How to take a screenshot on Windows 10
Short answer: On Windows 10, press Windows + Shift + S to open Snip & Sketch and drag over the area you want. Click the notification to annotate, then press Ctrl + S to save the file.
Last verified: 2026-08-01
Snip & Sketch step by step
- 1Press Windows + Shift + SThe Windows 10 screen dims and a small capture bar appears at the top of the display.
- 2Choose a capture modeRectangular snip, free-form snip, window snip or full-screen snip. Window snip is the cleanest way to capture a single application.
- 3Select the areaDrag across the region, or click the window you want. The capture is copied to the clipboard immediately.
- 4Open the editorClick the notification in the corner to open Snipping Tool, where you can crop, annotate and undo.
- 5Save the filePress Ctrl + S and choose PNG for interface screenshots or JPG when file size matters.
Make Print Screen open the snip overlay
- 1Open SettingsPress Windows + I.
- 2Go to Ease of Access > KeyboardScroll to the Print Screen shortcut section.
- 3Turn on the togglePrint Screen now opens the Snip & Sketch overlay instead of copying the whole screen.
Windows 10 screenshot shortcuts
These shortcuts are part of Windows itself and work in File Explorer, Chrome and any desktop application.
| Shortcut | What it does | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Open the snipping overlay: rectangular, free-form, window or full-screen snip. Result goes to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Print Screen | Copy the whole screen to the clipboard. On Windows 11 this can be set to open the snipping overlay instead. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Alt + Print Screen | Copy only the active window to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Print Screen | Save the whole screen straight to Pictures\Screenshots as a PNG file. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | Save the active window as a PNG through Xbox Game Bar, into Videos\Captures. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + G | Open Xbox Game Bar, which includes a capture widget for stills and screen recording. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Fn + Print Screen | On many Windows laptops the Print Screen key is shared with another function and needs the Fn key. | Windows laptops |
Where Windows saves your screenshots
- Windows + Print Screen saves PNG files to This PC \ Pictures \ Screenshots.
- Windows + Alt + Print Screen saves to This PC \ Videos \ Captures via Xbox Game Bar.
- Windows + Shift + S copies to the clipboard first; the file only exists once you save it from the Snipping Tool editor.
- Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen copy to the clipboard only — paste into an editor or document with Ctrl + V.
You can move the Screenshots folder: right-click it, open Properties, then the Location tab, and choose a new path.
Recommended Windows software
Snipping Tool
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Microsoft's built-in Windows screenshot tool for rectangular, window, free-form and full-screen snips, opened with Windows + Shift + S.
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ShareX
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Free, open-source Windows screenshot and screen capture software with scrolling capture, OCR, screen recording and scriptable after-capture workflows.
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Greenshot
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A small, fast open-source screenshot tool for Windows with region and window capture, a simple annotation editor and direct export to file, printer or Office.
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PicPick
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Windows screenshot software combining region, window and scrolling capture with an image editor, colour picker, ruler, protractor and whiteboard.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Snip & Sketch still in Windows 10?
- Yes. Windows 10 includes both Snip & Sketch and the classic Snipping Tool.