The quickest way to screenshot on a Samsung laptop

On most Samsung laptops running Windows, press Print Screen (often labeled PrtScn) to capture your entire screen, or press Windows key + Shift + S to open the screenshot tool and select just the area you want. The Windows key + Shift + S method is faster for most people because it lets you choose what to capture and saves the image directly to your clipboard so you can paste it into an email, document, or image editor right away.

If your Samsung laptop is running Chrome OS instead of Windows, use Ctrl + Show Windows (the Show Windows key is usually where F5 would be on a standard keyboard) to capture the full screen, or Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select and capture just part of the screen.

The method you use depends on what you want to do with the screenshot after you take it. Some methods save to a file automatically; others copy to your clipboard so you can paste elsewhere. Both approaches work — it's just a matter of what fits your workflow.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows laptops: Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the screenshot tool, which lets you select the area you want and copies it to your clipboard when ready.
  • Windows laptops: Press Print Screen alone to capture the whole screen and copy it to your clipboard, or use Windows key + Print Screen to save directly to a file.
  • Chrome OS laptops: Press Ctrl + Show Windows to capture the full screen, or Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select a portion.
  • After taking a screenshot, you can paste it into an email, document, or image editor, or find it saved in your Pictures or Downloads folder depending on which method you used.

Using the Windows screenshot tool for precision

The Windows key + Shift + S method opens a small toolbar at the top of your screen with four capture options. The first icon (a rectangle) lets you drag to select any rectangular area. The second icon (a freeform shape) lets you draw around the area you want. The third icon captures a single window. The fourth captures your entire screen.

Once you release the mouse after selecting your area, the screenshot is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it directly into Word, Gmail, Slack, or any other program by pressing Ctrl + V. If you want to save it as a file instead, open the Snipping Tool (search for it in the Windows search bar) and use the Save button after you capture.

This method is useful when you only need part of the screen — for example, if you want to screenshot just one window or a specific error message without capturing your entire desktop.

Saving screenshots directly to a file on Windows

If you want the screenshot saved as an image file automatically rather than copied to your clipboard, press Windows key + Print Screen. This captures your entire screen and saves it as a PNG file in your Pictures folder under a subfolder called Screenshots. You can then open that folder and find your image there.

The downside of this method is that you cannot select just part of the screen — it always captures everything. But the upside is that you get a file you can organize, rename, or share without having to paste it anywhere first.

If you want to find your screenshots later, open File Explorer, go to Pictures, and look for the Screenshots folder. All images saved this way are stored there in order by date.

Using Print Screen on older Samsung laptops

On some older Samsung laptops, pressing Print Screen alone copies the entire screen to your clipboard without saving a file. You then paste it into Paint, Word, or another program. This is the most basic method and works on almost every Windows laptop, but it requires an extra step — you have to open a program and paste before you can save the image.

If your Print Screen key is small or hard to find, it is usually in the upper right area of your keyboard, sometimes sharing space with another key. You may need to press it alone, or on some laptops you may need to hold Fn (Function) at the same time.

This method is less convenient than Windows key + Shift + S, but it is reliable and works even on very old machines.

Screenshots on Samsung Chrome OS laptops

Samsung Chromebooks use a different operating system, so the keyboard shortcuts are different. Press Ctrl + Show Windows to capture your entire screen. The Show Windows key is usually in the top row of your keyboard where the F5 key would normally be — it shows a rectangle with lines inside it.

The screenshot is saved automatically to your Downloads folder as a PNG file. You can then open Files, go to Downloads, and find your image there. If you want to take a screenshot of just part of your screen, press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows instead, and you will see a crosshair cursor that lets you select the area you want.

After you select your area on a Chromebook, the image is saved to Downloads just like a full-screen capture. There is no clipboard option like on Windows — Chromebooks always save screenshots as files.

Troubleshooting when screenshots are not working

If Print Screen or Windows key + Shift + S is not working, the most common cause is that your keyboard driver is out of date or not installed correctly. Open Device Manager (search for it in the Windows search bar), find Keyboards in the list, right-click on your keyboard, and select Update driver. Windows will search for the latest version and install it automatically.

If the screenshot tool opens but will not let you select an area, try closing and reopening it. If it still does not work, restart your laptop — this fixes most temporary glitches with Windows features.

On Chromebooks, if Ctrl + Show Windows does not work, make sure you are pressing the actual Show Windows key and not trying to use F5. If you are still having trouble, restart your Chromebook and try again.

Where your screenshots are saved

On Windows laptops using Windows key + Print Screen, screenshots go to Pictures > Screenshots. On Windows laptops using the Snipping Tool or Windows key + Shift + S and then saving manually, you choose the folder when you save. On Chromebooks, all screenshots go to the Downloads folder.

You can change the default save location on Windows by opening Settings, going to System > Storage, and looking for the Screenshots section. On Chromebooks, screenshots always go to Downloads and cannot be changed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just my mouse cursor?

No — the standard screenshot methods do not capture the cursor. If you need to show where your mouse is pointing, you can use a third-party tool like Greenshot (free, for Windows) or take a screenshot and then draw an arrow in Paint pointing to the spot you want to highlight.

What if I want to screenshot a video or streaming content?

Some streaming services block screenshots for copyright reasons. If you press the screenshot key and nothing happens, the service is likely blocking it. In that case, you may need to use a screen recording tool instead, or contact the service to see if they offer a way to save or share content.

How do I take a screenshot on a Samsung laptop without using the keyboard?

On Windows, you can use the Snipping Tool by searching for it in the Windows search bar and clicking it. On Chromebooks, there is no mouse-only method — you must use the keyboard shortcut.

Can I edit a screenshot right after I take it?

Yes. On Windows, if you use Windows key + Shift + S, a notification appears in the bottom right corner. Click it to open the screenshot in the Snips & Sketch app, where you can draw, crop, or add text before saving. On Chromebooks, you can open the image from Downloads and edit it in any image editor.

What is the difference between Print Screen and Windows key + Print Screen?

Print Screen copies to your clipboard so you can paste it elsewhere. Windows key + Print Screen saves directly to a file in your Pictures folder. Use Print Screen if you want to paste into a document; use Windows key + Print Screen if you want a saved file you can find later.