The fastest way to take a screenshot on Acer

On an Acer computer running Windows, press Print Screen (often labeled PrtScn) to capture your entire screen, or press Windows key + Shift + S to select just the part you want. The Windows key + Shift + S method is faster because it opens a selection tool right away — you can draw a box around what matters and the image goes straight to your clipboard, ready to paste into an email, document, or image editor.

If you have an Acer running macOS, press Command + Shift + 3 for the whole screen or Command + Shift + 4 to select a portion. The screenshot saves directly to your desktop as a file you can find and open when ready.

Both methods are built into the operating system and cost nothing. You do not need to read software or sign up for anything.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Acer computers: Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the screenshot tool, draw a box around what you need, and the image copies to your clipboard when ready.
  • Windows Acer computers: Press Print Screen alone to capture the whole screen, then paste it into Paint, Word, or any image editor to save it as a file.
  • macOS Acer computers: Press Command + Shift + 3 for a full-screen shot or Command + Shift + 4 to select a region; the file appears on your desktop right away.
  • Screenshots go to your clipboard (Windows) or desktop (macOS) by default, so you can use them when ready without hunting for a folder.

Windows: Using the built-in screenshot tool

The Windows key + Shift + S method is the most practical for most people because it lets you pick exactly what to capture. When you press those three keys together, your screen dims slightly and a small toolbar appears at the top. You will see four icons: a rectangle, a freeform shape, a window selector, and a fullscreen option.

Click the rectangle icon (it is selected by default) and drag a box around the part of your screen you want. Release the mouse button and the image is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it directly into an email, document, or image editor by pressing Ctrl + V. If you want to save it as a file instead of pasting it, open Paint (search for "Paint" in the Windows search box), paste the image, and use File > Save As to choose a name and location.

The window selector icon is useful if you want to capture a single open window without the background. Click that icon, then click the window you want, and it captures just that window.

Windows: Using Print Screen for the whole display

The Print Screen key captures your entire screen in one press. The image goes to your clipboard, not to a file on your computer. You then have to paste it somewhere — into Paint, Word, Outlook, or any other program that accepts images — before you can save it.

This method is simpler if you just need to grab something quickly and do not care about selecting a specific area. Press Print Screen, open the program where you want the image, press Ctrl + V to paste, and you are done. If you want to save it as a file, paste it into Paint first, then save from there.

On some Acer keyboards, Print Screen shares a key with another function and requires you to hold Fn (Function) at the same time. If Print Screen alone does not work, try Fn + Print Screen.

macOS: Capturing your screen or a selection

Acer computers that run macOS use different keyboard shortcuts. Command + Shift + 3 takes a picture of your entire screen and saves it as a file directly to your desktop with a name like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png". You can then open it, move it to a folder, or email it.

Command + Shift + 4 lets you select a portion of the screen. Your cursor changes to a crosshair, and you drag to draw a box around what you want. Release the mouse and the image saves to your desktop the same way. This is useful when you want to capture just one window or a specific area without the rest of your screen.

If you want the screenshot to go to your clipboard instead of your desktop (so you can paste it directly into an email or document), hold the Space bar while using either shortcut. The image will not save as a file; it will only be available in your clipboard until you paste it or copy something else.

Where your screenshots go and how to find them

On Windows, screenshots taken with Print Screen go to your clipboard only — they do not appear as files anywhere until you paste them. If you use Windows key + Shift + S, the image also goes to your clipboard, but Windows keeps a history of recent screenshots in the Clipboard app. You can search for "Clipboard" in the Windows search box to see your recent captures.

On macOS, screenshots appear as files on your desktop by default. Look for files with names starting with "Screenshot" and the date. You can move these files to a folder, rename them, or delete them like any other file. If you want screenshots to save to a specific folder instead of your desktop, you can change this in System Preferences, but the default desktop location works fine for most people.

Editing and saving your screenshots

After you take a screenshot, you often need to crop it, highlight part of it, or add text. On Windows, the simplest tool is Paint, which comes built in. Paste your screenshot into Paint, use the crop tool to remove unwanted edges, and save it as a PNG or JPG file. For more advanced editing — adding arrows, boxes, or text — the Snip & Sketch app (search for it in Windows) offers more options and integrates with the Windows key + Shift + S tool.

On macOS, you can edit a screenshot when ready after taking it. A thumbnail appears in the corner of your screen for a few seconds; click it to open the editing window. You can crop, draw, add text, or sign the image before saving. If you miss that window, open the screenshot file from your desktop and use the Preview app (which opens automatically) to edit it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Print Screen key not work?

Some Acer keyboards require you to hold the Fn (Function) key at the same time, so try Fn + Print Screen. If that does not work, your keyboard may have a different layout or the Print Screen function may be mapped to a different key. Try Windows key + Shift + S instead, which works on all Windows computers.

Can I take a screenshot of just one window?

Yes. On Windows, use Windows key + Shift + S and click the window selector icon (the fourth icon in the toolbar), then click the window you want. On macOS, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Space bar; your cursor changes and you can click any open window to capture just that one.

How do I screenshot on an Acer tablet?

If your Acer tablet runs Windows, the same shortcuts work: Windows key + Shift + S or Print Screen. If it runs Android, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. The screenshot saves to your Photos app or a Screenshots folder.

Can I take a screenshot without using the keyboard?

On Windows, open the Snip & Sketch app and click "New" to open the screenshot tool without using a keyboard shortcut. On macOS, open Screenshot from your Applications > Utilities folder. Both let you capture your screen using buttons instead of keys.

What file format do screenshots save in?

Windows saves screenshots as PNG files by default when you use the built-in tools. macOS also saves as PNG. Both formats work with email, documents, and websites. You can convert them to JPG or other formats using Paint or Preview if you need a different format.