How to take a screenshot on Windows 11

• Windows + Shift + S is the easiest shortcut to capture an area, window, or the entire screen.
• Windows + PrtScn captures the entire screen and automatically saves it in Pictures > Screenshots.
• Snipping Tool lets you capture, edit, annotate, extract text, redact information, and take delayed screenshots.
• You can also use Alt + PrtScn, Print Screen, Xbox Game Bar, and a Surface hardware shortcut for specific situations.

Windows 11 gives you several ways to take a screenshot, whether you want to capture the entire desktop, a single window, or just a small portion of the screen.

I usually recommend the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut because it gives you the most control without forcing you to open an app first. However, Windows 11 also includes shortcuts for capturing the entire screen or active window, the “Print Screen” key, Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, and even a hardware shortcut on Surface devices.

The best method depends on what you’re trying to capture. If you only need a quick image of the screen, a keyboard shortcut is probably all you need. If you want to crop, annotate, extract text, or redact information, Snipping Tool is the better choice.

In this guide, I’ll show you seven ways to take a screenshot on Windows 11, including where the operating system saves your captures and what to do when a screenshot shortcut isn’t working.

• Windows 11 screenshot shortcuts at a glance
• Take a screenshot with Windows + Shift + S
• Take a screenshot with the Print Screen key
• Take a full-screen screenshot with Windows + PrtScn
• Capture the active window with Alt + PrtScn
• Take and edit a screenshot with Snipping Tool
• Take a screenshot with Xbox Game Bar
• Take a screenshot on a Surface device
• Where are screenshots saved on Windows 11?
• Which screenshot method should you use?
• Fix screenshot shortcuts that aren’t working
• How to record the screen on Windows 11
• FAQs about taking screenshots on Windows 11
• Pureinfotech’s Take

Windows 11 screenshot shortcuts at a glance

Before getting into the individual methods, here’s the quick version of the screenshot shortcuts I use most often.

What you want to do	Shortcut or method	Result
Capture part of the screen	Windows + Shift + S	Copies the capture to the clipboard
Capture the entire screen	Windows + PrtScn	Saves the screenshot to Pictures > Screenshots
Capture the active window	Alt + PrtScn	Copies the active window to the clipboard
Capture with Print Screen	PrtScn	Opens screen snipping or copies the screen, depending on your settings
Capture and edit a screenshot	Snipping Tool	Opens the capture in the editor
Capture a game or app	Windows + Alt + PrtScn	Saves the capture through Xbox Game Bar
Capture a Surface screen	Power + Volume Up	Saves a full-screen screenshot

1. Take a screenshot with Windows + Shift + S

For most people, the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut is the screenshot shortcut I recommend.

It opens the Snipping Tool capture overlay without requiring me to search for or launch the app. The desktop dims, and I can immediately choose what I want to capture.

To take a screenshot with the shortcut, use these steps:

1. Open the content you want to capture.

2. Use the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut.

3. Choose one of the capture options from the toolbar.

   

4. Select the area, window, or screen you want to capture.

5. Click the notification that appears after taking the screenshot if you want to edit it.

The Snipping Tool supports “Rectangle,” “Window,” “Full screen,” and “Freeform” capture modes.

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The screenshot is copied to the clipboard, so I can press “Ctrl + V” in another application to paste it.

If I need to make changes, I click the notification to open the capture inside the Snipping Tool.

Capture a rectangular area

The “Rectangle” option is probably the mode I use most. It lets me drag around exactly what I want to keep.

For example, if I want to show someone a particular setting on Windows 11, I don’t need to capture the entire desktop. I can select just the relevant part of the Settings app.

Capture a specific window

The “Window” option lets me select a specific application or window.

This is especially useful when I have several applications open and don’t want the rest of the desktop appearing in the screenshot.

Capture the entire screen

The “Full screen” option captures everything currently displayed on the screen.

It’s useful when I want to document an entire desktop or reproduce exactly what I’m seeing.

Capture an irregular area

The “Freeform” option lets me draw an outline around an object or area rather than being restricted to a rectangle.

I don’t use this one as often, but it can be handy when the thing I want to capture doesn’t fit neatly inside a rectangular selection.

2. Take a screenshot with the Print Screen key

The “Print Screen” key, usually labeled PrtSc, PrtScn, or something similar, has been around for decades. Windows 11 gives it a more useful role by allowing it to open the screen-snipping interface.

You only have to press the “PrtScn” key to start a screen capture.

On current versions of Windows 11, you can configure the “Print Screen” key to open screen snipping.

If pressing the key doesn’t open the snipping capture toolbar, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard, and turn on the “Use the Print Screen key to open screen snipping” toggle switch.

Once enabled, pressing “PrtScn” gives me a quick way to start a screenshot without remembering the longer “Windows + Shift + S” shortcut.

Use Print Screen to copy the entire screen

Depending on your configuration, the “Print Screen” key can also capture the entire screen and copy it to the clipboard.

