The fastest way to capture your screen on HP EliteBook

HP EliteBook laptops come with Windows built-in screenshot tools that work without installing anything. The quickest method is pressing Print Screen (or PrtScn) to copy your entire screen to the clipboard, then pasting it into an image editor or document. If you want to capture only part of your screen, use Windows + Shift + S to open the Snip & Sketch tool, which lets you draw a box around what you want and saves it automatically.

For recording video of your screen — not just a still image — Windows 10 and 11 include the Game Bar, opened by pressing Windows + G. This records everything you see, including audio from your speakers and microphone, and saves the file as an MP4 video you can find in your Videos folder.

All three of these methods are free and built into Windows. You do not need to read software or create an account. The tool you choose depends on whether you need a still image or a video, and whether you want the whole screen or just a portion of it.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Print Screen to copy your entire screen, then paste it into any document or image editor like Paint.
  • Use Windows + Shift + S to select and capture only the part of your screen you need, with automatic saving.
  • Press Windows + G to open Game Bar and record video of your screen with audio included.
  • All three methods are built into Windows and require no software installation or account setup.
  • Screenshots go to your clipboard or a default folder; videos save to your Videos folder as MP4 files.

Using Print Screen for a full-screen capture

The Print Screen key (labeled PrtScn on most keyboards) captures your entire screen and copies it to the clipboard. This is the simplest method if you want everything visible on your monitor at that moment.

Press PrtScn once. Nothing visible happens — the image is now in your clipboard. Open any program where you can paste an image: Microsoft Word, Paint, Outlook, or even an email. Press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot. The image appears in your document and you can then save it as a file.

If you want to save the screenshot as an image file when ready without opening another program, use Windows + Print Screen instead. This captures the screen and automatically saves it as a PNG file in your Pictures folder under a folder called Screenshots. You can find it by opening File Explorer, clicking Pictures on the left, then opening the Screenshots folder.

Capturing only part of your screen with Snip & Sketch

When you need to capture only a portion of your screen — a single window, a paragraph of text, or a specific area — use the Snip & Sketch tool. Press Windows + Shift + S on your keyboard. Your screen will dim slightly and your cursor will change to a crosshair.

Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want to capture. Release the mouse button when you have selected the region. A small notification appears in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click it to open the captured image in Snip & Sketch, where you can annotate it with a pen, highlighter, or eraser if needed.

To save the image, press Ctrl + S while the image is open in Snip & Sketch. Choose where to save it and give it a filename. The image saves as a PNG file. If you do not save it, the image stays in your clipboard and you can paste it into Word, email, or another program with Ctrl + V.

Recording your screen with Game Bar

Game Bar is Windows' built-in screen recording tool. It captures video of everything on your screen, including audio from your speakers and microphone, and saves the file as an MP4 video. Press Windows + G to open it. A panel appears on the left side of your screen with recording controls.

Click the red circle button labeled "Start recording" or press Windows + Alt + R. A small timer appears in the top left corner showing how long you have been recording. Perform whatever action you want to record — open a website, navigate a menu, type in a document. When you are finished, press Windows + Alt + R again or click the stop button in the Game Bar panel.

The video saves automatically to your Videos folder in a subfolder called Captures. Open File Explorer, click Videos on the left side, then open the Captures folder to find your recording. You can play it in Windows Media Player or any video player, or upload it to email or a messaging app.

Adjusting Game Bar settings before recording

Before you record, you may want to check Game Bar settings so the recording captures audio the way you want. Press Windows + G to open Game Bar, then look for a settings icon (usually a gear symbol) in the panel. Click it to open settings.

Look for an "Audio" or "Recording" section. You can usually choose whether to record microphone audio, speaker audio, or both. If you are recording a tutorial and want to narrate it, make sure microphone audio is turned on. If you are recording a video call or a website, speaker audio is what you need. Some versions of Windows let you adjust the audio quality and video resolution here as well.

Close the settings panel and return to Game Bar. Your preferences are saved, so the next time you record, it will use these same settings.

Finding and managing your screenshots and recordings

Screenshots taken with Windows + Print Screen go to your Pictures folder. Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar), click Pictures on the left, then look for a folder called Screenshots. All your captured images are stored there as PNG files.

Videos recorded with Game Bar save to your Videos folder. Open File Explorer, click Videos on the left, then open the Captures subfolder. Each recording is an MP4 file named with the date and time it was recorded. You can rename these files, move them to other folders, or delete them to free up space.

Screenshots pasted from the clipboard (using Ctrl + V) do not save automatically — they exist only in the document or email where you pasted them. If you want to keep them, save the document. If you want to save a clipboard screenshot as its own file, paste it into Paint (search for Paint in the Windows search box), then press Ctrl + S to save it.

Troubleshooting common issues

If Windows + G does not open Game Bar, your graphics driver may need an update. Right-click the Windows Start button, select Device Manager, find Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, and select Update driver. Windows will search for the latest version and install it automatically.

If Game Bar records a black screen or no audio, check that the correct audio input is selected in Game Bar settings. Also make sure the program you are trying to record is not running in full-screen exclusive mode — some older games and applications do not record properly in this mode. Windowed mode usually works better.

If Print Screen does not work, check whether your keyboard has a special function key (often labeled Fn) that needs to be held down. On some HP EliteBook models, you may need to press Fn + PrtScn instead. If that does not work, try using Snip & Sketch with Windows + Shift + S instead, which works on all Windows 10 and 11 systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record just one window instead of my entire screen?

Game Bar records your entire screen by default. If you want to record only one window, open that window and make it the active window (click on it), then start recording. The entire screen will still record, but you can edit the video afterward to crop out the parts you do not need, or ask the person you are sharing it with to focus on that window.

What if I want to edit my screenshot before saving it?

Use Snip & Sketch to capture the area, then use the built-in tools to draw, highlight, or erase parts of the image before saving. For more advanced editing like resizing, cropping, or adding text, paste your screenshot into Paint and use its editing tools. Paint is built into Windows and you can find it by searching for "Paint" in the Windows search box.

How much storage space do video recordings use?

Video file size depends on the length and resolution of your recording. A one-minute video at standard resolution typically uses 10 to 50 MB of space. Longer recordings or higher resolutions use more. Check your available storage in File Explorer by right-clicking your C: drive and selecting Properties.

Can I record audio from a website or video call without recording my microphone?

Yes. Open Game Bar settings before you record and turn off microphone audio while keeping speaker audio on. This records only what you hear from your speakers — the website, video, or call — without picking up background noise from your microphone.

Where do I find the keyboard shortcut keys if my keyboard layout is different?

The shortcuts listed here work on all standard English-language Windows keyboards. If your keyboard uses a different language layout, the key positions may differ but the function remains the same. You can also use the Windows search box to find "Screenshot tool" or "Game Bar" and click them to open without using keyboard shortcuts.