The fastest way to screenshot depends on your operating system

On Windows, press the Print Screen key (labeled PrtScn) to copy your entire screen to the clipboard, then open Paint or Word and paste it. If you want to save it as a file automatically instead of pasting, press Windows key + Print Screen — the screenshot goes straight to your Pictures folder in a subfolder called Screenshots.

On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to capture the whole screen and save it to your desktop as a file. If you want to copy it to the clipboard instead (so you can paste it into an email or document), add the Control key: Command + Control + Shift + 3.

Both methods take the screenshot when ready. You do not need to install anything or open a special program first.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, press Print Screen to copy your screen, then paste it into Paint or Word; or press Windows key + Print Screen to save it directly to your Pictures folder.
  • On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to save a screenshot to your desktop, or add Control to copy it to the clipboard instead.
  • If you need to capture only part of your screen, Windows has a Snip tool and Mac has a built-in selection tool — both let you draw a box around the area you want.
  • Screenshots are saved as image files (PNG on Mac, PNG or BMP on Windows) that you can email, upload, or edit in any image program.

Capturing only part of your screen on Windows

If you do not want the entire screen, use the Snip tool. Press Windows key + Shift + S to open it. Your screen will dim and your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the part you want to capture.

When you release the mouse, the snipped area is copied to your clipboard. A small notification will appear in the bottom right corner — click it to open the snip in the Snip tool, where you can annotate it (draw, highlight, or type) before saving. If you do not click the notification, the snip stays in your clipboard and you can paste it directly into an email or document.

Capturing only part of your screen on Mac

Press Command + Shift + 4 and your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want. When you release, the screenshot is saved to your desktop.

If you change your mind while dragging, press Escape before you release the mouse and the screenshot will be cancelled. If you want to capture a single window instead of a rectangular area, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar — the cursor will change to a camera icon. Click the window you want to capture and it will be saved to your desktop.

Where your screenshots are saved

On Windows, screenshots taken with Windows key + Print Screen go to your Pictures folder, inside a subfolder called Screenshots. You can find them by opening File Explorer, clicking Pictures on the left, then double-clicking the Screenshots folder. Screenshots are saved as PNG files with names like "Screenshot (1).png", "Screenshot (2).png", and so on.

On Mac, screenshots appear on your desktop by default. They are saved as PNG files with names like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png". If you want them to go to a different folder instead, you can change the default location using the built-in Screenshot app, but most people just leave them on the desktop and move them later if needed.

Editing your screenshot after you take it

On Windows, open the Snip tool (Windows key + Shift + S), take your snip, and click the notification that appears. The snip will open in the Snip tool window, where you can draw lines, highlight areas, or erase parts using the buttons at the top. Click Save to save your edited version.

On Mac, right-click the screenshot file on your desktop and select Open With, then choose Preview. In Preview, you can use the markup tools to draw, add text, or highlight areas. Press Command + S to save your changes.

If you want more advanced editing (like resizing, cropping, or adding effects), you can open your screenshot in any image editor — Paint on Windows or Preview on Mac both come built in, or you can use free programs like GIMP or Pixlr.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Forgetting to paste after pressing Print Screen: When you press Print Screen, the image goes to your clipboard but is not saved as a file. If you take another screenshot or copy something else, the first one disappears. Open Paint or Word right away and paste it (Ctrl + V on Windows, Command + V on Mac) if you want to keep it.

Taking a screenshot of the wrong area: On Windows, the Snip tool (Windows key + Shift + S) lets you see exactly what you are capturing before you release the mouse. On Mac, Command + Shift + 4 does the same thing. Use these instead of Print Screen if you need precision.

Not knowing where your file went: If you used Windows key + Print Screen on Windows, check your Pictures folder, then the Screenshots subfolder inside it. If you used Command + Shift + 3 on Mac, look on your desktop. If you cannot find it, search your computer for PNG files from today's date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just one window?

Yes. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar and click the window. On Windows, use the Snip tool (Windows key + Shift + S) and draw a box around just that window. Both methods let you exclude everything else on your screen.

What format are screenshots saved in?

Screenshots are saved as PNG files by default on both Windows and Mac. PNG is a standard image format that works in email, documents, and web browsers. You can open a PNG file in any image viewer or editor, and you can convert it to other formats (like JPG) if you need to.

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

On Windows, Print Screen captures all connected monitors at once. On Mac, Command + Shift + 3 captures only the main display. If you have multiple monitors on Mac and want to capture a specific one, use Command + Shift + 4 and draw a box across the monitor you want.

How do I take a screenshot on a laptop without a Print Screen key?

Most laptops have Print Screen, but if yours does not, use the keyboard shortcut for your operating system instead: Windows key + Print Screen on Windows, or Command + Shift + 3 on Mac. These work on any keyboard.

Can I record a video of my screen instead of taking a static screenshot?

Yes, but that is screen recording, not screenshotting. On Windows 10 and later, press Windows key + G to open the Game Bar and click the record button. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 5 to open the Screenshot app, which has a record option. Both create a video file instead of an image.