The fastest way to capture your screen
A screenshot is a picture of what you see on your screen right now. On Windows, press Print Screen (or PrtScn) to copy the whole screen, then open Paint or Word and paste it. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to save a full-screen image to your desktop. On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Show Windows (the key with four rectangles) to capture the whole screen, or Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to select just part of it.
These built-in methods work without installing anything. The image goes to your clipboard (Windows) or directly to your desktop (Mac and Chromebook), ready to share or edit. If you need to capture only part of your screen, or if you want to edit before saving, use the tools described below.
Key Takeaways
- Windows Print Screen copies your whole screen to the clipboard; paste it into Paint, Word, or email to save it.
- Mac Command + Shift + 3 saves a full screenshot to your desktop as a file you can when ready share.
- Chromebook Ctrl + Show Windows captures the full screen; Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows lets you select a portion.
- The Snipping Tool (Windows) and Screenshot app (Mac) let you select a region, draw on it, and save before sharing.
- All three systems store screenshots in standard image formats that work in email, documents, and messaging apps.
Windows: Print Screen and the Snipping Tool
The simplest Windows method is Print Screen. Press the key once, then open Notepad, Paint, Word, or any email. Press Ctrl + V to paste the image. The screenshot includes your entire monitor, including the taskbar. Save the file with a name you'll remember — Paint saves as .png or .jpg, Word embeds it in the document.
If you want to capture only part of your screen, use the Snipping Tool. Search for "Snipping Tool" in the Windows search box and open it. Click New, then drag a box around the area you want to capture. The tool opens the image so you can draw on it with a pen or highlighter, then click Save As to store it. On Windows 11, the newer Screenshot app (search "Screenshot") works the same way and opens faster.
For a quick partial capture without opening another program, try Windows + Shift + S. Your screen dims and your cursor becomes a crosshair. Drag to select the area you want, and the image goes to your clipboard — paste it into email or a document right away. This is faster than the Snipping Tool for one-off captures.
Mac: Command + Shift + 3 and the Screenshot app
On Mac, Command + Shift + 3 captures your entire screen and saves it as a file on your desktop with a name like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM.png". The file appears when ready — you can drag it into an email or document, or delete it if you don't need it. This is the fastest way to grab a full screen.
To capture only part of your screen, press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor becomes a crosshair. Drag to select the area, then release. The image saves to your desktop the same way. If you change your mind before releasing, press Escape to cancel.
For more control, open the Screenshot app (search for it in Spotlight with Command + Space, type "Screenshot", and press Enter). The app shows buttons for full screen, window, or selection. After you capture, a thumbnail appears in the corner — click it to edit, crop, or add markup before saving. If you don't click the thumbnail, the image saves to your desktop automatically.
Chromebook: Ctrl + Show Windows and partial captures
On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Show Windows (the Show Windows key has four rectangles and is usually in the top row). The entire screen is captured and copied to your clipboard. Open Gmail, Google Docs, or any app and press Ctrl + V to paste it.
To capture only part of the screen, press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows. Your cursor becomes a crosshair. Drag a box around the area you want, then release. The partial screenshot goes to your clipboard the same way. This is useful when you want to show just one window or a specific part of a webpage.
Chromebook screenshots always go to the clipboard, not to a file on your desktop. That means you must paste them into an app (Gmail, Google Docs, a messaging app) or they disappear when you close your browser. If you want to save a screenshot as a file, paste it into Google Docs first, then read the document as a PDF or image.
Where screenshots go and how to find them
On Windows, Print Screen puts the image in your clipboard — it stays there until you paste it or copy something else. If you use the Snipping Tool or Windows + Shift + S, you can paste when ready or save to a folder. Screenshots usually go to your Pictures folder or your Desktop, depending on where you choose to save.
On Mac, full-screen and partial screenshots save directly to your Desktop with a timestamp in the name. You can move them to a folder, email them, or delete them like any other file. The Screenshot app also saves to Desktop by default, but you can change that in the app's settings.
On Chromebook, screenshots exist only in your clipboard until you paste them. Once pasted into Gmail, Google Docs, or another app, they become part of that file. If you need a standalone image file, save the document as a PDF or export it as an image.
Editing and sharing your screenshot
After you capture, you often want to crop, highlight, or add text. On Windows, the Snipping Tool and Screenshot app both let you draw on the image before saving. On Mac, the Screenshot app shows a thumbnail in the corner — click it to open markup tools where you can draw, add text, or magnify part of the image.
For straightforward edits on any system, paste your screenshot into Paint (Windows) or Preview (Mac). Both let you crop, resize, and add text boxes. If you need more features, free tools like GIMP or Canva work on all three systems, but the built-in apps handle most everyday tasks.
To share a screenshot, paste it directly into email, Slack, Discord, or a messaging app. Most apps accept images in the clipboard — just press Ctrl + V (Windows and Chromebook) or Command + V (Mac). If you saved it as a file, you can attach it like any other document.
Troubleshooting common screenshot problems
If Print Screen doesn't work on Windows, check whether your keyboard has a special function key. Some laptops require Fn + Print Screen or Fn + Shift + Print Screen. If that doesn't work, use the Snipping Tool or Windows + Shift + S instead — they work on all Windows keyboards.
On Mac, if Command + Shift + 3 doesn't work, make sure you're not in a full-screen app like a game or video player. Some apps block screenshots for copyright reasons. Try switching to the desktop first, or use the Screenshot app, which sometimes works when keyboard shortcuts don't.
On Chromebook, if Ctrl + Show Windows doesn't paste into an app, the image may not have copied correctly. Try the shortcut again, or use the Files app to check whether a screenshot file was saved (some Chromebooks save to Downloads instead of the clipboard). If nothing appears, restart your Chromebook and try once more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just one window instead of the whole screen?
Yes. On Windows, use the Snipping Tool and select the window, or press Windows + Shift + S and drag around it. On Mac, press Command + Shift + 4, then press the spacebar to switch to window mode, and click the window you want. On Chromebook, press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows and drag around the window.
Where do I find my screenshots after I take them?
On Windows, check your Pictures or Desktop folder, or search for the file name in File Explorer. On Mac, look on your Desktop — they appear with a timestamp. On Chromebook, screenshots go to your clipboard only, so you must paste them into an app or they disappear.
Can I take a screenshot of a scrolling webpage?
The built-in screenshot tools capture only what's visible on screen. To capture a whole webpage, use your browser's built-in tool: in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, right-click the page and choose "Take a screenshot" or "Capture page", then select "Save entire page". This saves the full height of the page as one image.
What image format do screenshots use?
Windows Print Screen and Snipping Tool use .png or .jpg depending on what you choose when saving. Mac uses .png by default. Chromebook screenshots are .png when pasted. All three formats work in email, documents, and messaging apps, so you can share them anywhere.
Can I take a screenshot without anyone knowing?
On Windows and Chromebook, no — there's no notification. On Mac, a notification appears in the corner showing that a screenshot was taken, but you can dismiss it. Some apps (like banking or video calls) block screenshots entirely for security reasons.