After pressing the key, I can open Paint, Word, an email, or another application and use the “Ctrl + V” keyboard shortcut to paste the screenshot.

3. Take a full-screen screenshot with Windows + PrtScn

If I know I want to capture the entire screen and save it as an image, I don’t bother opening Snipping Tool.

I use the “Windows key + PrtScn” keyboard shortcut.

This action captures the entire screen and automatically saves the image as a file in the “Screenshots” folder inside “Pictures.”

To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Set up the desktop exactly as you want it to appear.

2. Use the “Windows key + PrtScn” keyboard shortcut.

3. Open File Explorer.

4. Browse to Pictures > Screenshots.

   

5. Open the screenshot.

This is one of those shortcuts that’s easy to forget but incredibly convenient once you get used to it.

There is no selection box, no editing window, and no extra step. You just press the keys and move on.

4. Capture the active window with Alt + PrtScn

Sometimes I don’t want a screenshot of the entire desktop. I only want the app I’m currently working with.

That’s where the “Alt + PrtScn” shortcut comes in.

First, click the window you want to capture to make it active, then press the “Alt + PrtScn” keyboard shortcut. This copies an image of the active window to the clipboard.

I can then open an application such as Paint and use the “Ctrl + V” keyboard shortcut to paste the screenshot.

This method is particularly useful when I want to capture an error message, a specific app, or a Settings window without including everything else that’s open on the desktop.

5. Take and edit a screenshot with Snipping Tool

If I want more than a quick capture, Snipping Tool is still my preferred option.

The app combines screen capture and basic editing tools, so I don’t have to jump between multiple apps just to clean up a screenshot.

To open Snipping Tool, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Snipping Tool.

3. Click the top result.

From there, you can choose the capture mode and select New to take a screenshot.

Snipping Tool supports these options:

• Rectangle to capture a rectangular area.
• Window to capture a specific application window.
• Full screen to capture everything.
• Freeform to draw a custom capture area.

After taking the screenshot, it’ll open in the Snipping Tool editor, where I can make changes, save the image, or share it.

Take a delayed screenshot

One of my favorite Snipping Tool features is the delay option.

A delay is useful when I need to capture something that disappears as soon as I click somewhere else, such as an open menu.

In Snipping Tool, choose the delay option and select the amount of time you need before taking the capture.

Microsoft currently supports delays of up to five seconds in its Snipping Tool.

That few-second delay can save a surprising amount of frustration when you’re trying to capture menus, tooltips, or other temporary interface elements.

Edit a screenshot

After capturing an image, Snipping Tool lets me crop and annotate it.

Depending on the tools available in your version of Windows 11, you can use features such as:

• Pen.
• Highlighter.
• Shapes.
• Crop.
• Scan text.
• Redaction tools.

You can then save the finished image as a file.

Extract text from a screenshot

Snipping Tool can also recognize text inside screenshots.

This is particularly useful when I need to grab a serial number, error message, command, or other text without typing everything manually.

Open the screenshot in Snipping Tool and use the “Scan text” action to extract text from the image.

The app also includes a Quick redact option that can automatically help remove sensitive information such as email addresses and phone numbers.

6. Take a screenshot with Xbox Game Bar

If I’m capturing something inside a game or another application, Xbox Game Bar provides another option.

You only have to use the “Windows key + Alt + PrtScn” keyboard shortcut to capture the current game or application.

This method is particularly useful for gamers because it lets you capture the current screen without leaving the game.

If you’re using Game Bar, make sure it’s enabled and available on your setup.

For regular desktop screenshots, however, I would still choose Snipping Tool or one of the Windows 11 screenshot shortcuts. Game Bar is better suited to gaming and app captures.

7. Take a screenshot on a Surface device

If you’re using a Surface device without a traditional “Print Screen” key, you have another option.

Press and hold the Power + Volume Up button.

When using this shortcut, Windows captures the entire screen and saves the screenshot as an image in the “Screenshots” folder inside “Pictures.”

This is particularly useful when you’re using a Surface in tablet mode or don’t have access to the keyboard.

Use Perfect screenshot on Copilot+ PCs

If you have a Copilot+ PC, Snipping Tool includes an AI-powered feature known as “Perfect screenshot.”

Instead of forcing me to carefully drag the capture box around an object and then crop the result afterward, Perfect screenshot can identify the content I’m trying to capture and adjust the capture area around it.

To use this feature, follow these steps:

1. Use the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut.

2. Select the Rectangle capture mode.

3. Choose Perfect screenshot.

   

4. Select the area containing the object or content you want.

5. Select the Capture option.

Microsoft describes Perfect Screenshot as a feature that automatically adjusts the capture area to tightly frame on-screen content.

It’s a small feature, but it’s exactly the kind of improvement I appreciate because it removes one of those annoying little cleanup steps after taking a screenshot.

Where are screenshots saved on Windows 11?

The location depends on how you take the screenshot. 

