How to Take a Screenshot on Windows 11 & 10: Beginner’s Guide

Taking a screenshot means capturing what is currently on your computer screen as an image.
If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry — you won’t break anything.

This guide shows you simple ways to take a screenshot on a Windows computer, using clear steps and plain English. You can take your time and try each method safely.

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What Is a Screenshot?

A screenshot is a picture of what you see on your screen.

People often take screenshots to:

• Show someone a problem
• Save information
• Share something by email or message

Once taken, a screenshot is saved as an image file that you can view, send, or delete.

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Method 1: Use the Print Screen Key (Entire Screen)

This is the simplest method.

Steps:

1. Find the Print Screen key on your keyboard
   (it may say PrtScn, Prt Scr, or similar)
2. Press the Print Screen key once
3. Your screen is copied — nothing visible will happen yet

You can now paste the screenshot into an email or document.

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Method 2: Alt + Print Screen (One Window Only)

Use this if you only want to capture one open window, not the whole screen.

Steps:

1. Click on the window you want to capture
2. Hold down the Alt key
3. While holding Alt, press Print Screen
4. The active window is copied

This is useful if you don’t want other things on your screen included.

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Method 3: Windows + Shift + S (Snipping Tool)

This method lets you choose exactly what to capture.

Steps:

1. Hold down Windows key + Shift + S
2. The screen will dim slightly
3. Use your mouse to select the area you want
4. Release the mouse button

Your screenshot is copied and ready to paste.

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Where Screenshots Are Saved

This depends on how you took the screenshot.

• Print Screen or Alt + Print Screen
  → The image is copied (you must paste it somewhere)
• Windows + Print Screen
  → Saved automatically in Pictures → Screenshots

If you’re unsure how to find saved files, this guide may help:

👉 How to Find a File on Your Computer

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These guides work well together if you plan to send screenshots to someone.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

For most people, the easiest method is Windows + Shift + S. Your screen will dim slightly, then you can click and drag around the part you want to capture.

Where do screenshots go on Windows 11 and Windows 10?

If you use Windows + Print Screen, the screenshot is normally saved in:

Pictures → Screenshots

Other methods may copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead, ready for you to paste using Ctrl + V.

Why can’t I find the screenshot I just took?

It may have been copied rather than saved as a file. Open an email, Word, Paint or another suitable app and press Ctrl + V. If the screenshot appears, it was stored temporarily on the clipboard.

How do I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?

Press Windows + Shift + S. When the screen dims, click and drag around the area you want to capture.

How do I screenshot just one window?

First click the window you want to capture. Then press Alt + Print Screen. The image is copied to the clipboard and can be pasted using Ctrl + V.

How do I take a screenshot if my keyboard doesn’t have a Print Screen key?

You don’t need a Print Screen key. Press Windows + Shift + S, or search for Snipping Tool from the Windows Start menu.

Some laptops also require the Fn key to use Print Screen.

Why doesn’t anything happen when I press Print Screen?

This can be completely normal. Print Screen may have copied the picture to the Windows clipboard without displaying anything.

Try opening Paint, an email or a document and press Ctrl + V.

Can I paste a screenshot straight into an email?

Usually, yes. After taking a screenshot that has been copied to the clipboard, click inside your email and press Ctrl + V.

Before sending it, check the screenshot doesn’t contain passwords, banking information, private messages or other personal information.

Can I edit or crop a screenshot before sending it?

Yes. Snipping Tool lets you crop and mark up screenshots before saving or sharing them.

Is Snipping Tool already installed on Windows?

Snipping Tool is built into current versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10, so you normally don’t need to download a separate screenshot app.