Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to take a screenshot on Windows computer but don't know how to do it? If so, you're not alone. Many people struggle with this task, but it's pretty simple once you know how. In this article, we'll show you how to take a screenshot on Windows using keyboard shortcuts and provide some helpful tips along the way.

What Are Keyboard Shortcuts?

Before we dive into how to take a screenshot using keyboard shortcuts, let's first define what keyboard shortcuts are. Keyboard shortcuts are a combination of keys that, when pressed together, perform a specific task. For example, pressing "Ctrl + C" on your keyboard will copy the selected text, and pressing "Ctrl + V" will paste it.

How to take a snapshot on Windows using screenshot shortcuts

Now that we know what keyboard shortcuts are, let's learn how to take screenshots using them. There are several ways to take a screenshot on Windows, but the easiest and most efficient method is to use keyboard shortcuts. Here's how:

1. How to take a screenshot of your entire screen using shortcuts

The PrtSn (Print Screen) button is the most common and straightforward way to take a screenshot on Windows. It captures the entire screen and copies it to the clipboard. To take a screenshot using PrtSn, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the PrtSn button on your keyboard to capture the entire screen.

print screen key Step 2. Open a photo editing software such as Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP.

Step 3. Paste the screenshot by pressing Ctrl + V or right-click and select Paste.

Step 4. Save the screenshot to your preferred location.

Alternatively, if you want to take a screenshot and save it directly to a file without photo editing software, you can use the Windows Key + PrtSn keyboard shortcut. This method is also fast and convenient. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + PrtSn buttons on your keyboard.

windows and print screen keys

Step 2. The screen will dim for a second, indicating that a screenshot has been taken.

Step 3. The screenshot will be saved automatically to the "Pictures" folder under "Screenshots."

2. How to take a screenshot of the active window with shortcuts

If you only want to capture the active window, use the Alt + PrtScn keyboard shortcut. This method is useful when you have multiple windows open and you only want to take a screenshot of one of them. To take a screenshot using Alt + PrtScn, follow these steps:

Step 1. Click on the window you want to capture to ensure it is active.

Step 2. Press the Alt + PrtScn buttons on your keyboard to capture the window.

toshiba keyboard alt print screen Step 3. Open a photo editing software such as Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP.

Step 4. Paste the screenshot by pressing Ctrl + V or right-click and select Paste.

Step 5. Save the screenshot to your preferred location.

3. How to screenshot a specific area using Windows screenshot shortcuts

If you want to screenshot a specific screen area, you can use the Windows Key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut. This method is proper when capturing a specific part of the screen, such as a section of a website or a particular document. To take a screenshot using Windows Key + Shift + S, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + Shift + S buttons on your keyboard.

toshiba keyboard windows shift s Step 2. The screen will dim, and the cursor will change to a crosshair.

Step 3. Click and drag the cursor to select the area of the screen you want to capture. The screenshot will be captured and copied to the clipboard.

Step 4. Open a photo editing software such as Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP.

Step 5. Paste the screenshot by pressing Ctrl + V or right-click and select Paste.

Step 6. Save the screenshot to your preferred location.

4. How to capture a screenshot of a game or app with keyboard shortcuts

If you're playing a game or using an app that doesn't allow you to take screenshots with the standard keyboard shortcuts, you can use the Windows Game Bar. This feature is built into Windows and allows you to take screenshots of games and apps without additional software. Follow the steps below.

Step 1. To access the Windows Game Bar, press Windows + G on your keyboard.

Step 2. Click the camera icon to take a screenshot.

5. How to take a screenshot of multiple windows using shortcuts

Sometimes, you might have multiple windows opened and want to screenshot all of them. This can also be done by using Windows screenshot shortcuts. To take a screenshot of multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, you can follow these steps:

Step 1. Make sure all the windows you want to capture are open and visible on your screen.

Step 2. Press the "PrtScn" or "Print Screen" key on your keyboard. This will capture the entire screen, including all open windows.

Step 3. Open an image editor or a document where you want to paste the screenshot.

Step 4. Press the Ctrl + V keys on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the editor or document.

Step 5. Crop the image as needed to remove any unwanted parts.

6. How to Screenshot on Windows with delay using keyboard shortcuts

Taking a screenshot with a delay can be useful in certain situations. For example, if you need to capture an image of something on your screen that appears momentarily, such as a pop-up window or a menu that disappears quickly, a delay can give you time to set up the screenshot and capture the image.

To take a screenshot with a delay on Windows using keyboard shortcuts, you can follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows key + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool.

Step 2. Click on the "Delay" dropdown menu in the Snipping Tool window.

snipping tool delay Step 3. Select the amount of delay you want before the screenshot is taken. You can choose from 1 to 5 seconds.

Step 4. Click on the "Mode" dropdown menu and select the type of snip you want to take, such as rectangular or freeform.

Step 5. Click on the "New" button to start the countdown.

Step 6. Position the cursor to select the area you want to capture.

Step 7. The screenshot will be taken after the selected delay and saved to your clipboard.

7. How to take a snip on Windows with annotation using keyboard shortcuts

You might need to capture a screenshot on Windows and edit it to highlight important information, provide context or explain a process. Windows screenshot shortcuts can also help you get the task done. To take a screenshot on Windows 10 or 11 with annotations using keyboard shortcuts, you can follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows key + Shift + S keys on your keyboard. This will open the "Snip & Sketch" tool.

snip and sketch 4 snip modes

Step 2. Click and drag your cursor to select the screen area you want to capture.

Step 3. Once you release the mouse button, the screenshot will be saved to your clipboard.

