook, you can do the same by pressing Command + Shift + 3 or Ctrl + Show Windows, then pasting before the clipboard clears.

What format are screenshots saved in?

Windows saves as PNG or JPG depending on your tool. Mac saves as PNG by default. Chromebook saves as PNG. All three formats work with any image viewer or editor, and all three are small enough to email or upload easily.