The fastest way to grab part of your screen
On Windows, use the Snipping Tool or Screenshot tool (built in since Windows 10). On Mac, press Shift + Command + 4 and drag to select the area you want. On Linux, GNOME Screenshot or Flameshot let you select a region. All three methods let you draw a box around only the part you need, then save or copy it to paste elsewhere.
The advantage over capturing your whole screen is that you keep sensitive information off-screen — passwords, account numbers, other people's data, or private messages stay hidden. You also get a smaller file that's easier to email or upload.
Key Takeaways
- Windows Snipping Tool and Mac's Shift + Command + 4 both let you drag a box around the exact area you want to capture.
- Partial screenshots are smaller files and keep the rest of your screen private, which matters if you're sharing the image with someone else.
- After you capture, you can edit the image (crop, blur, draw) before saving it on most operating systems.
- If you need to capture something that moves or changes, a screen recording tool with a region option works better than a static screenshot.
Windows: Snipping Tool and Screenshot
Windows 10 and 11 come with two built-in tools. The Snipping Tool is the older one; the Screenshot tool (also called Snip & Sketch) is newer and faster. Both do the same job: you open the tool, select a rectangular area by dragging, and the image opens in an editor where you can crop, draw, or add text before saving.
To use Snipping Tool: search for "Snipping Tool" in the Start menu, open it, click "New", then drag a box around the part of your screen you want. To use Screenshot: press Windows key + Shift + S, then drag to select. The image copies to your clipboard automatically, so you can paste it into an email, document, or image editor right away. If you want to save it as a file instead, click the notification that appears in the bottom right corner.
The Screenshot tool is usually faster because it's one keyboard shortcut instead of opening a menu. Both tools let you switch to other shapes (free-form, window, full screen) if you need them, but the rectangular selection is what you'll use most.
Mac: Keyboard shortcut and built-in markup
On Mac, press Shift + Command + 4 and your cursor turns into a crosshair. Drag from one corner of the area you want to the opposite corner, then release. The screenshot saves to your Desktop as a PNG file with a timestamp in the name. If you want to copy it to your clipboard instead of saving it, hold down the Space bar while dragging, then release Space before you release the mouse.
After you take the screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click it within a few seconds to open the image in the Markup tool, where you can crop, draw, blur faces or text, or add a signature before saving. If you miss the thumbnail, open the image file on your Desktop and right-click it, then choose "Open With" and select "Markup".
If you want a window instead of a free-form area, press Shift + Command + 4, then press the Space bar. The cursor changes to a camera, and you can click any window to capture just that window with its shadow.
Linux: GNOME Screenshot and Flameshot
Most Linux distributions come with GNOME Screenshot or a similar tool. Open it from your applications menu, click "Select Area", then drag a box around the part of your screen you want. The image opens in an editor where you can crop or save it.
For more control, install Flameshot, which is free and works on most distributions. Open Flameshot, click "Screenshot", drag to select your area, and a toolbar appears with options to crop, blur, draw, or add text before saving. Flameshot also lets you upload directly to an image hosting site if you need a shareable link.
What to do after you capture the image
Once you have your partial screenshot, you usually want to either save it as a file or edit it before sharing. Most operating systems open the image in a basic editor automatically — Windows Screenshot opens in Snip & Sketch, Mac opens Markup, and Linux tools vary. These editors let you crop out more, blur sensitive text or faces, draw arrows or boxes to highlight something, or add text.
If you need more advanced editing (resizing, changing colors, removing objects), use a dedicated image editor like GIMP (free, all platforms), Photoshop (paid, Windows and Mac), or Paint.NET (free, Windows only). For most purposes, the built-in editor is enough.
Before you share a screenshot with anyone, scan it for information you did not mean to include — usernames, email addresses, file paths, timestamps, or other people's names. Blur or crop those parts out. If you're sharing with tech support or a developer, they usually only need the error message or the specific part that's broken, so a partial screenshot saves them time too.
Partial screenshots versus full screenshots
A full screenshot captures everything on your monitor, which means everything is in the image — your taskbar, your other open windows, your desktop background, all of it. A partial screenshot captures only the box you draw, so you control what's visible. This matters for privacy: if you're showing someone a form you filled out, a partial screenshot keeps your other open tabs and notifications private.
Partial screenshots are also smaller files. A full 1920×1080 screenshot is roughly 100 to 300 KB depending on what's on screen; a partial screenshot of a dialog box might be 10 to 50 KB. If you're emailing screenshots or uploading them to a slow connection, the smaller file is noticeably faster.
The trade-off is that a partial screenshot gives less context. If you're asking someone for help and they need to see what's around the error, a full screenshot might be better. But in most cases — showing a receipt, sharing a quote, reporting a bug in a specific field — partial is the right choice.
When to use a recording instead of a screenshot
If the thing you want to capture moves, changes, or requires you to click through steps, a screenshot won't work. Use a screen recording tool instead. Windows has Xbox Game Bar (press Windows key + G), Mac has Screenshot tool with recording option (press Shift + Command + 5), and Linux has SimpleScreenRecorder or OBS Studio. All of these let you select a region before you start recording, so the video file stays small and focused.
A recording is also better if you're showing someone how to do something step-by-step, or if you need to capture a notification that disappears after a few seconds. The downside is that video files are much larger than images, so they take longer to upload and share.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I capture part of my screen without saving a file?
Yes. On Windows, use Screenshot (Windows key + Shift + S) — it copies to your clipboard by default. On Mac, hold Space while dragging with Shift + Command + 4 to copy instead of save. On Linux, most tools have a "copy to clipboard" option in the menu. Once it's in your clipboard, paste it directly into an email, chat, or document.
What if I need to blur or hide part of the screenshot?
After you capture, open the image in the built-in editor (Snip & Sketch on Windows, Markup on Mac, or your Linux tool's editor). Most have a blur or pixelate tool. If not, use GIMP or Paint.NET. Draw over the sensitive area with the blur tool, and it becomes unreadable before you save.
How do I capture a menu or dropdown that disappears when I move the mouse?
Open your screenshot tool first, then trigger the menu. On Windows, press Windows key + Shift + S, then quickly move to the menu and drag. On Mac, press Shift + Command + 4, then move to the menu and drag. You have a few seconds before the tool times out. If that's too fast, take a full screenshot instead, then crop it in an editor afterward.
Is there a way to capture part of my screen on my phone?
Yes. On iPhone, press the Side button and Volume Up together, then tap "Screenshot" in the notification. On Android, press Power and Volume Down together. Both let you crop the image when ready after. Some phones also have a "partial screenshot" or "scrolling screenshot" option in the quick settings menu.
Can I set up a keyboard shortcut for partial screenshots?
Windows and Mac have built-in shortcuts (Windows key + Shift + S on Windows, Shift + Command + 4 on Mac). On Linux, you can set a custom shortcut in your system settings to launch Flameshot or your preferred tool. Right-click the desktop, choose "Settings", find "Keyboard Shortcuts", and assign a key combination to the command that opens your screenshot tool.