The fastest way to screenshot on Samsung Windows or Linux

On a Samsung 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. On Samsung computers running Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment — Ubuntu uses Print Screen for the full screen or Shift + Print Screen for a selection tool.

The screenshot lands in your clipboard when ready. From there, you can paste it into an email, document, or image editor by pressing Ctrl + V. If you want to save it as a file right away instead of pasting, use the Snipping Tool (Windows) or Screenshot tool (Linux), which both let you capture, edit, and save in one step.

Samsung computers are not different from other Windows or Linux machines in how screenshots work — the keyboard shortcuts and built-in tools are the same. What matters is which operating system your Samsung computer is running, not the Samsung brand itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Print Screen to capture your whole screen, or Windows key + Shift + S to select part of it on a Windows-based Samsung computer.
  • Screenshots go to your clipboard first — paste them with Ctrl + V into any document, email, or image editor.
  • The Snipping Tool (Windows) or Screenshot tool (Linux) lets you capture, edit, and save a screenshot as a file without pasting.
  • Check your taskbar or applications menu to find where saved screenshots are stored on your computer.

Using the Snipping Tool on Windows Samsung computers

The Snipping Tool is built into Windows and gives you more control than a plain Print Screen. Open it by pressing Windows key + Shift + S, or search for "Snipping Tool" in your Start menu. A toolbar appears at the top of your screen with four capture modes: free-form (draw any shape), rectangular (drag a box), window (click a single window), and full screen.

Choose the mode you want, then click and drag to select the area. Once you release, the screenshot opens in the Snipping Tool editor. From there you can draw on it, erase parts, or crop it further before saving. Click File and then Save As to choose where to store it and what to name it.

If you are running Windows 11, Microsoft replaced Snipping Tool with a newer app called Screenshot — it works the same way but has a slightly different look. Both do the job; use whichever one appears when you press Windows key + Shift + S.

Finding and managing your saved screenshots

When you use Print Screen alone, the image goes only to your clipboard — it does not automatically save as a file. To save it, you must paste it into an image editor (like Paint) or document and then save from there. If you want screenshots to save automatically, use the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app instead, which lets you choose the folder.

By default, the Snipping Tool saves to your Pictures folder. To find it, open File Explorer, click Pictures in the left sidebar, and look for a folder called Screenshots. If you saved to a different location, use the search box in File Explorer — search for the filename or the date you took it.

You can also change where new screenshots go. In the Snipping Tool settings, look for a "Save" or "Default save location" option. Some users prefer to save to Desktop or Documents instead of Pictures — choose whatever folder makes sense for your workflow.

Screenshot shortcuts for Linux on Samsung computers

If your Samsung computer runs Linux (such as Ubuntu), the screenshot method depends on your desktop environment. On Ubuntu with GNOME, press Print Screen to capture the full screen or Shift + Print Screen to open the selection tool. On KDE Plasma, use Print Screen for full screen or Shift + Print Screen for a region capture.

Screenshots on Linux go to your Pictures folder by default, usually in a subfolder called Screenshots. You can also open the built-in Screenshot process by searching for it in your applications menu — it gives you options to capture after a delay, include the cursor, or select a specific window.

If you are not sure which desktop environment you have, open a terminal and type echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP, then press Enter. It will tell you whether you are running GNOME, KDE, or another environment, so you can use the right keyboard shortcut.

Copying and pasting screenshots into other programs

After you take a screenshot with Print Screen, it sits in your clipboard ready to paste. Open any program that accepts images — Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Gmail, Photoshop, or even Paint — and press Ctrl + V. The screenshot appears when ready.

This method is fastest when you just need to share a quick image or include it in a document. You do not have to name it, choose a folder, or manage files. The downside is that once you copy something else to your clipboard, the screenshot is gone — so paste it before you copy text or another image.

If you want to keep the screenshot and paste it later, use the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app to save it as a file first. Then you can paste it as many times as you want without losing it.

When to call for help

Screenshots work the same way on every Samsung computer running Windows or Linux — if the keyboard shortcuts are not working, the issue is usually with your keyboard or a setting on your computer, not with the Samsung brand.

If Print Screen does nothing, check whether your keyboard has a function key (Fn) that you need to hold down. Some laptop keyboards require Fn + Print Screen. If that does not work, try restarting your computer — sometimes a driver or service gets stuck and a restart fixes it.

If the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app will not open, search for it in your Start menu (Windows) or applications menu (Linux) and right-click to run it as administrator. If you still have trouble, contact Samsung support or your computer's manufacturer — they can check whether a hardware issue is preventing screenshots from working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do screenshots go when I press Print Screen?

They go to your clipboard, not to a file. You must paste them into a document, email, or image editor with Ctrl + V, or use the Snipping Tool to save them as a file instead.

Can I take a screenshot of just one window?

Yes. Use the Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S) and choose the "Window" mode, then click the window you want. On Linux, hold Alt and press Print Screen to capture the active window only.

How do I edit a screenshot after I take it?

Use the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app — both open an editor where you can draw, erase, crop, or add text before saving. If you already pasted it into Paint or another image editor, you can edit it there too.

What if my keyboard does not have a Print Screen key?

On some laptops, Print Screen is combined with another key and requires the Fn key. Try Fn + Print Screen, or search for "Screenshot" in your Start menu to open the tool directly.

Can I take a screenshot after a delay?

Yes. Open the Screenshot app (Linux) or Snipping Tool (Windows) and look for a delay option — usually you can set it to wait 3, 5, or 10 seconds before capturing. This is useful if you need time to open a menu or hover over something.