› Forums › Gadgets & Consumer Tech › How do I take a screenshot on Windows?
- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Luna. Luna.
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        Hi everyone, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I’ve been using Windows for years and still don’t know the best way to take a screenshot. I’ve heard people talk about the “Print Screen” button, Snipping Tool, and some shortcut with the Windows key, but I always get confused. Sometimes I just want to capture the whole screen, other times just a part of it. I’m also curious — where do the screenshots even go once you take them? Do they get saved automatically, or do I need to paste them somewhere? If any of you have figured out a reliable method, could you share how you do it? Bonus points if you can explain both the quick shortcuts and the more advanced tools built into Windows. 
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				Press PrtScn to copy your whole screen and paste it (Ctrl+V) into Paint or Word. For partial screenshots, use Windows + Shift + S — that opens Snip & Sketch, where you can drag and capture just what you need. I used to struggle with screenshots too. I’d hit Print Screen, paste it in Paint, then crop — which was such a hassle. One day, a coworker showed me the Windows + Shift + S shortcut, and it completely changed the game for me. Now I can just press it, drag a box over what I want, and it instantly copies to my clipboard. If I need a full screenshot saved automatically, I use Windows + PrtScn, and it drops the file straight into my Pictures → Screenshots folder. No more guessing where it went! I remember the first time I used it during a Zoom call — I was able to capture notes on the fly without fumbling around. Ever since, I’ve stuck to those two methods. It’s so much faster than my old copy-paste routine, and it feels like I finally learned a “hidden trick” that was right there all along. Windows provides multiple screenshot methods: PrtScn captures the entire screen to the clipboard, Alt+PrtScn copies the active window, while Windows+Shift+S opens Snip & Sketch for partial captures. Windows+PrtScn saves full-screen images directly to the Pictures folder. These built-in tools illustrate Microsoft’s layered approach, balancing quick access with user control. Hit PrtScn if you’re lazy, or Win+Shift+S if you wanna look pro 😎. Saved me so many times. 
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