Taking a screenshot in Windows 11 is easy once you know which shortcut does what. There are five useful methods — full screen, a selected area, a single window, an automatic save, and a screen recording. Learn the first two and you will cover 95% of everyday needs.

Method 1: Select part of the screen — Win + Shift + S (best method)

  1. Press Windows key + Shift + S together. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
  2. Choose the rectangle mode and drag over the area you want.
  3. The screenshot is copied — paste it anywhere with Ctrl + V (WhatsApp Web, Word, email, Paint).
  4. Need to edit or save it as a file? Click the small preview that appears in the corner — the Snipping Tool opens for drawing, highlighting and saving.

Method 2: Full screen, auto-saved — Win + Print Screen

Press Windows key + PrtSc (Print Screen). The screen flashes briefly and the full screenshot is saved automatically as a PNG file in Pictures → Screenshots. This is the fastest method when you need a file, not a paste. On many laptops you may need Fn + Win + PrtSc.

Method 3: Print Screen alone — copy full screen

Pressing only PrtSc copies the whole screen to the clipboard (in Windows 11 it may open the Snipping Tool instead — you can change this in Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard → "Use the Print Screen key to open screen snipping" — turn off for classic behaviour). Paste with Ctrl + V wherever you need it.

Method 4: Screenshot of only one window — Alt + Print Screen

Click the window you want, then press Alt + PrtSc. Only that window is copied — no taskbar, no desktop clutter. Perfect for sharing an app error or a settings page. Paste with Ctrl + V.

Finding your screenshots later: Win + PrtSc files live in Pictures → Screenshots, named Screenshot (1), (2)… Snipping Tool saves go wherever you choose on Save. Screenshots copied with Win + Shift + S or PrtSc are only in the clipboard until you paste them — paste and save them before copying something else.

Method 5: Record the screen as video — Snipping Tool or Win + G

For a moving problem (an app crashing, a process to demonstrate), a video explains more than pictures. Open Snipping Tool → Record (camera icon) → New, select the area and record. Or press Win + G (Xbox Game Bar) → Capture → Record — recordings save in Videos → Captures.

Bonus: Screenshot with a delay

Need to capture a menu that disappears when you press keys? Open Snipping Tool, set the timer (3 / 5 / 10 seconds), click New, then open your menu — the screenshot is taken after the delay, menu included.

Read also: Next: 12 Windows 11 settings to change to make your PC faster →

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Print Screen key on my laptop?

Usually top-right of the keyboard, labelled PrtSc, PrtScn or Print Screen — sometimes shared with another key, so Fn + PrtSc is needed. On compact keyboards it may sit next to F12 or above Insert.

My screenshot is black or the video is blank. Why?

Some banking sites, streaming apps and protected content block screenshots by design — the capture comes out black. That is a copyright/security protection, not a fault with your PC.

How do I screenshot a long page that scrolls?

Windows has no built-in scrolling capture. In a browser, use the browser's own full-page capture (Edge: Ctrl + Shift + S → Capture full page) or print the page to PDF instead.