How-To
How to Print Screen on a Laptop
Laptop keyboards hide the Print Screen key behind a function layer, and half the time pressing it appears to do nothing because the picture went to the clipboard rather than to a file. Here is how each system actually behaves and where the screenshot ends up.
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Find the Print Screen keyWindows: the three methods that always workMac shortcutsChromebooks and LinuxWhen the key does nothingCommon questionsFind the Print Screen key
On a full-size keyboard Print Screen has its own key. On a laptop it is usually printed as PrtSc, PrtScn or Print and squeezed onto the top row, sharing a key with Insert, Delete, F11 or F12. If the label is printed in a second colour or in a small box, you have to hold the Fn key while pressing it. Some very compact laptops drop the key entirely; on those use the Windows shortcuts below, which do not need it.
| Shortcut (Windows) | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| PrtSc | Whole screen | Clipboard only |
| Alt + PrtSc | Active window | Clipboard only |
| Windows + PrtSc | Whole screen | Saved to Pictures, Screenshots |
| Windows + Shift + S | Area, window or full screen you choose | Clipboard, plus a notification to edit and save |
| Windows + Alt + PrtSc | Active game window (Game Bar) | Saved to Videos, Captures |
| Fn + PrtSc | Same as PrtSc on keyboards with a shared key | Clipboard |
Windows: the three methods that always work
Snip a region
Press Windows + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears. Drag a rectangle, or choose the window or full-screen option. The image goes to the clipboard and a notification appears; click it to open the Snipping Tool, mark it up and save.
Save the whole screen instantly
Press Windows + PrtSc. The screen flashes briefly and a PNG appears in Pictures, Screenshots, numbered in order.
Paste instead of saving
After a plain PrtSc, open any app that accepts images (Paint, a document, an email, a chat window) and press Ctrl + V. This is the fastest route when the picture only needs to go to one person.
Mac shortcuts
- Shift + Command + 3 captures the whole screen and saves it to the Desktop.
- Shift + Command + 4 lets you drag a region. Press Space while dragging to capture a whole window with its shadow.
- Shift + Command + 5 opens the screenshot toolbar with options for recording video and changing where files are saved.
- Hold Control with any of these to copy to the clipboard instead of saving a file.
Chromebooks and Linux
On a Chromebook press Ctrl + Show windows (the key with a rectangle and two lines) for the whole screen, or add Shift to select a region; files go to the Downloads folder. On most Linux desktops the PrtSc key saves to the Pictures folder, Alt + PrtSc captures the active window, and Shift + PrtSc selects an area.
Windows screenshots folder: This PC, Pictures, Screenshots. To change where Windows saves them, right-click the Screenshots folder, choose Properties, then the Location tab.
When the key does nothing
First, check whether it actually worked: open Paint and paste. If an image appears, the key is fine and simply copies rather than saves. If nothing pastes, hold Fn and try again; on many laptops the Fn lock (often Fn + Esc) has swapped the top row into media keys. If a screen-capture app such as a cloud storage client or a game overlay is running, it may have claimed the key; close it or change its hotkey. As a last resort, the on-screen keyboard in Windows accessibility settings has a working PrtScn key, and Windows + Shift + S does not depend on the key at all.
Common questions
Where do screenshots go on a laptop?
On Windows, Windows + PrtSc saves to Pictures, Screenshots; plain PrtSc only copies to the clipboard. Macs save to the Desktop by default.
How do I screenshot just one window?
Windows: Alt + PrtSc (clipboard) or Windows + Shift + S and choose the window option. Mac: Shift + Command + 4, then press Space and click the window.
Can I take a scrolling screenshot of a whole web page?
Not with the built-in keys. In Chrome or Edge press F12, then Ctrl + Shift + P, type capture full size screenshot and press Enter. Firefox has a Take Screenshot option in the right-click menu with a Save full page button.
Why is my screenshot blurry?
It is being scaled. Save as PNG rather than JPEG, and if the display scaling is above 100 percent the file will be larger than the apparent screen size, which is normal.
How do I screenshot the login screen?
Press PrtSc on the lock screen, then log in and paste. Windows + PrtSc also works there and saves the file once you are signed in.