How to Screenshot on Windows and Edit Your Screenshots
The Windows 10 and 11 shortcuts, where each screenshot is saved, and how to mark it up with arrows, hide data and share it looking polished.
What you'll find here
On this page · 6 sections
Taking a screenshot on Windows is easy, but there are several ways to do it and each one puts the image in a different place. Some copy it so you can paste it, others save it to a folder, and others let you pick just part of the screen.
Here are all the Windows 10 and 11 shortcuts, where each screenshot is saved, and how to edit it before sending it: point things out with arrows, number the steps and hide personal data.
1Every shortcut to screenshot on Windows
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
Windows + Shift + S | An area, a window, the whole screen or a freeform shape, with Snipping Tool | Copied so you can paste it; Snipping Tool can also save it automatically |
PrtSc | The whole screen. On Windows 11 it usually opens Snipping Tool, like the shortcut above | Copied so you can paste it |
Windows + PrtSc | The whole screen | Saved to Pictures › Screenshots |
Alt + PrtSc | Only the window you're using | Copied so you can paste it |
Windows + Shift + R | A video of the screen, with Snipping Tool (Windows 11) | Saved to Videos › Screen Recordings |
Tip
On some laptops the key is labeled PrtSc, PrtScn or Print Screen, and you may need to press it together with the Fn key.
2Where screenshots are saved
If you use Windows + PrtSc, the screenshot is saved automatically to the Pictures › Screenshots folder. With the other shortcuts, the image is only copied: you have to paste it with Ctrl+V into an email, a chat, Word or Paint.
On Windows 11, Snipping Tool can automatically save every screenshot to that same folder. If you can't find it, open Snipping Tool, go to its settings and check the option to save screenshots automatically.
3Edit with Windows Snipping Tool
When you take a screenshot with Windows + Shift + S, a notification appears in the corner of the screen. Click it and the screenshot opens in Snipping Tool, where you can crop it, draw with a pen or highlighter, add shapes like arrows and rectangles, and save it as PNG or JPG.
Snipping Tool also copies the text from the image with Text actions and can hide the emails and phone numbers it detects in one click. For simple markup, that's enough. If you take screenshots every day for customers or coworkers, it falls short: it has no step numbers, no way to pixelate a specific area, and no way to keep the screenshot in view while you work.
4Screenshots with a full editor, for free
NexoPad for Windows is a free Microsoft Store app that types your texts with shortcuts in any program and includes a screenshot tool with an editor. Press Alt+2 (you can change the key in Preferences) in any program, including your browser.
At the top you'll see the Area, Window and Screen modes, a 3, 5 or 10 second countdown to capture menus that close on their own, and Repeat last area. While you drag, you see the exact size in pixels. If you have several monitors, you can capture on any of them.
Mark up, hide and share your screenshot
Point out what matters
Use arrows, shapes, text or bubbles and step numbers (1, 2, 3…) to explain a process. With the spotlight, everything darkens except what you mark, and stamps (✓ ✗ ! ★) show what's right or wrong in one click.
Hide personal data
With Hide (B key) you drag over names, emails, phone numbers or addresses and choose Pixelate, Blur or Cover. Always do this before sending a screenshot with customer data.
Make it look good
Beautify adds a colored background, margin, rounded corners and a shadow. It's ready for a presentation, a guide or a post.
Copy it, save it or pin it
Press Enter to copy it and paste it with Ctrl+V. You can also save it as PNG or JPG, or pin it: it stays floating on top of your windows so you can check it while you type.
Download NexoPad for Windows
Screenshots with an editor, pixelate and copy text. Free on the Microsoft Store, for Windows 10 and 11.
5Tips for clearer screenshots
- Capture only what you need. A small area is easier to understand than the whole screen and doesn't show things you'd rather keep private.
- Number the steps. If you're explaining how to do something, the numbers 1, 2, 3 save a lot of words.
- Check before sending. Emails, phone numbers, open tabs or notifications can sneak into the screenshot. Hide them.
- Use the countdown for menus. Drop-down menus close when you press a key; with 3 seconds of lead time you have time to open them.
- Repeat the same area. If you're comparing a before and after, Repeat last area captures exactly the same box.
Tip
Looking for another screenshot tool? We compare Lightshot, ShareX, Greenshot, Snagit and more in Lightshot alternatives. And if you need the text from a screenshot, see how to copy text from an image on Windows.
6FAQ
How do I take a screenshot on Windows 11?
Press Windows + Shift + S, pick the area and the screenshot is copied so you can paste it with Ctrl+V. If you want it saved automatically, press Windows + PrtSc: it goes to Pictures › Screenshots.
Where are screenshots saved on Windows?
Those taken with Windows + PrtSc (and Snipping Tool ones, if auto-save is turned on) go to Pictures › Screenshots. The rest are only copied, so you have to paste them into a program.
How do I capture just one window?
Click the window and press Alt + PrtSc. With Snipping Tool or NexoPad you can also choose the Window mode and click the one you want.
How do I capture a whole web page?
Snipping Tool and NexoPad capture what's visible on the screen. For a full scrolling page, Microsoft Edge has its own web capture tool (Ctrl + Shift + S) with an option to capture the full page.
How do I hide personal data in a screenshot?
With NexoPad, choose Hide and drag over the data: you can pixelate, blur or cover it. Snipping Tool can hide the emails and phone numbers it detects, but not any area you choose.
Is NexoPad free?
Yes. NexoPad for Windows is a free download from the Microsoft Store and the screenshot editor is included in the free plan. You need a NexoPad account, which is also free.
Published on October 25, 20267 min read
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