If you're like most of us, you take screenshots on your phone all the time. But you can do the same thing on your laptop—and it's just as easy. If you're not sure how, or you'd like to know different ways to do so, we've got you covered.
At Asurion, our experts help millions of people learn how to get more out of their tech every day—from hidden laptop tricks to fixing printers that are offline. Here's how to take screenshots on your laptop, whether it's a Mac® or a PC.
How to take a screenshot on your Windows laptop
If you have a PC that runs Windows™, there are a few different ways to take screenshots.
Use the print screen key
These keyboard shortcuts are the quickest way to take screenshots on your laptop. Here's how to use them:
Take a picture of your entire screen:
On your keyboard, press Windows + PrtScn to take a snapshot of the entire screen and automatically save the photo to your Screenshots folder in Pictures.
Take a screenshot of your active window:
Press Alt + PrtScn to take a screenshot of only the window you're currently using. Press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot into a program like Paint or Photoshop® to save it.
Use Snip & Sketch
To customize and write on your screenshot, try the Snip & Sketch tool.
- On your keyboard, press Windows + Shift + S to open Snip & Sketch.
- Use the buttons along the top of the screen to select a rectangular, freeform, window, or full-screen screenshot.
- Select the part of the screen you want to capture.
- Your screenshot will save to your clipboard, and you'll get a preview notification. Click on it to open the Snip & Sketch app where you can measure, mark up, and crop your image.
Use the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool is another way to customize and write notes on your screenshots. Here's how it works.
- Search “Snipping Tool" in the Windows search bar, then select it from the menu.
- Under Delay, choose if you would like your screenshot to have a time delay. Then click the Mode