The Print Screen button captures your entire screen and saves it to your clipboard

The Print Screen key (often labeled PrtScn, PrtSc, or Print Scrn) takes a snapshot of everything currently displayed on your monitor. When you press it, the image goes into your computer's clipboard — a temporary holding area — rather than printing to paper. From there, you can paste it into an email, a document, or an image editor.

On most keyboards, Print Screen sits in the upper right area, usually above the arrow keys and to the right of the function keys. On laptops, you may need to hold Fn (Function) at the same time, because laptop keyboards share keys to save space. The exact location varies slightly by keyboard brand and layout, but it is always near the top right.

This button is useful when you need to show someone a problem on your screen, save a receipt or confirmation message, or capture an image you cannot read directly. Unlike taking a photo with your phone, Print Screen captures text clearly and includes everything visible at that moment.

Key Takeaways

  • Print Screen captures your entire screen to your clipboard, not to a printer, despite its name.
  • On laptops, hold Fn and Print Screen together because the key is usually shared with another function.
  • After pressing Print Screen, open any program that accepts images (Word, email, Paint) and paste the screenshot using Ctrl+V.
  • If you want to capture only one window instead of the whole screen, hold Alt and press Print Screen on Windows, or use Command+Shift+4 on Mac.
  • Screenshots are stored only in your clipboard temporarily; if you want to keep them, you must paste and save them before closing programs or restarting.

Where to find Print Screen on different keyboard types

On a standard desktop keyboard, Print Screen is located in the top right corner of the main key section, usually above the number pad. It sits to the right of the F12 key and above the Home key. The button may show just the abbreviation PrtScn or the full words Print Screen.

On a laptop keyboard, Print Screen is often combined with another key to save space. You will see it printed on a key in the upper right area — frequently on the same key as the number 0 or on a key near the arrow keys. To use it, hold down the Fn key (usually in the lower left corner) and press Print Screen at the same time. Some laptops also let you use Windows key + Shift + S instead, which opens a tool to select just the part of the screen you want.

On Mac keyboards, Print Screen does not exist by the same name. Instead, use Command + Shift + 3 to capture the whole screen or Command + Shift + 4 to select a specific area. These shortcuts save the image directly to your desktop rather than to the clipboard.

How to take and save a screenshot after pressing Print Screen

Once you press Print Screen, nothing visible happens — the image is now in your clipboard, waiting to be pasted. Open the program where you want to place the screenshot. This could be Microsoft Word, Google Docs, an email message, Paint, or any other program that accepts images.

Position your cursor where you want the image to appear, then press Ctrl + V (hold Control and press V). The screenshot will appear when ready. If you are using a Mac, press Command + V instead. The image is now part of your document or email and will stay there even if you close the program, as long as you save the file.

If you want to edit the screenshot before saving — crop it, draw on it, or add text — open Paint (on Windows) or Preview (on Mac) first, paste the image there, make your changes, and then save the file. Paint is built into Windows and can be found by typing "Paint" in the search box. This gives you control over the final image before you share or store it.

Capturing only one window instead of the entire screen

Print Screen by itself captures everything on your monitor, including windows you may not want in the image. If you need only one window, use Alt + Print Screen on Windows. This captures only the active window — the one you are currently using — and places it in your clipboard the same way. You then paste it using Ctrl + V, just as you would with a full-screen capture.

On Windows 10 and later, you can also use Windows key + Shift + S to open the Screenshot tool. This lets you click and drag to select exactly the area you want to capture before it goes to your clipboard. This method is often easier than capturing the whole screen and then cropping it later.

On Mac, Command + Shift + 4 lets you select a specific area by clicking and dragging. The image saves directly to your desktop as a file, so you do not need to paste it anywhere. If you want to capture just one window on Mac, use Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar, and click the window you want.

Why your screenshot might not appear when you paste

The most common reason a screenshot does not paste is that you pressed Print Screen but the image never made it to your clipboard. This happens most often on laptops when you forget to hold Fn. Try again, making sure to hold Fn and Print Screen together, then when ready paste using Ctrl + V in a program like Word or Paint.

Another reason is that you may have copied something else after taking the screenshot. The clipboard holds only one thing at a time, so if you copied text or another image, it replaced your screenshot. Take the screenshot again and paste it right away before doing anything else.

If you are pasting into a program that does not support images — like Notepad or a plain text email field — the paste will not work. Switch to a program that accepts images, such as Word, Paint, Gmail, or Outlook. Some older programs also do not support pasting images; if you run into this, save your screenshot as a file in Paint first, then insert it as an image file instead of pasting.

Saving screenshots as files you can find later

When you paste a screenshot into a document, it becomes part of that document. If you want to save it as its own image file that you can find in your file explorer, use Paint. Press Print Screen, open Paint (search for it in the Windows search box), press Ctrl + V to paste, then go to File and click Save As. Choose a location like your Documents or Desktop folder, give it a name, and save it as a PNG or JPG file.

On Windows 10 and later, the Screenshot tool (Windows key + Shift + S) automatically saves images to a Screenshots folder inside your Pictures folder. You can also click the notification that appears after taking a screenshot to open it in the Photos app, where you can save it with a custom name.

On Mac, screenshots save automatically to your desktop with a filename like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM". You can move these files to a folder later, or change where they save by opening Terminal and typing a command — but for most people, the desktop is fine until you organize them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Print Screen actually send anything to my printer?

No. Despite its name, Print Screen does not print anything. It only copies an image of your screen to your clipboard. The name comes from older computers where the button did send output to a printer, but modern computers changed the function while keeping the name. To actually print something, you use Ctrl + P or the File menu.

Can I take a screenshot of just my second monitor if I have two screens?

Print Screen captures all monitors at once on Windows. If you want only one monitor, use the Screenshot tool (Windows key + Shift + S) and select just the area you need. On Mac, Command + Shift + 3 captures all screens, but Command + Shift + 4 lets you select a specific area, so you can choose just one monitor.

What if I need to screenshot something that moves, like a video or animation?

Print Screen captures only a single moment, so it will freeze whatever is on screen at that when ready. If you need to capture video or animation, you need screen recording software instead. Windows 10 and later have a built-in tool: press Windows key + G to open Game Bar, then click the record button. On Mac, use QuickTime Player, which is built in.

Can I take a screenshot without anyone knowing on a work computer?

Print Screen itself makes no sound or notification, so the action is silent. However, many workplaces use monitoring software that logs screenshots or activity. Check your company's policies before taking screenshots of work materials, especially if they contain confidential information.

Where do screenshots go if I do not paste them anywhere?

They stay in your clipboard until you copy or cut something else, or until you restart your computer. Once either of those happens, the screenshot is gone. This is why you should paste and save screenshots right away if you want to keep them.