Taking a screenshot on Windows and Mac

The fastest way to capture what is on your screen is to use your computer's built-in screenshot tool. On Windows, press Print Screen (or PrtScn) to copy the entire screen to your clipboard, then open Paint or any image editor and paste it. On Mac, press Shift + Command + 3 to capture the whole screen; the image saves directly to your desktop as a PNG file.

If you want to capture only part of your screen, Windows offers Shift + Windows key + S, which opens a selection tool so you can draw a box around the area you need. Mac users can press Shift + Command + 4 and then click and drag to select a portion. Both methods copy the image to your clipboard so you can paste it into email, documents, or image editors right away.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Print Screen copies your entire screen to the clipboard; Mac Shift + Command + 3 saves a full screenshot directly to your desktop.
  • Partial screenshots use Windows Shift + Windows key + S or Mac Shift + Command + 4, letting you select only the area you need.
  • Screenshots go to your clipboard on Windows (paste them into Paint or another program) or to your desktop on Mac (ready to use when ready).
  • If your computer has a built-in camera, you can use the Camera app on Windows or Photo Booth on Mac to take a picture of yourself or your surroundings instead of a screenshot.

Using your computer's built-in camera

Most laptops and many desktop computers come with a camera mounted above the screen. On Windows, open the Camera app (search for it in the Start menu) and you will see a live preview of what the camera sees. Click the camera icon or press the spacebar to take a photo; it saves automatically to your Pictures folder.

On Mac, open Photo Booth, which you can find in Applications > Utilities. You will see a live preview of yourself or whatever is in front of the camera. Click the camera button at the bottom to take a single photo, or choose burst mode to capture multiple shots in quick succession. Photos save to your Pictures folder by default.

Saving and finding your pictures

Screenshots and camera photos go to specific places depending on your operating system. On Windows, screenshots you paste into Paint need to be saved manually — go to File > Save As and choose where you want them. Screenshots taken with the selection tool stay in your clipboard until you paste them, or you can right-click in the selection tool menu and choose "Save" to put them directly in your Pictures folder.

On Mac, full-screen screenshots appear on your desktop with a timestamp in the filename (like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 10.30.45 AM.png"). You can also find them in your Pictures folder. Camera photos from Photo Booth go straight to Pictures. To locate any photo, open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac and navigate to the Pictures folder in your user directory.

Editing your pictures after capture

Windows comes with the Photos app and Paint for basic editing. Open Photos to view, crop, or rotate your screenshots and camera photos. Paint lets you draw, add text, or adjust colors if you need more control. Both programs are free and built into Windows.

Mac users have Preview, which opens automatically when you click a screenshot on your desktop. Preview can crop, rotate, annotate with text or shapes, and adjust brightness and contrast. For more advanced editing, Mac also includes Photos, which organizes your pictures and offers filters and adjustment tools.

Troubleshooting when screenshots do not work

If Print Screen does not seem to do anything on Windows, check whether you are using a laptop with a function key. Some laptops require Fn + Print Screen instead. If the selection tool does not appear when you press Shift + Windows key + S, make sure your Windows version is up to date by checking Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

On Mac, if Shift + Command + 3 does not work, verify that you have not disabled screenshots in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Screen Recording. If your camera app will not open, restart your computer and check that no other program is using the camera. Closing web browsers and video chat apps often fixes camera conflicts.

Using third-party screenshot tools

If you need more features than the built-in tools offer, programs like Snagit, Greenshot, and ShareX let you capture, annotate, and share screenshots in one step. Greenshot and ShareX are free; Snagit costs money but includes video recording. These tools sit in your system tray so you can grab a screenshot without opening a separate program.

For camera photos, OBS Studio is a free program that lets you record video from your webcam or take still images with more control over quality and settings. It is more complex than the built-in Camera app but useful if you plan to record video or need professional-grade output.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do my screenshots go when I press Print Screen?

On Windows, Print Screen copies the image to your clipboard, not to a file. You must paste it into Paint, Word, or another program and then save it manually. The Shift + Windows key + S tool gives you the option to save directly to your Pictures folder instead.

Can I take a picture with my computer if it does not have a camera?

Yes. You can take screenshots of anything on your screen using Print Screen or the selection tool. If you want to photograph physical objects or people, you will need an external USB camera or webcam, which you can plug into any desktop or laptop.

How do I take a screenshot of just one window instead of the whole screen?

On Windows, use Shift + Windows key + S and drag a box around the window you want. On Mac, press Shift + Command + 4, then press the spacebar to switch to window mode, and click the window you want to capture.

What format do my pictures save in?

Screenshots on Mac save as PNG files by default. Windows screenshots pasted into Paint save in whatever format you choose when you click File > Save As (PNG, JPG, and BMP are common). Camera app photos on both systems save as JPG, which is a standard format that works with any image viewer or email program.

Can I take a screenshot of a video while it is playing?

Yes, the screenshot tools work on video just like anything else on your screen. The image will show whatever frame is visible at the moment you press the button. Some streaming services block screenshots for copyright reasons, so the image may come out blank or black if you try to capture protected content.