How to Take a Screenshot on a Computer (Windows and Mac)

A website kept showing me an error, and the support agent said, "Could you just send me a screenshot?" I said sure, then quietly realized I wasn't sure which keys to press.

Here's the quick answer on how to take a screenshot on a computer: on Windows 11, press Windows key + Shift + S and drag a box around what you want. On a Mac, press Command + Shift + 4 and drag, or Command + Shift + 3 to capture the whole screen.

What is a screenshot?

A screenshot is a picture of exactly what's on my screen at that moment. It's saved as an image file (usually a PNG) that I can attach to an email, paste into a chat, or keep for my records.

I've seen it spelled both ways, so if you searched for how to screen shot on computer, you're in the right place. Screenshot, screen shot, and screen capture all mean the same thing.

How to take a screenshot on Windows 11 (Snipping Tool)

The easiest way to take a screenshot on Windows 11 is the Snipping Tool shortcut. Here's what I do:

1. I press Windows key + Shift + S. The Windows key is the one with the four-square logo, next to the space bar. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
2. I pick a shape from the toolbar: Rectangle, Window, Full screen, or Freeform.
3. For a rectangle, I click and drag a box around what I want, then let go.
4. The screenshot is copied, and a small notification pops up in the bottom-right corner.

Now I can paste it straight into an email or chat with Ctrl + V. If that's new to you, here's my guide on how to copy and paste on a laptop. Or I click the notification to open the image in Snipping Tool, where I can draw on it and save it with Ctrl + S.

How to screenshot on Windows with the Print Screen key

Another way to screenshot on Windows is the Print Screen key. It's usually in the top row, labeled PrtScn, PrtSc, or Print Screen.

• Print Screen on its own: on current Windows 11, this opens the same Snipping Tool toolbar as Windows key + Shift + S. If I'd rather it copy the whole screen instantly, I go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Keyboard, and turn off the switch for using the Print screen key to open screen capture.
• Windows key + Print Screen: the screen dims for a second, and a full-screen image is saved automatically.
• Alt + Print Screen: copies just the window I'm working in, ready to paste.

How to take a screenshot on laptop keyboards (Dell, HP and others)

Here's where people get stuck when they try to take a screenshot on a laptop. To save space, many laptops put Print Screen on a key it shares with something else, so it needs the Fn key.

If you're wondering how to take a screenshot on a Dell laptop, look along the top row. On many Dell models, PrtScn shares a key with Insert or one of the F keys. HP and Lenovo laptops often do the same. Then I:

1. Press Fn + PrtSc to open the Snipping Tool toolbar, or
2. Press Fn + Windows key + PrtSc to save the full screen.

If a laptop has no Print Screen key at all, Windows key + Shift + S always works.

How to take a screenshot on a Mac

Taking a screenshot on a Mac computer uses three shortcuts, all built around Command + Shift:

• Command + Shift + 3 captures the entire screen.
• Command + Shift + 4 turns my pointer into crosshairs, and I drag to select an area. If I press the space bar right after, the pointer becomes a camera and I can click a single window.
• Command + Shift + 5 opens a toolbar with buttons for the whole screen, a window, or a selected portion, plus an Options menu for a timer and save location.

A small thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner. I click it to crop or mark up the image. To copy a screenshot instead of saving a file, I add Control, for example Control + Command + Shift + 4.

Where are screenshots saved?

Knowing where a screenshot on a computer ends up saves a lot of hunting.

• Windows 11: Windows key + Print Screen saves to Pictures, then Screenshots, in File Explorer. Current versions of Snipping Tool also save a copy there automatically, which I can turn off in its settings.
• Mac: screenshots land on the desktop, named "Screenshot" with the date and time. I can change that folder with Command + Shift + 5, then Options.

When screenshots won't work

Screenshots work almost everywhere, but I've hit a few walls when I take a screenshot on a computer:

• Protected video. Streaming services often show a black box instead of the movie.
• Some apps block them. Certain banking and secure work apps don't allow screen capture.
• Work computers. If an IT team manages my computer, it may restrict screenshot tools.
• I forgot to paste. Shortcuts that only copy keep one image at a time, so copying something else replaces it.
• Chromebooks. This guide covers Windows and Mac computers only.

Pro tip: A screenshot captures everything visible, including pop-up notifications, so I check it before sending.

If I can't find a toolbar button or a setting, Guidy can look at my screen when I ask and point to exactly where to click. I still do the clicking myself.

Pick the shortcut that fits

Most days, Windows key + Shift + S is all I need. When tech support asks what's inside my computer, I take a screenshot of the About page, using my guide on how to check PC specs.

For more step-by-step help, Guidy's page on AI for non-tech-savvy people shows how it works. Now you know how to take a screenshot on a computer, whichever kind you use.

FAQs

How do I take a screenshot on my computer?

On Windows 11, press Windows key + Shift + S, then drag a box around what you want. The image is copied, ready to paste with Ctrl + V. On a Mac, press Command + Shift + 4 and drag, or Command + Shift + 3 for the full screen. Mac screenshots save to your desktop.

How do you screenshot on a Dell laptop?

Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool toolbar on any Dell laptop running Windows 11. You can also use the Print Screen key, labeled PrtScn or PrtSc. On many Dell models it shares a key with another function, so press Fn + PrtSc, or Fn + Windows key + PrtSc to save the full screen.

How do I screenshot on an HP laptop?

HP laptops running Windows use the same shortcuts as other Windows PCs. Press Windows key + Shift + S and drag to select an area, or press Windows key + PrtSc to save the full screen to Pictures, then Screenshots. If Print Screen shares a key with another function, hold Fn as well.

How do I take a screenshot on Windows 10?

Windows 10 uses nearly the same shortcuts. Windows key + Shift + S lets you select an area and copies it, and Windows key + Print Screen saves the full screen to Pictures, then Screenshots. Pressing Print Screen alone usually copies the whole screen, ready to paste with Ctrl + V.