How to take a screenshot on Windows 11

Snipping Tool step by step

1. 1Press Windows + Shift + SThe Windows 11 screen dims and a small capture bar appears at the top of the display.
2. 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.
3. 3Select the areaDrag across the region, or click the window you want. The capture is copied to the clipboard immediately.
4. 4Open the editorClick the notification in the corner to open Snipping Tool, where you can crop, annotate and undo.
5. 5Save the filePress Ctrl + S and choose PNG for interface screenshots or JPG when file size matters.

Turn on automatic saving

1. 1Open Snipping ToolSearch for it in the Start menu.
2. 2Open the settings menuClick the three dots, then Settings.
3. 3Enable 'Automatically save screenshots'Every capture is written to Pictures\Screenshots without a save dialog.

Windows 11 screenshot shortcuts

These shortcuts are part of Windows itself and work in File Explorer, Chrome and any desktop application.

Troubleshooting when the screenshot does not work

• Nothing happens on Print Screen: on a Windows 11 PC the key may be shared with a function key. Try Fn + Print Screen or Fn + Windows + Print Screen.
• Windows + Shift + S does nothing: check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, and make sure the Snipping Tool app is installed and updated from the Microsoft Store.
• The screen does not dim: another application may have taken the hotkey. Close capture tools running in the notification area and try again.
• Screenshots are black: this usually means hardware-protected content, such as a DRM video player. Capture the window with a different tool or disable hardware acceleration in that application.
• The file never appears: Windows + Print Screen writes to Pictures\Screenshots. If OneDrive is managing your Pictures folder, look inside OneDrive \ Pictures \ Screenshots.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I screenshot part of the screen on Windows 11?

Windows + Shift + S, then drag a rectangle over the part you want.