What's the keyboard shortcut for screenshots on Windows?

Win+Shift+S opens the Snipping Tool for area selection. PrtScn captures the entire screen to clipboard. Win+PrtScn saves a full screenshot to Pictures.

Where do Windows screenshots get saved?

Win+PrtScn saves to Pictures > Screenshots. Snipping Tool lets you choose where to save. PrtScn alone just copies to clipboard.

How do I screenshot just one window on Windows?

Press Alt+PrtScn to capture only the active window to clipboard. Or use Win+Shift+S and select the window mode.

Can I take a scrolling screenshot on Windows?

Windows doesn't have built-in scrolling capture. Use a browser extension like Pluck for full-page web screenshots, or ShareX for other applications.

How to Take a Screenshot on Windows 10 & 11

Windows has several built-in ways to capture screenshots, plus third-party tools for more advanced needs. Here’s everything you need to know.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Win + Shift + S (Recommended)

Opens the Snipping Tool with four capture modes:

Rectangular - Draw a box around an area
Freeform - Draw any shape
Window - Click a window to capture it
Full screen - Capture everything

After capturing, click the notification to edit and save.

PrtScn (Print Screen)

PrtScn - Copies entire screen to clipboard (paste with Ctrl+V)
Alt + PrtScn - Copies only the active window to clipboard
Win + PrtScn - Saves full screenshot to Pictures > Screenshots

Win + G (Game Bar)

For gamers, Windows Game Bar can capture screenshots:

Press Win + G to open Game Bar
Click the camera icon or press Win + Alt + PrtScn

Saved to Videos > Captures by default.

Snipping Tool

Windows 10 and 11 include the Snipping Tool app:

Search for “Snipping Tool” in Start menu
Click New to start a capture
Select your area
Edit with pen, highlighter, or crop tools
Save or copy the result

Delay capture

For menus or tooltips that disappear on click:

Open Snipping Tool
Click the clock icon for delay (3 or 10 seconds)
Click New, then trigger the menu/tooltip
Wait for the capture

For Web Content

Windows tools capture what’s on screen, but for web content you often need more:

Full page capture - Windows can’t scroll-capture; use a browser tool
Element capture - Pluck lets you click specific page elements
Styled screenshots - Adding padding and backgrounds requires editing

For web screenshots, Pluck is faster than the Windows → Crop → Edit workflow.

Third-Party Tools

ShareX (Free, Open Source)

Power-user tool with:

Scrolling capture
OCR text recognition
Auto-upload to image hosts
Workflow automation

Snagit (Paid)

Professional tool with:

Scrolling capture
Video recording
Templates and effects
Team sharing

Quick Reference

Want to…	Use this
Quick area capture	Win + Shift + S
Full screen to file	Win + PrtScn
Active window to clipboard	Alt + PrtScn
Delayed capture	Snipping Tool
Full webpage	Browser extension
Styled element capture	Pluck

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Frequently asked questions

What's the keyboard shortcut for screenshots on Windows?: Win+Shift+S opens the Snipping Tool for area selection. PrtScn captures the entire screen to clipboard. Win+PrtScn saves a full screenshot to Pictures.
Where do Windows screenshots get saved?: Win+PrtScn saves to Pictures > Screenshots. Snipping Tool lets you choose where to save. PrtScn alone just copies to clipboard.
How do I screenshot just one window on Windows?: Press Alt+PrtScn to capture only the active window to clipboard. Or use Win+Shift+S and select the window mode.
Can I take a scrolling screenshot on Windows?: Windows doesn't have built-in scrolling capture. Use a browser extension like Pluck for full-page web screenshots, or ShareX for other applications.