The fastest way to capture your screen depends on your operating system
Taking a picture of what is on your screen — called a screenshot — works differently on Windows, Mac, and Linux. On Windows 10 and 11, press Windows key + Shift + S to open the screenshot tool, then drag to select the area you want. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4 to select a portion, or Command + Shift + 3 to capture the entire screen. On Linux, the method varies by desktop environment, but Print Screen usually opens a screenshot tool, or you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Print Screen.
Each method saves the image automatically or lets you choose where to save it. The screenshot tool on Windows and Mac also lets you edit, crop, or annotate the image before saving. If you need to capture video of your screen instead of a still image, that requires different software.
Key Takeaways
- Windows 10 and 11 users should press Windows key + Shift + S to open the built-in screenshot tool without installing anything.
- Mac users can press Command + Shift + 4 to select part of the screen or Command + Shift + 3 to capture everything at once.
- Linux users can press Print Screen or Shift + Print Screen depending on their desktop environment, or use the GNOME Screenshot process if available.
- Most operating systems save screenshots to your Pictures folder or Desktop by default, though you can change the location in settings.
- The built-in screenshot tools on Windows and Mac let you crop, highlight, or add text before you save the image.
Windows 10 and 11: Using the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool is the easiest method on Windows. Press Windows key + Shift + S. Your screen will dim slightly and your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. When you release the mouse, a small toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with options to save, copy, or edit the screenshot.
If you want to capture the entire screen at once instead of selecting a portion, press Windows key + Print Screen. This saves the full screenshot directly to your Pictures folder under a subfolder called Screenshots, without opening any tool first. You can also press Alt + Print Screen to capture only the active window you are currently using.
Once you have taken a screenshot with the Snipping Tool, you can crop it, highlight text with a marker, or add handwritten notes before saving. Click the save icon (it looks like a floppy disk) to choose where to store the file and what to name it.
Mac: Command key shortcuts for quick captures
On Mac, Command + Shift + 4 is the most common shortcut. Your cursor becomes a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want, then release to capture it. The screenshot appears as a thumbnail in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click the thumbnail to edit it, or let it disappear and the image will save to your Desktop automatically.
If you want to capture your entire screen, press Command + Shift + 3 instead. This takes a full-screen shot and saves it to your Desktop with a filename like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png". To capture only the active window, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar, then click the window you want.
The thumbnail that appears after you take a screenshot is clickable. Click it to open the markup tools, where you can crop, draw, add text, or sign the image. You can also change where Mac saves screenshots by opening System Preferences, going to Screenshots, and choosing a different folder.
Linux: Screenshot tools vary by desktop environment
Linux does not have a single built-in screenshot method because different desktop environments handle it differently. On GNOME (used by Ubuntu and Fedora), press Print Screen to open the screenshot tool. On KDE Plasma, press Shift + Print Screen to open the Spectacle tool. On XFCE, press Print Screen to open Xfce4 Screenshooter.
If none of these work, you can open the screenshot process directly from your applications menu. Search for "Screenshot" or look for an app called Spectacle, GNOME Screenshot, or Xfce4 Screenshooter depending on your desktop. Once open, these tools let you select a region, capture a window, or capture the entire screen.
By default, Linux saves screenshots to your Pictures folder or Home folder. You can change this in the screenshot tool's settings. Some Linux users also use the command line tool scrot or import for more advanced control, but the graphical tools are simpler for most tasks.
Where screenshots are saved and how to find them
Windows saves screenshots taken with Windows key + Print Screen to Pictures > Screenshots. Screenshots taken with the Snipping Tool go wherever you choose when you click save. Mac saves screenshots to the Desktop by default, though you can change this in System Preferences > Screenshots. Linux saves to Pictures or Home depending on the tool and your settings.
If you cannot find your screenshot, check your Downloads folder or Desktop first. You can also search for the filename if you remember when you took it — Windows and Mac both timestamp screenshots automatically. If you took a screenshot and it did not save, the image may still be in your clipboard. Open an image editor like Paint (Windows) or Preview (Mac) and paste it there, then save it manually.
Editing and annotating screenshots before saving
The Windows Snipping Tool and Mac screenshot tools both include built-in editing. After you capture, a toolbar or thumbnail appears. On Windows, you can use a pen to draw, a highlighter to mark text, or an eraser to remove marks. On Mac, you can crop, draw, add text, magnify, or sign the image. Both let you undo changes if you make a mistake.
If you want more advanced editing — like resizing, rotating, or adding effects — open the screenshot in an image editor like Paint (Windows), Preview (Mac), or GIMP (Linux). These programs let you do more than the built-in tools, but they take longer for straightforward tasks like cropping or adding a box around text.
Capturing video of your screen instead of a still image
If you need to record what happens on your screen over time rather than capture a single moment, you need screen recording software, not a screenshot tool. On Windows 11, press Windows key + Alt + R to start recording with Xbox Game Bar. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot and recording tool, then click Record. On Linux, use SimpleScreenRecorder or OBS Studio, which you can read from your package manager.
Screen recording creates a video file instead of an image file. The video shows everything that happens on your screen — mouse movements, typing, window changes — for as long as you record. This is useful for tutorials, bug reports, or showing someone how to do something step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just one window instead of the whole screen?
Yes. On Windows, press Alt + Print Screen to capture only the active window. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar, then click the window. On Linux, use the screenshot tool's window selection option, usually available in the tool's menu.
Where do I find my screenshots after I take them?
Windows saves full-screen shots to Pictures > Screenshots. Mac saves to the Desktop by default. Linux saves to Pictures or Home depending on your tool. You can change the save location in your operating system's settings or in the screenshot tool itself.
Can I take a screenshot of something that is not currently visible on my screen?
No, a screenshot captures only what is displayed at that moment. If you need to capture something off-screen, you must scroll to it first, then take the screenshot. For long documents or web pages, use your browser's built-in tools or a tool like Full Page Screen Capture.
What file format are screenshots saved in?
Most screenshots save as PNG files by default, which is a lossless format that keeps quality without making the file huge. Some tools let you choose JPEG or other formats in the settings, but PNG is the standard for screenshots.
Can I copy a screenshot to my clipboard instead of saving it to a file?
Yes. On Windows, the Snipping Tool shows a copy button. On Mac, press Command + Control + Shift + 4 to copy instead of save. On Linux, most screenshot tools have a copy option in the toolbar. Once copied, you can paste the image directly into an email, document, or chat.