If you use the “Windows + PrtScn” shortcut, Windows 11 automatically saves the image in File Explorer > Pictures > Screenshots.

If you use the “Windows + Shift + S” shortcut, the screenshot is copied to the clipboard, and you can open the Snipping Tool notification to edit and save it.

If you use the “Alt + PrtScn” shortcut, the capture is also copied to the clipboard rather than automatically being saved as a file.

This distinction is important because taking a screenshot doesn’t always mean the operating system has created a file somewhere on your computer.

Which screenshot method should you use?

If you don’t want to remember seven different methods, don’t.

I recommend choosing the shortcut based on what you’re trying to accomplish.

If you want to...	Use this
Capture part of the screen quickly	Windows + Shift + S
Capture and edit an image	Snipping Tool
Capture the entire screen and save it automatically	Windows + PrtScn
Capture only the active window	Alt + PrtScn
Use the Print Screen key for screen snipping	PrtScn
Capture a game or app	Windows + Alt + PrtScn
Capture a Surface screen without a keyboard	Power + Volume Up

For everyday use, I’d narrow that down even further:

• Use the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut for most screenshots.
• Use the “Windows key + PrtScn” shortcut when you want the entire screen saved automatically.
• Use Snipping Tool when you need to edit, annotate, extract text, or redact information.

Those three options cover almost everything I need to do with screenshots on Windows 11.

Fix screenshot shortcuts that aren’t working

If a screenshot shortcut isn’t doing anything, don’t assume Windows 11’s screenshot feature is broken.

First, check the keyboard itself. On some laptops, you may need to use the “Fn” key together with the “Print Screen” key, depending on how the manufacturer configured the keyboard.

If the Print Screen key isn’t opening the Snipping Tool overlay, check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, and make sure the “Use the Print Screen key to open screen snipping” option is enabled.

If you’re using the “Windows + Shift + S” shortcut, make sure you’re pressing all three keys together. The shortcut should dim the desktop and display the screenshot toolbar.

If you’re trying to find a screenshot you already captured, remember that clipboard captures aren’t necessarily saved as files. For automatically saved full-screen captures, check File Explorer > Pictures > Screenshots.

How to record the screen on Windows 11

If you don’t actually need a still image and want to record what’s happening on the screen, Snipping Tool can also record video.

Use the “Windows + Shift + R” keyboard shortcut to open the Snipping Tool screen-recording overlay.

Select the area to record, choose whether you want to include voice and system audio, and click the “Record” button.

When you’re done, click the “Stop” button, and the recording will be saved as an MP4 file in the Screen Recordings subfolder of the Videos folder by default.

For a simple screen recording that doesn’t require much editing, I find this much easier than installing another application.

FAQs about taking screenshots on Windows 11

These are some common questions while taking screenshots on Windows 11.

What is the easiest way to take a screenshot on Windows 11?

The easiest method is “Windows + Shift + S.” It opens the Snipping Tool capture overlay, allowing you to select part of the screen, a window, or the entire display.

What is the screenshot shortcut on Windows 11?

The main screenshot shortcut is Windows + Shift + S. You can also use Windows + PrtScn to capture the entire screen and save it automatically.

How do I take a screenshot of only one window?

Click the window to make it active and press “Alt + PrtScn.” The system copies the active window to the clipboard.

Alternatively, press the “Windows key + Shift + S” keys and choose the Window capture option.

Where does Windows 11 save screenshots?

Screenshots captured with the “Windows key + PrtScn” shortcut are saved in Pictures > Screenshots.

How do I screenshot without opening Snipping Tool?

Use “Windows + Shift + S,” “Windows + PrtScn,” “Alt + PrtScn,” or “PrtScn,” depending on what you want to capture.

Why isn’t my Print Screen key working?

Check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and make sure the option to use the “Print Screen” key to open screen snipping is enabled.

On some laptops, you may also need to press the Fn key with Print Screen.

Can I take a screenshot and edit it on Windows 11?

Yes. Snipping Tool opens captures in its editor, where you can crop, annotate, add shapes, extract text, and use other available editing features.

Can I take a screenshot with a delay?

Yes. Snipping Tool includes a delay option that lets you wait before capturing the screen. This is useful for menus and other interface elements that disappear when you click somewhere else.

Pureinfotech’s Take

I like that Windows 11 gives me several ways to take a screenshot without requiring another app. Microsoft has made the process flexible enough that I can choose a shortcut based on what I’m trying to capture instead of forcing everything through one tool.

For a quick capture, “Windows + Shift + S” is the shortcut I recommend. If I want Windows to save the entire screen automatically, “Windows + PrtScn” is the better choice. And when I need to clean up a screenshot, add annotations, extract text, or redact information, I go straight to Snipping Tool.

For me, those three options cover almost everything I need. Once you get used to them, taking screenshots on Windows 11 stops feeling like something you have to think about. You just use the shortcut that fits the job and move on.