Press Windows logo key + Shift + S. Windows 10 dims the display and opens the screen-snipping overlay. Choose Rectangular for a normal box, drag around the area you need, then use the notification to annotate or save the image—or paste it directly into another app. The capture is copied to your clipboard automatically.
Capture a selected area with the keyboard shortcut
- Prepare the screen. Open the window, document, webpage or dialog you want to capture and arrange it so the required content is visible.
- Open the snipping overlay. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S at the same time. The display dims and a snipping toolbar appears.
- Choose a capture mode. Select Rectangular for a box-shaped region. Use Freeform for an irregular outline, Window for one application window, or Full screen for the entire display.
- Select the content. For Rectangular or Freeform, click and drag around the area. Release the mouse button when the boundary covers everything you need. Window and Full screen can capture immediately after you choose the mode or target.
- Open or paste the result. The snip is copied to the clipboard. Select the notification that appears to open it in Snipping Tool, or press Ctrl + V in a document, email, chat, presentation or image editor.
This is a still-image workflow. It does not start video recording, and it does not require a separate keyboard, mouse or capture card.
Which snipping mode should you use?
| Mode | Selection boundary | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangular | A box that you draw | A paragraph, control, image or other neat portion of the screen |
| Freeform | An outline you draw by hand | An irregular shape when a rectangle would include unwanted material |
| Window | One selected application window | A complete app window without manually tracing its edges |
| Full screen | Everything visible on the display | The whole desktop when a partial selection is not required |
For the question “how do I screenshot part of the screen,” Rectangular is usually the quickest choice. Freeform is useful when the subject has a non-rectangular boundary, while Window is preferable when you want an entire application rather than a manually selected patch.
Where the screenshot goes
After you finish selecting, Windows copies the image to the clipboard. That means there may not be a file in a folder yet. Use one of these two paths:
#1 Best Overall
- KEYBOARD: The keyboard works for Windows with hot keys that enable easy access to Media, My Computer, Mute, Volume up/down, and Calculator
- EASY SETUP: Experience simple installation with the USB wired connection
- VERSATILE COMPATIBILITY: This keyboard is designed to work with multiple Windows versions, including Vista, 7, 8, 10 offering broad compatibility across devices.
- SLEEK DESIGN: The elegant black color of the wired keyboard complements your tech and decor, adding a stylish and cohesive look to any setup without sacrificing function.
- FULL-SIZED CONVENIENCE: The standard QWERTY layout of this keyboard set offers a familiar typing experience, ideal for both professional tasks and personal use.
- Paste immediately: focus the destination app and press Ctrl + V. This is the fastest way to put the snip into a message, document or graphics program.
- Open Snipping Tool: select the on-screen notification. The capture opens in Snipping Tool, where you can make changes, annotate it and save it. Use the tool’s save control or press Ctrl + S.
If you dismiss the notification, the clipboard copy can still be pasted while it remains available. Saving through Snipping Tool creates the image file only when you choose a destination and confirm the save.
A dependable Windows 10 workflow
Use a rectangular snip for precise crops
Move the pointer to one corner of the desired area before dragging. Include a small amount of surrounding context when another person needs to understand what they are seeing, but leave out unrelated windows, private messages and browser tabs. If the boundary is wrong, cancel that attempt and invoke the shortcut again rather than trying to repair a poorly selected crop in another application.
Use Freeform only when the shape matters
Freeform is helpful for an irregular object, but its hand-drawn edge can be less predictable than a rectangle. For screenshots used in documentation or bug reports, Rectangular generally produces the clearest result.
Rank #2
- Reliable Plug and Play: The USB receiver provides a reliable wireless connection up to 33 ft (1), so you can forget about drop-outs and delays and you can take it wherever you use your computer
- Type in Comfort: The design of this keyboard creates a comfortable typing experience thanks to the low-profile, quiet keys and standard layout with full-size F-keys, number pad, and arrow keys
- Durable and Resilient: This full-size wireless keyboard features a spill-resistant design (2), durable keys and sturdy tilt legs with adjustable height
- Long Battery Life: MK270 combo features a 36-month keyboard and 12-month mouse battery life (3), along with on/off switches allowing you to go months without the hassle of changing batteries
- Easy to Use: This wireless keyboard and mouse combo features 8 multimedia hotkeys for instant access to the Internet, email, play/pause, and volume so you can easily check out your favorite sites
Choose Window when the whole app matters
Window mode avoids accidentally cutting off a title bar, toolbar or status area. It is also faster than tracing a large application manually. If you need only one control inside that window, return to Rectangular mode.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Check the clipboard before closing the source
Because the initial result is a clipboard image, paste it into the destination or open the notification before closing the application that contains the content. For a durable copy, save it from Snipping Tool with Ctrl + S.
Troubleshooting the shortcut
Nothing happens when you press Windows + Shift + S
Microsoft notes that shortcut behavior can vary in some applications. Open Start, type Snipping Tool, and launch it from the search results. Use its capture mode and new-capture controls instead of relying on the keyboard overlay.
