How to screen capture on Windows 11
Short answer: On Windows 11 the Snipping Tool records the screen as well as capturing stills: press Windows + Shift + S, then switch to the record button in the capture bar.
Last verified: 2026-08-01
Stills on Windows 11
- 1Press Windows + Shift + SThe Windows 11 screen dims and a small capture bar appears at the top of the display.
- 2Choose a capture modeRectangular snip, free-form snip, window snip or full-screen snip. Window snip is the cleanest way to capture a single application.
- 3Select the areaDrag across the region, or click the window you want. The capture is copied to the clipboard immediately.
- 4Open the editorClick the notification in the corner to open Snipping Tool, where you can crop, annotate and undo.
- 5Save the filePress Ctrl + S and choose PNG for interface screenshots or JPG when file size matters.
Recording with Snipping Tool
- 1Open Snipping Tool from the Start menuOr press Windows + Shift + S and switch mode in the bar.
- 2Select the record modeThe camera icon toggles to a video icon.
- 3Select the area and press StartA short countdown begins before recording.
- 4Stop and saveThe recording opens in the app so you can trim and save the MP4.
Windows 11 capture shortcuts
These shortcuts are part of Windows itself and work in File Explorer, Chrome and any desktop application.
| Shortcut | What it does | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Open the snipping overlay: rectangular, free-form, window or full-screen snip. Result goes to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Print Screen | Copy the whole screen to the clipboard. On Windows 11 this can be set to open the snipping overlay instead. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Alt + Print Screen | Copy only the active window to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Print Screen | Save the whole screen straight to Pictures\Screenshots as a PNG file. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | Save the active window as a PNG through Xbox Game Bar, into Videos\Captures. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + G | Open Xbox Game Bar, which includes a capture widget for stills and screen recording. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Fn + Print Screen | On many Windows laptops the Print Screen key is shared with another function and needs the Fn key. | Windows laptops |
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