The fastest way to print a screenshot

Press Print Screen (or PrtScn) to capture your entire screen, then open Notepad or Paint, paste the image with Ctrl+V, and print from there. This works on any Windows PC without installing anything.

If you want to print only one window instead of the whole screen, press Alt+Print Screen to capture just the active window. The process is the same: paste into an image program and print.

For a specific area of the screen, use the Snipping Tool (built into Windows 10 and 11). Press the Windows key, type "Snipping Tool", open it, click New, drag to select the area you want, then use File > Print from the menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Print Screen captures your whole screen to the clipboard; paste it into Paint or Notepad, then print from there.
  • Alt+Print Screen captures only the window you are currently using, which is faster if you do not need the whole screen.
  • The Snipping Tool lets you select just the part of the screen you want to print without capturing everything.
  • Windows 11 also includes a newer Screenshot tool (Win+Shift+S) that opens a menu to choose capture type before you print.

Using Paint to print your screenshot

Paint is the simplest image program for printing a screenshot. Press Print Screen, open Paint (search for it in the Start menu), and press Ctrl+V to paste the image into a blank canvas.

The screenshot will appear at full size. If it is larger than the canvas, Paint will ask whether you want to enlarge the canvas to fit the image — click Yes. Then go to File > Print, choose your printer, and click Print.

You can crop or resize the image before printing if you want. Click the crop tool (it looks like two overlapping right angles in the toolbar), drag to select the part you want to keep, then press Ctrl+Shift+X to crop.

Using the Snipping Tool for partial screenshots

The Snipping Tool is built into Windows 10 and 11 and lets you select exactly which part of the screen to capture. Press the Windows key, type "Snipping Tool", and open it.

Click the New button (or press Ctrl+N). Your screen will dim and your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to print. When you release the mouse, the snipped area opens in the Snipping Tool window.

From there, go to File > Print to send it directly to your printer. You can also save the snippet as a file if you want to print it later.

Windows 11's Screenshot tool (Win+Shift+S)

Windows 11 includes a newer Screenshot tool that is faster than the Snipping Tool. Press Windows key + Shift + S and a menu appears with four capture options: rectangle, freeform, window, or full screen.

Choose the type you want, then select the area on your screen. The screenshot copies to your clipboard automatically. Open Paint or Notepad, paste it with Ctrl+V, and print as usual.

This tool does not have a built-in print button, so you still need to paste into another program first. However, it is faster than opening the Snipping Tool if you know exactly what type of capture you need.

Printing directly from a web browser

If you want to print what you see on a website, you do not need to take a screenshot at all. Press Ctrl+P to open the print dialog, choose your printer, and click Print. The browser will print the page as it appears on screen.

You can adjust what prints by using the print preview. In the preview, you can remove headers and footers, change the paper size, or print only certain pages. These options are usually on the left side of the print dialog.

If you only want to print part of a webpage, select the text or image you want with your mouse, then press Ctrl+P. In the print dialog, look for an option that says Print selection or Selection and check that box.

Troubleshooting: screenshot not pasting

If you press Print Screen and nothing appears when you paste, the image may not have copied to your clipboard. Try pressing Print Screen again and wait a moment before pasting.

If it still does not work, check whether you are using the right paste command. In most programs, paste is Ctrl+V. In some older programs, you may need to use Edit > Paste from the menu instead.

If Print Screen does not work at all, your keyboard may have a function key (Fn) that changes what Print Screen does. Try pressing Fn+Print Screen instead. On some laptops, Print Screen is combined with another key — look for it on your keyboard and press both keys together.

Choosing the right method for your needs

Use Print Screen if you want the whole screen quickly and do not mind pasting into another program first. It is the fastest method and works everywhere.

Use Alt+Print Screen if you only need one window and want to avoid capturing the taskbar and other open windows.

Use the Snipping Tool if you need to select a specific area and want to print it without opening a second program. It is built in and takes one extra step.

Use Ctrl+P (print from your browser) if you are printing a webpage — this is faster and usually looks better than printing a screenshot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print a screenshot directly without opening another program?

Not with Print Screen alone — you need to paste it into Paint, Notepad, or another program first. The Snipping Tool is the closest option; it lets you capture and print without opening a separate image editor, though it still requires a print dialog.

Why does my screenshot look blurry when I print it?

Screenshots are often lower resolution than printed documents. If you are printing text, use Ctrl+P to print the webpage or document directly instead of taking a screenshot. If you must print a screenshot, try increasing the zoom level before capturing so the text is larger.

Can I print just the mouse cursor in my screenshot?

Print Screen does not capture the cursor by default. If you need the cursor in your screenshot, use the Snipping Tool, take the screenshot, then use Paint to draw a cursor shape before printing. Most people do not need the cursor in a printed screenshot.

What is the difference between Print Screen and Alt+Print Screen?

Print Screen captures your entire screen, including all open windows and the taskbar. Alt+Print Screen captures only the window you are currently using. Use Alt+Print Screen if you want to avoid printing background windows.

Can I print multiple screenshots at once?

You can take multiple screenshots and paste each one into a separate Paint document, then print each one. For a faster method, paste all screenshots into a single Word document, arrange them on the page, and print the whole document at once.