All Ways to Take Screenshots in Windows 11

There are several ways to take a screenshot in Windows 11. Most of the screenshot shortcuts are the same as in Windows 10 , but there are also a few lesser-known screen capture features unique to Windows 11, including tools that let you capture specific parts of the screen. of your screen is easier than saving an image of your entire desktop or relying on third-party apps.

Print screen shortcuts

Let’s start with the most obvious method: the Print Screen key (shortened to “PrntScrn” on some keyboards), which is a dedicated button for taking screenshots of your keyboard.

Full-size keyboards usually have a dedicated Print Screen key, but on smaller keyboards and laptops the Print Screen key is often used as a secondary function elsewhere (usually on the F12 key), in which case you need to press the “FN” key and then the “FN”. Press the Print Screen key at the same time.

There are several ways to use this key to take screenshots, but here are the most common:

• Press the Windows key + Print Screen key to save a PNG image of what’s currently on your screen in your Pictures > Screenshots folder.

• Another standard Windows screenshot method is to simply press Print Screen (or FN + Print Screen ) to copy an image of the current desktop to the clipboard. After copying the screenshot, open any image editing application or word processing application that supports images and paste it ( right click > Paste or press Ctrl + V ), then save the document.

• Press Alt + Print Screen to copy a screenshot of only the window or application that you are actively using to the clipboard. Before clicking the shortcut, be sure to click the application window or folder you want to capture. Don’t forget to paste and save the screenshot in another program.

• If your keyboard doesn’t have a Print Screen key at all, the Windows key + FN + Spacebar will also copy the screenshot to the clipboard.

Screen Clipping and Clip & Sketch tools

Along with the default Print Screen shortcuts, Windows 11 also has two built-in apps that let you click and drag to select specific areas to screenshot: Screen Clipping and Clip & Sketch.

Technically, both applications integrate with each other; you use Snip & Sketch to take a screenshot, then the Snipping Tool to crop, edit, or draw over the selection and save it directly as an image. The Snipping Menu also includes a capture delay, so you can take a screenshot three, five, or 10 seconds later.

The easiest way to get started is to search for Snipping Tool in the Start menu and open it from the search results.

Additionally, you can change the Print Key feature to open Snipping Tool instead of taking a screenshot. This is done in the Windows 11 settings menu:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.

2. Enable “Use the Print Screen button to open a screen snippet.”

3. Close the Settings menu, then tap Print Screen to open Snipping Tool.

Here’s how to take a screenshot using the tool after opening it:

1. Click New from the Snips pop-up menu or press Windows Key + Shift + S to start a new capture with Snip & Sketch. If desired, you can also adjust the capture delay.

2. A tiny menu will appear at the top of the screen and your desktop will darken slightly.

3. The menu includes four icons that will change the shape of your snippet: the first icon on the left is a rectangular selection, the second is a “free-form” selection, the third locks the currently selected application window or folder (for example, Alt + Print Screen), and the most the right icon is a full-screen snapshot (for example, pressing the Print Screen key or Windows key + Print Screen).

4. Click the selection type you want, then click and drag to select the part of the screen you want to save as a screenshot.

5. The image will open in the Snipping Tool menu. There will be several editing options, including pen tools, image cropping, and other settings that you can use if you wish.

6. Click the Save icon to save the image to your Pictures > Screenshots folder.

You can also use Snip & Sketch without using the Snipping Tool (confusing, I know):

1. Press the Windows key + Shift + S any time you’re not using the Snipping Tool to open Sketch & Slice instead. This skips the Snipping Tool menu for setting delay timers and takes you straight to the screenshot menu.

2. Once you take a screenshot, it will be copied to your clipboard so you can paste and save it elsewhere.

3. You can also click the toast notification to open the screenshot in Snipping Tool so you can edit it and save it as an image.

Take screenshots using the Xbox Game Bar.

The last method we’ll look at for taking screenshots in Windows 11 is using the Xbox Game Bar. Xbox Game Bar comes pre-installed in Windows 10 and 11 and includes several tools like an audio mixer, Xbox Social Menu, and screen capture tools that are great for recording game videos or screenshots, but you can also use it to take snapshots screen. everything that’s on the screen.

1. Press Windows key + G to open the Xbox Game Bar overlay.

2. Find the Snapshot window (located in the top left corner by default) and click the camera icon to take a screenshot. Instead, you can also press the Windows + Alt + Print Screen key combination to take a screenshot.

3. Screenshots of the Xbox Game Bar are saved in the Windows 11 Videos folder under Videos > Captures.

Taking screenshots using the Xbox Game Bar is functionally similar to taking screenshots using the Print Screen shortcuts or cropping tools, but it’s a decent backup option. And since Xbox Game Bar screenshots are saved in a different folder, this can be useful for storing certain screenshots, such as gameplay images, in a separate directory.

With numerous keyboard shortcuts and built-in Snipping, Sketch & Slice, and Xbox Game Bar apps, you now have plenty of ways to take a screenshot in Windows 11.

Updated January 10, 2024 with information about Xbox Game Bar screenshots and updated activities for the latest version of Windows 11.

[ As a computer geek ]

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