Capturing what’s on your computer screen, known as taking a screenshot or print screen, is a fundamental skill for anyone using Windows. This action instantly copies an image of your screen to the clipboard, ready to be used. In Windows, the Print Screen key is your go-to tool, offering several ways to capture your display:
- The entire screen for a full view snapshot.
- All currently active windows to capture everything you’re working on.
- Just the single window you are currently using.
Once you’ve taken your “print screen shot”, you can paste it into various applications such as documents, emails, or image editing software like Paint. Alternatively, you can insert the screenshot as an image file itself.
Locating the Print Screen Key on Your Keyboard
The position of the Print Screen key can vary slightly depending on whether you are using a desktop or a laptop.
On desktop keyboards, you’ll typically find the Print Screen key situated in the upper right-hand area. Keep an eye out for labels like PrintScreen, PrtScn, PrntScr, PrtScn, PrtScr, PrtSc, or similar abbreviations. For simplicity, we’ll use PrtScr throughout this guide to refer to all these variations.
It’s worth noting that some specialized keyboards might have unique configurations.
Illustration of the print screen key location on a Dell KM5221W wireless keyboard
Figure 1: The image highlights the Print Screen key, often labeled as PrtScr, located in the upper right corner of a Dell KM5221W wireless keyboard, demonstrating its typical position on desktop keyboards.
For laptop keyboards, the Print Screen key is commonly found within the Function key row (F1, F2, etc.). To activate it, you’ll usually need to press the Fn (Function) key in combination with the appropriate Function key, often F10.
Some laptops feature capacitive Function Key rows, which are illuminated and may have dual functions. On these, pressing the Fn key toggles between functions, allowing you to locate and use the Print Screen function, typically labeled as PrtScr. Refer to your laptop’s manual for specific instructions if you are unsure.
Illustration of the print screen key location on a Dell KM5221W wireless keyboard
Figure 2: This image showcases the PrtScr key integrated into the Function key row on a Dell Precision 5550 mobile workstation keyboard, illustrating its typical placement on laptop keyboards.
Illustration of the print screen key location on a Dell KM5221W wireless keyboard
Figure 3: Depicting a laptop keyboard with a capacitive Function Key row, this image emphasizes the need to use the Fn key to access secondary functions like Print Screen, common in modern laptop designs.
The exact steps for using the Print Screen function can differ slightly between Windows 10 and Windows 11.
How to Take a Print Screen Shot in Windows 10 and Windows 11
Windows offers several shortcuts using the Print Screen key to capture different parts of your screen.
Capturing the Entire Screen
To take a screenshot of everything visible on your monitor:
- On Desktops and Laptops: Press the Windows logo key + PrtScr key simultaneously.
- On Tablets: Press the Windows logo button along with the volume down button at the same time.
After using these shortcuts, the screenshot is automatically saved as a PNG file in the “Screenshots” folder, which is located inside your “Pictures” folder. This is a quick way to capture and save your entire screen content.
Capturing All Active Windows
If you want to capture all windows that are currently open and active on your screen:
- Simply press the PrtScr key.
This action will copy a screenshot of all active windows to your clipboard. You won’t see any immediate visual confirmation, but the image is ready to be pasted.
Capturing a Single Active Window
To capture only the window you are currently working in and have selected:
- First, click on the specific window you wish to capture to make it the active window.
- Then, press the Alt key + PrtScr keys together.
This method captures only the selected active window and copies it to the clipboard.
Pasting and Using Your Print Screen Shot
Once you have captured your desired screenshot using any of the methods above, the next step is to use it. The screenshot is temporarily stored on your clipboard. To save or edit it, you need to paste it into an application.
A common way to use your print screen shot is to paste it into an image editor like Microsoft Paint, Paint 3D, or Adobe Photoshop.
- Open your preferred image editing application.
- Create a new image document (if necessary).
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot into the new document.
From here, you can edit, annotate, save in different formats, or share your screenshot as needed.
For more advanced screen capturing options, including capturing specific regions of your screen or delayed captures, Windows offers the Snipping Tool and the newer Snip & Sketch tool. These tools provide greater flexibility and editing options directly after capture.
