The Print Screen key—often labeled PrtSc or PrtScn—is a keyboard shortcut for capturing screen content in Windows. Depending on your Windows settings and keyboard, pressing it may open the screen-snipping overlay or copy a screenshot to the clipboard. For a full-screen screenshot saved as a file, use Windows key + PrtScn; to select an area, use Windows key + Shift + S.
What is the Print Screen key?
Print Screen is a keyboard key used to capture an image of screen content. Microsoft says it is usually near the upper-right area of a keyboard. Its label can vary: look for PrtSc, PrtScn or PrntScrn. Some keyboards put another legend, such as SysRq, on the same key. Keyboard layouts differ, so check the other legends and the manufacturer’s guide if you cannot find it. Microsoft documents the key’s labels, placement and screen-copy behavior.
Despite its name, pressing the key does not send a page to a printer. It captures screen content; you can paste the image into a compatible app or save it as a file. Which capture you get depends on the shortcut, Windows settings and, on some keyboards, whether you need to use an Fn key.
What happens when you press Print Screen?
There is not one dependable result for every Windows PC. Microsoft’s current shortcut guidance describes the Print Screen button as opening screen snipping and copying the capture to the clipboard. The same guidance says you can turn that behavior off at Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping. Other Microsoft help instructions describe Print Screen as copying the whole screen. These descriptions make the setting and the selected shortcut important: do not assume a bare press will save a file automatically on every device.
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When the key copies an image to the clipboard, nothing necessarily appears on screen as a saved file. Open an app that accepts images—such as a document or image editor—and press Ctrl + V to paste it. Save the image from that app if you need a file. Microsoft’s Windows keyboard-shortcut reference covers the Print Screen setting and related shortcuts.
Which screenshot shortcut should you use?
| What you want | Shortcut or method | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Capture the entire screen and save a file | Windows key + PrtScn | Microsoft documents saving screenshots to Pictures > Screenshots. Availability can depend on the keyboard or device. |
| Select part of the screen | Windows key + Shift + S | Opens the screen-snipping overlay. Select an area, then use the clipboard or Snipping Tool to edit or save it. |
| Capture the active window | Alt + PrtScn | Copies the active window image to the clipboard. Paste it into an app with Ctrl + V. |
| No dedicated PrtScn key | Fn + Windows key + Space bar | Microsoft lists this as an alternative on some hardware; Fn behavior varies by keyboard and device. |
| Choose a capture type or annotate | Open Snipping Tool | Choose a freeform, rectangular, window or full-screen capture, then annotate, save or share it. |
The file-saving shortcut and the clipboard shortcuts have different destinations. Use Windows key + PrtScn when you want a saved full-screen image, and check Pictures > Screenshots. Use Alt + PrtScn when you only need the active window in another app. For a selected region or more capture controls, use Windows key + Shift + S to open snipping. Microsoft’s accessibility shortcut reference lists the full-screen shortcut and Screenshots folder.
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How to take a screenshot with Print Screen
Save the full screen as an image
- Press Windows key + PrtScn. On some keyboards, you may need to hold Fn as well; check the device’s keyboard guide if the shortcut does nothing.
- Open File Explorer and go to Pictures > Screenshots.
- Open the screenshot there to view, edit or move it. Microsoft notes that Snipping Tool’s automatic saving behavior and default folder can be changed in settings, so if you used Snipping Tool, check its settings if the expected file is not there.
Microsoft’s support page for the Print Screen keyboard shortcut applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 and documents the Pictures > Screenshots location.
Capture a selected region
- Press Windows key + Shift + S.
- Choose the capture shape offered in the overlay, then select or draw the area you want.
- Use the resulting clipboard capture by pasting it into an app, or open it in Snipping Tool to edit and save it.
For an area capture, this is often more direct than taking a full-screen screenshot and cropping it later. The overlay is part of Windows screen snipping; saving the capture is a separate step unless you use Snipping Tool’s save controls.
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Capture only the active window
- Click the window you want to capture so it is active.
- Press Alt + PrtScn.
- Open an app that accepts images and press Ctrl + V. Save the pasted image from that app if you need a file.
This method copies the active window rather than saving a screenshot file directly. If you need to mark up the capture or choose a different region, use Snipping Tool instead.
Using Snipping Tool instead
Snipping Tool is Microsoft’s built-in option for capturing and working with screenshots. Open it from the Start menu, or press Windows key + Shift + S to open the image-snipping overlay. Microsoft lists freeform, rectangle, window and full-screen capture options, along with annotation, saving and sharing. Its current guidance also documents Windows key + Shift + R for video capture. Video capture is different from the still-image capture made by Print Screen.
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Some options are limited by device. Microsoft says Perfect Screenshot and Color Picker are available only on Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs; do not expect those features on every Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer. For the current capture and editing instructions, see Microsoft’s Snipping Tool guide.
How to take a screenshot without a Print Screen key
If your keyboard has no dedicated PrtScn button, first check whether the key is printed as a secondary legend on another key. Microsoft lists Fn + Windows key + Space bar as an alternative for some hardware. Microsoft describes the result as a screenshot that can then be printed, but Fn combinations are device-dependent; consult the keyboard or computer manufacturer’s instructions if it does not work. The alternative is to press Windows key + Shift + S and select the screen area with the snipping overlay.
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Microsoft’s wording is specific: “If your device does not have the PrtScn button, you may use Fn + Windows logo key + Space Bar to take a screenshot, which can then be printed.” That is a documented option, not a guarantee that the same Fn combination works on every keyboard.
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Troubleshooting: when Print Screen does not work
- It opens a selection overlay instead of copying the whole screen. The Print Screen setting may be configured to open screen snipping. Check Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping. You can also use the shortcut that matches the result you want.
- You pressed the key but cannot find a screenshot file. A bare Print Screen press may copy an image to the clipboard rather than save a file. Paste it with Ctrl + V into a compatible app, or use Windows key + PrtScn for the documented full-screen file shortcut.
- The screenshot is not in Pictures > Screenshots. Confirm you used Windows key + PrtScn. If you captured with Snipping Tool, check its save controls and settings, because automatic saving and the default folder can be changed.
- The keyboard has no labeled PrtScn key. Look for a secondary legend and try Fn + Windows key + Space bar if your device supports it. Fn behavior varies; use the manufacturer’s keyboard guide or the Windows snipping overlay.
- Alt + PrtScn captured the wrong window. Activate the window you need before pressing the shortcut, then paste the clipboard image into an app.
- You need a crop, annotation or a timed workflow. Open Snipping Tool, which offers capture modes and editing features. It is a better fit than expecting the bare key to provide those controls.
Choosing the right capture method
Pick the method by the capture area and where you need the result to go. For a whole-screen image saved as a file, use Windows key + PrtScn. For an active window copied for pasting, use Alt + PrtScn. For a chosen area, or when you want Snipping Tool’s capture and markup controls, use Windows key + Shift + S. If the keyboard lacks the key, try the device-dependent Fn combination or open the snipping overlay. If you want a screenshot of a webpage by URL rather than the Windows desktop, use a webpage capture tool such as ScreenshotNeo, not the keyboard key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does pressing Print Screen print the screenshot on paper?
No. The key captures screen content; printing it requires pasting or saving the image and then printing from an app.
Can Print Screen capture a video?
Print Screen is for still-image captures. Microsoft’s Snipping Tool guidance lists Windows key + Shift + R for video capture.
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