Rank #3
- All-day Comfort: The design of this standard keyboard creates a comfortable typing experience thanks to the deep-profile keys and full-size standard layout with F-keys and number pad
- Easy to Set-up and Use: Set-up couldn't be easier, you simply plug in this corded keyboard via USB on your desktop or laptop and start using right away without any software installation
- Compatibility: This full-size keyboard is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 or later, plus it's a reliable and durable partner for your desk at home, or at work
- Spill-proof: This durable keyboard features a spill-resistant design (1), anti-fade keys and sturdy tilt legs with adjustable height, meaning this keyboard is built to last
- Plastic parts in K120 include 51% certified post-consumer recycled plastic*
The screen dims, but you cannot select an area
- Confirm that you selected Rectangular or Freeform before dragging; Window and Full screen use a different target step.
- Move the pointer to the intended starting corner, hold the primary mouse button, drag across the region and release.
- If the overlay closes without a useful selection, press Windows logo key + Shift + S again and retry.
You missed the notification
Launch Snipping Tool from Start and use its capture controls to take the snip again. For future captures, paste immediately with Ctrl + V so the clipboard copy is used without depending on the notification.
The pasted image is not available
Run the shortcut again, complete the selection and paste directly into a destination app. If you need a file rather than a clipboard image, select the notification and save from Snipping Tool with its save control or Ctrl + S.
The screenshot includes too much or too little
Repeat the capture with Rectangular mode and start the drag from a more precise corner. Use Window mode when the required boundary is the application itself, or Freeform when a rectangle always includes unwanted areas.
Rank #4
- Fluid Typing Experience: Laptop-like profile with spherically-dished keys shaped for your fingertips delivers a fast, fluid, precise and quieter typing experience
- Automate Repetitive Tasks: Easily create and share time-saving Smart Actions shortcuts to perform multiple actions with a single keystroke with the Logi Options+ app (1)
- Smarter Illumination: Backlit keyboard keys light up as your hands approach and adapt to the environment; Now with more lighting customizations on Logi Options+ (1)
- More Comfort, Deeper Focus: Work for longer with a solid build, low-profile design and an optimum keyboard angle that is better for your wrist posture
- Multi-Device, Multi OS Bluetooth Keyboard: Pair with up to 3 devices on nearly any operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, Googlebook OS) via Bluetooth Low Energy or included Logi Bolt USB receiver (2)
You need annotations or a permanent file
Open the result in Snipping Tool from the notification. Microsoft’s guide describes the tool as the place to make changes, annotate, save and share the captured image. Clipboard-only captures are convenient for quick pastes, but saving is the safer choice for records, tickets and documentation.
What Windows 10’s built-in tool does—and does not do
- Included: a keyboard shortcut, rectangular and freeform region selection, window capture, full-screen capture, clipboard copying, annotation and saving through Snipping Tool.
- Not required: paid software or dedicated capture hardware for a partial still image.
- Separate concern: capturing a live local desktop is different from requesting an image of a public webpage from a remote service.
Use the built-in workflow when the pixels you need are currently on your Windows 10 display. It keeps the selection under your control and gives you an immediate clipboard result.
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If what you actually need is a screenshot of a webpage for a script, build pipeline or AI agent—not a crop of your physical Windows desktop—ScreenshotNeo returns a webpage image or PDF through one request. It accepts a URL and can produce PNG, JPEG or WebP output, or a PDF. The service handles browser rendering on its side, so you do not need to open the page and drag a selection.
Best Value
- All-day Comfort: This USB keyboard creates a comfortable and familiar typing experience thanks to the deep-profile keys and standard full-size layout with all F-keys, number pad and arrow keys
- Built to Last: The spill-proof (2) design and durable print characters keep you on track for years to come despite any on-the-job mishaps; it’s a reliable partner for your desk at home, or at work
- Long-lasting Battery Life: A 24-month battery life (4) means you can go for 2 years without the hassle of changing batteries of your wireless full-size keyboard
- Simply plug the USB receiver into a USB port on your desktop, laptop or netbook computer and start using the keyboard right away without any software installation
- Simply Wireless: Forget about drop-outs and delays thanks to a strong, reliable wireless connection with up to 33 ft range (5); K270 is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 or later
Before capture, ScreenshotNeo can accept consent banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be disabled. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and each response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
cURL
See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for authentication and options. This request writes a WebP screenshot to shot.webp:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' }); const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);Options for automated webpage captures
ScreenshotNeo includes full-page capture with lazy images loaded, CSS-selector element capture, dark mode, 12 device presets plus custom viewports, retina scale, PDF paper sizes and margins, landscape orientation and page ranges. You can also provide custom CSS or JavaScript, click an element before capture, hide selectors, wait for a selector, delay or network idle, block ads, trackers, requests or resource types, and set headers, cookies, user agent, Authorization, timezone or geolocation. Transparent backgrounds, image resizing, selectable cache TTLs, signed links for public <img> tags, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call, a usage API and an OpenAPI specification are available. Parameter names used by other screenshot APIs also work, which can simplify a migration.
An MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf to Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients. That is useful when an AI agent needs to inspect a page without operating your local Windows desktop.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Plans and billing
| Plan | Allowance | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 shots per month | No charge; no card required |
| Starter | 3,000 shots | $5 |
| Growth | 15,000 shots | $15 |
| Pro | 60,000 shots | $39 |
| Scale | 250,000 shots | $99 |
| Business | 1,000,000 shots | $249 |
Yearly billing provides two months free, and every feature is included on every plan. These plans apply to automated webpage screenshots; the Windows shortcut remains the right choice for a local, manually selected desktop region.
Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to get 1,000 screenshots each month with no card required. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Quick Recap
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