Step 4. Open a new Paint or any image editing software.

Step 5. Press Ctrl + V keys on your keyboard to paste the screenshot onto the image editing software.

Step 6. Add annotations to the screenshot using the tools available in the image editing software, such as text boxes, arrows, and highlighters.

Step 7. After you have added the annotations, save the image.

Bonus tip: How to capture a scrolling screenshot on Windows using Awesome Screenshot & Recorder

Scrolling screenshots are helpful when users need to capture an entire webpage, including content that extends beyond the screen's visible area. This is especially useful for capturing long articles, product listings, or other web pages with a lot of content.

With a scrolling screenshot tool, users can take multiple screenshots and stitch them together manually, which can be time-consuming and difficult to align properly. Luckily, you can use Awesome Screenshot & Recorder to take scrolling screenshots easily on Windows or Mac.

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder

One extension for all your screen recordings & screenshots

Record screen and capture screenshots easily
Edit videos/images quickly
Store videos/images to the cloud and share instantly

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder is a tool that allows users to capture screenshots and record their screens. With Awesome Screenshot & Recorder's scrolling screenshot feature, users can capture the entire webpage in one image, saving time and effort.

In addition to scrolling screenshots, Awesome Screenshot & Recorder offers other valuable features such as annotating screenshots, blurring sensitive information, and recording screen activity. These features make it a versatile tool for anyone who needs to capture and share visual content quickly and easily.

Follow the steps below to learn how to take a scrolling screenshot on Windows with Awesome Screenshot & Recorder.

Step 1. Download and install Awesome Screenshot & Recorder extension. Log in to it or create a new account.

Step 2. Open and stay on the webpage you want to capture on your browser.

Step 3. Click to launch Awesome Screenshot & Recorder on your browser's "Extensions" list.

Step 4. Select the "Capture" tab and hit the "Full Page" option. The scrolling screenshot will be automatically captured.

scrolling screenshot awesome extension edge capture full page

Step 5. Once the scrolling screenshot of that webpage is taken, you can annotate the screenshot or skip the annotation and click "Done".

awesome screenshot and recorder annotation tool

Step 6. You can download the screenshot to your PC or share it to the cloud.

awesome screenshot and recorder image download options

Tips for Using Windows Screenshot Shortcuts

1. Find the screenshots captured by Windows screenshot shortcuts

Screenshots taken using the "Print Screen" or the "Windows + Print Screen" key are saved to your clipboard. To save them as a file, you'll need to paste them into an image editor, such as Paint or Photoshop, and save them from there.

Screenshots taken using the Snipping Tool are saved to your computer automatically. By default, they are saved in your Pictures library's "Screenshots" folder.

2. Change the Screenshot Folder Location

By default, Windows saves your screenshots in the "Pictures" folder. However, you can change the folder location by going to "Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard > Print Screen Shortcut" and selecting the "Change" button next to "Screenshot Folder."

3. Use the Snipping Tool for precision

If you need to capture a specific portion of your screen, use the Snipping Tool. This tool allows you to select a specific area of your screen and capture it with precision.

4. Use the Game Bar for games and apps

If you're playing a game or using an app that doesn't allow you to take screenshots with the standard keyboard shortcuts, use the Game Bar. This feature is built into Windows and allows you to take screenshots of games and apps without any additional software.

5. Customize your screenshots

Windows allows you to customize your screenshots by using the built-in Snip & Sketch app. This app allows you to crop and edit your screenshots, add annotations and text, and save them in a variety of formats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, taking screenshots on Windows is essential for anyone who needs to capture a moment on their computer screen. Using keyboard shortcuts makes this task more convenient and efficient. In this article, we explored seven different keyboard shortcuts to take screenshots on Windows and introduced a scrolling screenshot tool.

FAQs about Windows Screenshot Shortcuts

1. Can I Take Screenshots of a Video?

Yes, you can capture a still image from a video by pausing the video and taking a screenshot using the keyboard shortcuts.

2. How to Edit and Share Screenshots in Windows 10

To edit and share screenshots in Windows 10, you can follow these steps:

Step 1. Take a screenshot using your keyboard's Print Screen button (PrtScn). This will capture the entire screen and save it to the clipboard.

Step 2. Open the built-in Snip & Sketch app. You can do this by typing "Snip & Sketch" into the Windows search bar and selecting the app from the results.

Step 3. Click on "New" in the top left corner of the Snip & Sketch app or press Ctrl+N on your keyboard. This will open a new window where you can paste the screenshot you just took.

Step 4. Use the editing tools in the app to crop, annotate, or highlight specific parts of the screenshot. You can also use the "Pen" tool to draw on the image, the "Highlighter" tool to highlight text or areas, and the "Eraser" tool to remove any mistakes.

Step 5. Once you're done editing, click "Save As" in the top right corner of the app to save the screenshot to your computer. You can also use the "Share" button to share the screenshot directly with others through email or other apps.

3. What is a Windows screenshot?

A Windows screenshot is a digital image captured of the content displayed on a Windows computer screen. It is a helpful tool for capturing images, texts, videos, and more from the screen for various purposes. Screenshots are often used to illustrate a point, explain a process, or document an error or issue.

4. What is the Snipping Tool on Windows?

The Snipping Tool is a built-in Windows utility that allows you to capture screenshots of a portion of the screen or the entire screen. It is a helpful tool for capturing and highlighting important information on the screen, such as text, images, or videos. The Snipping Tool also includes various annotation tools, such as a pen and highlighter, that you can use to mark up your screenshots.

Windows Screenshot Shortcuts to Take Screenshots on Windows with Ease

Miley Shen

Miley Shen