A screenshot is an image taken of the content on the screen. It can be a part of the screen or the entire screen. Screenshots can be convenient in various situations. If you want to send a shot of a strange message to your IT Head, capture tweets before they are deleted, or save a dress style that you wish to get stitched, screenshots are a good option. Several methods are available if you want to capture a screenshot of something on Windows 10 or Windows 11 devices. There are tools to improve the quality of the screenshot as well.
In this article, we have listed 8 simple ways that can be used to capture and save screenshots on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers.
8 Methods to Capture Screenshots on Windows 10 & Windows 11 in 2024
Method 1-Pressing Windows+ Print Screen Keys together
If you want to capture your entire screen and automatically save the screenshot as well, press/tap the Windows Key + Print Screen Keys together. As soon as you press the combination, the screen will go dim to indicate taking a screenshot and the screenshot will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder on your device.
Method 2- Using the Print Screen (Prt Sc) Key
To capture your entire screen, tap the Print Screen (Prt Sc) key on your device. This will copy your screenshot to your clipboard but not save it as a file. To save it, you will need to open an image editing tool (Microsoft Paint), paste the screenshot into the editor, and save the file from there.
To set the Print Screen button to open the Snip & Sketch tool, you have to go to Setting> Ease of Access > Keyboard and toggle Use the PrtSc button to open screen snipping under the Print Screen shortcut.
Method 3- Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool is a powerful feature of most Windows computers and can be used to create images of the device’s screen. The tool has been around since Windows Vista and although Windows keeps saying that the tool is going away, it is still alive and kicking on Windows 11. The tool has been delisted from the list of apps in the Start Menu, but you can still easily access it via the search bar.
Search for Snip Tool and then click the ‘New’ button to begin the screenshot process. The default snip type is rectangular, but you can also opt for free-form, full-screen, and Windows snips. After you have created your screenshot, it will not be automatically saved, so you will have to manually save it in the tool before you exit it.
Method 4- Snip & Sketch
Just like Snip Tool, Snip & Sketch is also a tool that makes it easier to access, share and create screenshots. This tool can capture a screenshot of a window on your desktop now, which was earlier not allowed. You can access it using the Search Bar or with the keyboard shortcut Windows key+ Shift+ S. The tool can also be found in the notification panel where it’s listed as Screen Snip.
When you use this tool, your screen will be dimmed and a tiny menu will be displayed at the top of your screen that lets you choose which type of screenshot you want- rectangular, free form, full-screen, or window. After you have taken the screenshot, it will be saved to your clipboard and show up for a moment as a notification in the lower-right corner of your screen. Tap or click on the notification to open the screenshot in the Snip and Sketch app to annotate, save, or share it.
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Method 5- Alt+ Print Screen
To take a quick screenshot of the active window, use the keyboard shortcut Alt+PrtScn. Your screenshot of the active window will be snapped and then you can copy it to the clipboard. You will need an image editor to copy the screenshot to it and then you can save it wherever you like.
Method 6- Keyboard Shortcut
In case your device doesn’t have a Print Screen key, there is a keyboard shortcut that can be used. Press the Fn+ Windows Logo key+ Space Bar to take a screenshot. The screenshot will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots Folder.
Method 7- Windows Logo + Volume Down Key
If you are using a Microsoft Surface device, you can use physical buttons to take a screenshot. Hold down the Windows Logo touch button at the bottom of your surface screen and hit the physical volume down button on the side of the tablet. The screen will dim for a few seconds and the screenshot will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
Method 8- Game Bar
The game bar can be used to snap a screenshot, whether you are in the middle of playing a game or not. For the game bar to take a screenshot, you will have to enable it from the settings menu by toggling on the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcasts using the Game bar. Hit the Windows key + G key to call up the game bar. Click on the screenshot button in the game bar to use the default keyboard shortcut Windows + Alt+ PrtScn to capture a full-screen screenshot. If you want to set your Game bar screenshot keyboard shortcut, go to Settings > Gaming > Game bar.
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