The fastest way: Press Print Screen or Fn + Print Screen

On most HP computers, pressing the Print Screen key (often labeled PrtScn or PrtSc) captures your entire screen and stores it in your clipboard. If your HP has a compact keyboard, you may need to hold Fn and then press Print Screen at the same time. The image is copied but not saved as a file yet — you'll paste it into another program to keep it.

To paste what you captured, open any program that accepts images: Notepad, Paint, Word, or an email. Press Ctrl + V and the screenshot appears. From there you can save it as a file with a name you choose.

This method works on every Windows HP computer without installing anything. It's the quickest route if you just need to grab something fast and don't need to edit it.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Print Screen (or Fn + Print Screen on compact keyboards) to capture your whole screen and copy it to your clipboard.
  • The Snipping Tool, built into Windows, lets you select just part of your screen and save it directly as a file without pasting into another program.
  • Windows 11 users can press Windows key + Shift + S to open the screenshot menu, which offers the same partial-screen capture with when ready save options.
  • After capturing with Print Screen, paste the image into Paint, Word, or email using Ctrl + V, then save it with a filename you choose.

Using the Snipping Tool to capture part of your screen

If you only need to capture a portion of your screen — a window, a text box, or a specific area — the Snipping Tool is faster than Print Screen because it saves directly as a file. Open it by typing "Snipping Tool" into the Windows search box (the magnifying glass icon in your taskbar) and press Enter.

Once the Snipping Tool opens, click New and your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the part of your screen you want to capture. When you release the mouse, the snipped area appears in the Snipping Tool window. From there, click File and then Save As to give it a filename and choose where to store it on your computer.

The Snipping Tool comes with every Windows HP computer, so there's nothing to read. It's especially useful when you're taking multiple screenshots in a row because each one opens in its own window and you can save them one at a time with different names.

Windows 11: The screenshot menu shortcut

If your HP runs Windows 11, you have a faster built-in option. Press Windows key + Shift + S together and a menu appears at the top of your screen with four capture options: rectangular, freeform, window, and full screen. Select the shape you want, then click and drag (or click once for full screen) to capture.

The screenshot is copied to your clipboard and a small notification appears in the bottom right corner. Click that notification to open the screenshot in a preview window where you can crop it, draw on it, or erase parts before saving. Click the save icon (looks like a floppy disk) to choose a filename and location.

This method is faster than the Snipping Tool because you don't have to open a separate program first. It's built directly into Windows 11, so it's always one keyboard shortcut away.

Saving screenshots to a specific folder

By default, screenshots captured with Print Screen go into your clipboard but nowhere else — you have to paste them into a program and save manually. If you want screenshots to save automatically to a folder, Windows 11 offers a setting for this. Press Windows key + Shift + S, take your screenshot, then click the notification that appears. In the preview window, click the save icon and choose where to store it.

For Windows 10 or older versions, the Snipping Tool is your best option because you control the save location every time. You can create a folder called "Screenshots" on your desktop or in your Documents folder and save all your captures there so they're straightforward to find later.

If you take screenshots regularly, consider saving them all to one folder with a naming system — for example, "Screenshot_2024_01_15" — so you can search for them by date when you need them.

Capturing a single window instead of the whole screen

Sometimes you only want to capture one window — like a single browser tab or a single process — without the rest of your desktop. Click on the window you want to capture to make sure it's active (in focus), then press Alt + Print Screen. This captures only that window and copies it to your clipboard, just like regular Print Screen but smaller and cleaner.

Paste it into Paint or Word with Ctrl + V and save it as a file. This method is faster than using the Snipping Tool if you want the whole window but nothing around it.

Alternatively, use the Snipping Tool or Windows 11 screenshot menu and select the Window option. Click on the window you want to capture and it snaps the entire window frame automatically.

Troubleshooting: Print Screen not working

If Print Screen isn't capturing anything, the most common cause is that your HP keyboard has a secondary function layer. Look at your Print Screen key — if it shares the key with another label (like F12 or a media symbol), you need to hold Fn while pressing it. Try Fn + Print Screen and then paste with Ctrl + V to see if it works.

If that doesn't work, your keyboard may have a dedicated Print Screen mode that you toggle on. Check for a key labeled "Fn Lock" or look for a light on your keyboard that indicates Fn mode is active. Press that key to toggle it and try Print Screen again.

If you're still not capturing anything, use the Snipping Tool or Windows 11 screenshot menu instead — both are built into Windows and don't depend on your keyboard layout. These methods work on every HP computer regardless of keyboard type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do screenshots go when I press Print Screen?

They go into your clipboard, which is temporary storage in your computer's memory. You must paste them into a program like Paint, Word, or email using Ctrl + V within a few minutes, or they'll be replaced by something else you copy. To keep the screenshot permanently, save it as a file from that program.

Can I take a screenshot of just my second monitor?

Print Screen captures all monitors at once. If you have two monitors and only want one, use the Snipping Tool or Windows 11 screenshot menu and manually select the area on the monitor you want. This gives you control over exactly what's included.

What's the difference between Print Screen and the Snipping Tool?

Print Screen is faster but requires you to paste into another program and save manually. The Snipping Tool lets you select a specific area and saves directly as a file without extra steps. Use Print Screen for speed; use Snipping Tool when you need to capture only part of your screen.

Do I need to read anything to take screenshots?

No. Print Screen, the Snipping Tool, and the Windows 11 screenshot menu are all built into Windows and come with your HP computer. You don't need to read or install anything.