5 Ways to Take Screenshots on Windows 10 & 11: Complete Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

Windows offers five distinct built-in methods to capture your screen, each designed for different situations—from instant full-screen captures to annotated selections. Whether you need to save quickly, edit before sharing, or capture just one window, this guide shows you which method works best for your task.

What Are Windows Screenshot Methods?

Windows provides five native screenshot tools that let you capture your entire screen, a single window, or a custom area—with or without annotation. Each method uses keyboard shortcuts or built-in apps, so no third-party software is required. These tools work identically across Windows 10 and Windows 11 (with Windows 11 offering more advanced editing features). Whether you’re creating technical documentation, sharing error messages with support teams, or capturing content for social media, Windows has a built-in solution designed for your workflow.

Current as of: Windows 10 & 11 (2025)

Why Use Multiple Screenshot Methods?

• Speed: Print Screen captures your entire screen in one keystroke—faster than opening any app
• Automatic File Organization: Windows Key + Print Screen automatically saves screenshots to your Pictures folder, so you never lose captures
• Privacy Control: Alt + Print Screen lets you capture only one window, hiding other open applications and sensitive information
• Professional Editing: Snipping Tool and the Snipping Tool (Windows Key + Shift + S) include built-in annotation, text recognition, and shape tools—no need to switch to Paint or Photoshop
• Cloud Integration: Windows 11’s Snipping Tool can automatically save to OneDrive if you enable it, keeping backups across your devices

Things to Consider Before You Start

• OneDrive Auto-Save Requires Manual Setup: Windows Key + Shift + S does not automatically save to OneDrive by default. You must enable ‘Automatically save screenshots’ in the Snipping Tool settings (three dots > Settings) to activate cloud backup—this doesn’t happen automatically just because you’re signed in
• Windows 11 Has More Features: Windows 11’s Snipping Tool includes screen recording (added November 2025), timer delays, text recognition, and automatic redaction of sensitive information. Windows 10 has basic annotation tools only
• Laptop Keyboards May Require Extra Keys: Some laptops require you to hold the Fn key along with Print Screen (Fn + PrtScn) due to physical keyboard design
• Regional Keyboard Variations: All major keyboard layouts (QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY) include the Print Screen key with identical functionality, though some international laptops may combine it with other functions

5 Windows Screenshot Methods: Step-by-Step Instructions

Method 1: Print Screen (Fastest Capture + Manual Save)

Best for: Quick screenshots you want to edit before saving

1. Press the Print Screen (PrtScn) key on your keyboard. Your entire screen is now copied to the clipboard—you won’t see any visual confirmation.

2. Open any image editor (Paint, Word, email, or even Photoshop) on your computer.

3. Press Ctrl + V to paste your screenshot into the application.

4. Edit, crop, or annotate as needed, then save to your desired location.

Why this method: This is the fastest way to capture and edit in one workflow. No waiting for file saves or navigating folders.

Method 2: Windows Key + Print Screen (Automatic File Save)

Best for: Capturing and automatically saving full screenshots without editing

1. Hold down the Windows key (the key with the Windows logo, usually between Ctrl and Alt) and press Print Screen simultaneously. You’ll see a brief screen flash, confirming the capture was saved.

2. Open File Explorer (press Windows Key + E) and navigate to Pictures > Screenshots.

3. Your screenshot is saved as a PNG file with the date and time in the filename (example: Screenshot 2025-02-23 134522.png).

Why this method: Your screenshots are automatically organized in one place—you never have to manually choose a save location. The file path is: C:\Users\[Your Username]\Pictures\Screenshots

Method 3: Alt + Print Screen (Capture Active Window Only)

Best for: Capturing just one application window while hiding other open windows and sensitive information

1. Click on the window you want to capture to make sure it’s the active application.

2. Press Alt + Print Screen. The active window is copied to your clipboard (no visual confirmation appears).

3. Open an image editor and press Ctrl + V to paste.

4. Save your file to your preferred location.

Why this method: Perfect for support documentation or sensitive screenshots—you capture only what you need without exposing other open applications, browser tabs, or private information on your desktop.

Method 4: Snipping Tool (Built-In Editing on Windows 10 & 11)

Best for: Capturing specific regions with annotation, highlighting, and shape tools

1. Press the Windows key and type Snipping Tool, then press Enter.

2. Click the New button (or press Ctrl + N) in the Snipping Tool window.

3. Your screen will dim slightly. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to capture, then release.

4. The captured area opens in the Snipping Tool editor. Use the annotation tools:

   • Pen icon: Draw freehand marks
   • Highlighter: Mark up text
   • Eraser: Remove marks
   • (Windows 11 only: Shape tools, text recognition, redaction)

5. Click Save and choose your folder and filename.

Why this method: Edit and annotate directly without switching applications. Windows 10 includes basic annotation tools; Windows 11 adds screen recording, OCR text recognition, and automatic sensitive information redaction.

Method 5: Windows Key + Shift + S (Fastest Editing with Cloud Option)

Best for: Quick captures with immediate editing, annotation, and optional cloud backup

1. Press Windows Key + Shift + S simultaneously. Your screen dims and a toolbar appears at the top with capture mode options.

2. Choose your capture mode from the toolbar:

   • Rectangular (first icon): Click and drag to create a box around your selection
   • Freeform (second icon): Draw any shape around your selection
   • Window (third icon): Click a specific window to capture it
   • Fullscreen (fourth icon): Captures the entire screen

3. After capturing, a thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner. Click it to open the full editing panel.

4. In the editor, use annotation tools (pen, highlighter, eraser, shapes) to mark up your screenshot.

5. Click the save icon (or press Ctrl + S) to save, or click the copy icon to copy to clipboard.

Optional: Enable Automatic OneDrive Backup

• Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the Snipping Tool and select Settings
• Toggle Automatically save screenshots to ON
• Your future screenshots will save to OneDrive\Pictures\Screenshots automatically (requires manual setup—this does not happen by default)

Why this method: This combines speed with professional editing. Screenshots go directly to your clipboard for immediate pasting, and you can enable cloud backup if you want automatic OneDrive saving (Windows 11 feature).

Quick Comparison: Which Method Should You Use?

Conclusion: Choose the Right Tool for Your Workflow

All five methods are built into Windows 10 and Windows 11—no downloads or subscriptions required. Start with Print Screen for speed, Windows Key + Print Screen for automatic organization, and Snipping Tool or Windows Key + Shift + S when you need to edit and annotate. Once you pick your go-to method, you’ll save time and frustration on every capture.