How to Take a Screenshot on an HP Computer

The fastest way to capture your screen on HP

On most HP computers 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 for most people because it lets you draw a box around what matters, then saves it straight to your clipboard so you can paste it into an email, document, or image editor right away.

If your HP has an older version of Windows (Windows 7 or earlier), Print Screen alone copies the full screen to your clipboard, and you'll need to open Paint or another program to paste and save it. On Windows 10 and 11, which most newer HP computers run, the Snipping Tool and Screenshot app both open automatically when you use the keyboard shortcuts, making the process much simpler.

The method you choose depends on what you're capturing and where you want to send it. A full-screen capture works best when you need everything visible. A partial capture (the box-drawing method) works better when you want to isolate one window, error message, or section of a webpage.

Key Takeaways

Press Windows key + Shift + S on any modern HP computer to draw a box around the part of your screen you want to capture.
Press Print Screen alone to capture your entire screen at once, then paste it into Paint, Word, or any other program.
Screenshots are saved to your clipboard by default, so you can paste them when ready into an email or document without opening a file.
The Snipping Tool (search for it in your Start menu) gives you more control and lets you add notes or blur sensitive information before saving.

Using Windows key + Shift + S for a quick partial screenshot

This is the method most HP users should start with because it's the fastest for everyday work. Press and hold the Windows key (the one with the four-square logo), then press Shift and S at the same time. Your screen will dim slightly and a small toolbar will appear at the top.

Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the part of your screen you want to capture — an error message, a photo, a chat window, whatever you need. When you release the mouse button, the screenshot is copied to your clipboard and a small notification appears in the bottom right corner of your screen.

From there, you can paste it directly into an email (Ctrl + V), a Word document, a text message, or any other program that accepts images. If you want to save it as a file instead, open Paint (search for "Paint" in your Start menu), paste the image, and use File > Save As to choose a location and filename.

Using Print Screen for a full-screen capture

If you need everything on your screen captured at once, the Print Screen key is the simplest approach. Locate the Print Screen key on your HP keyboard — it's usually in the upper right area, often labeled PrtScn or PrtSc. Press it once. Unlike some other keys, Print Screen doesn't produce any visible feedback, but the image is now in your clipboard.

Open the program where you want to use the screenshot. This could be Paint, Word, Outlook, Slack, or any other process. Press Ctrl + V to paste the image. The full screenshot will appear, and you can then crop it, annotate it, or save it as needed.

One limitation of Print Screen is that it captures everything — your taskbar, any open windows, your desktop background, all of it. If you only need a portion of the screen, the Windows key + Shift + S method is more efficient because you won't have to crop afterward.

Saving screenshots as files with Paint

After you paste a screenshot into Paint, you can save it as a permanent file on your computer. Paint opens automatically on any HP running Windows — search for "Paint" in your Start menu and click it. Once Paint is open, press Ctrl + V to paste your screenshot.

The image will appear in the Paint window. If you want to crop it, use the Select tool (the rectangle icon in the toolbar) to draw around the part you want to keep, then go to Image > Crop. When you're ready to save, click File > Save As. Choose a location (your Documents folder is a good default), give the file a name, and select a format. PNG and JPG are the most common — PNG keeps the image quality higher, while JPG makes the file smaller.

Paint also has basic editing tools if you need to add text, draw arrows, or highlight something. The pencil and text tools are in the toolbar at the top. These are useful when you're sending a screenshot to someone and want to point out exactly what they should look at.

Using the Snipping Tool for more control

The Snipping Tool is a built-in Windows program that gives you more options than the keyboard shortcuts alone. Search for "Snipping Tool" in your Start menu and open it. You'll see a window with a "New" button. Click it to start a capture.

Your screen will dim and you'll see the same crosshair cursor as the Windows key + Shift + S method. Draw a box around what you want to capture. When you release the mouse, the screenshot opens in the Snipping Tool window, where you can add notes, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, or erase parts of it before saving.

The Snipping Tool is especially useful when you're sending a screenshot to someone else and want to annotate it — you can draw arrows pointing to an error, highlight important text, or add a note explaining what they're looking at. Once you're done editing, click File > Save As to save it as a file, or use the Share button to send it directly via email if your email program is set up on your HP.

Capturing a single window without the background

If you want to capture just one open window — say, a single browser tab or a dialog box — without the rest of your desktop, use the Alt + Print Screen combination. This captures only the window that's currently active (the one you're using right now).

Press Alt and Print Screen at the same time. The active window is copied to your clipboard. Open Paint or another program and paste it with Ctrl + V. The screenshot will show only that window, not your entire screen, which makes the file smaller and keeps the focus on what matters.

This method is useful when you're troubleshooting a specific program or sending someone a screenshot of a single process without showing your desktop or other windows behind it.

Troubleshooting if screenshots aren't working

If you press Print Screen or Windows key + Shift + S and nothing happens, the most common cause is that your HP keyboard has a secondary function layer. Some HP laptops require you to hold the Function key (Fn) at the same time — try Fn + Print Screen or Fn + Windows key + Shift + S. Check the Print Screen key itself; on some HP keyboards it shares space with another key and requires Fn to set up.

If the screenshot appears to paste as a black or blank image, your graphics drivers may need an update. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates and install any available updates, then restart your computer and try again.

If the Snipping Tool or Screenshot app won't open, make sure you're running Windows 10 or later. On Windows 7, the Snipping Tool exists but works differently — search for "Snipping Tool" in your Start menu and open it directly rather than using keyboard shortcuts. If you're still having trouble, restart your HP and try the Print Screen method, which works on every version of Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do screenshots go when I take them?

By default, screenshots go to your clipboard, which is temporary storage. You must paste them into a program (Paint, Word, email, etc.) within a few minutes, or they'll be replaced when you copy something else. If you want screenshots to save automatically as files, open the Settings app, search for "Screenshot settings," and turn on "Save screenshots to a folder."

Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen if it's larger than my monitor?

No, screenshots capture only what's visible on your monitor at that moment. If you need to capture a long webpage or document that extends beyond what fits on screen, you'll need to scroll and take multiple screenshots, or use a browser extension designed for that purpose.

What's the difference between PNG and JPG when saving a screenshot?

PNG keeps the image quality higher and is better for screenshots of text or diagrams because it doesn't compress the image. JPG compresses the image to make the file smaller, which is useful if you're emailing the screenshot, but text may look slightly blurry. For most screenshots, PNG is the better choice.

Can I take a screenshot of just my second monitor if I have two screens?

Windows key + Shift + S captures whichever monitor your cursor is on when you use it, so move your cursor to the second monitor first. Print Screen captures all monitors at once. If you need to capture only the second monitor, use the Snipping Tool and position your cursor on that screen before clicking New.

How do I take a screenshot without using the keyboard?

Open the Snipping Tool from your Start menu and click the New button. You can also use the Xbox Game Bar (press Windows key + G) if you're on Windows 10 or 11, which has a screenshot button you can click with your mouse instead of using a keyboard shortcut.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.