How to Take a Screenshot on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
How to take a screenshot on any device: the exact shortcuts and button combos for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, plus where your screenshots are saved.
This guide is general information only, not professional financial, legal or technical advice. Menus and rules can vary by device and country.
To take a screenshot, press Windows logo key + Shift + S on Windows, Shift + Command + 3 on a Mac, side button + volume up on most iPhones, or Power + Volume down on most Android phones. Each one saves a picture of your screen that you can edit, crop and share.
Quick answer
- Windows: Windows logo key + Shift + S opens the Snipping Tool to grab any area. PrtScn copies the whole screen.
- Mac: Shift + Command + 3 for the full screen, Shift + Command + 4 for part of it, Shift + Command + 5 for all options.
- iPhone with Face ID: Press the side button and volume up together, then let go quickly.
- iPhone with a Home button: Press the side (or top) button and the Home button together.
- Android: Press Power and Volume down at the same time. If that fails, hold Power and tap Screenshot.
How to Take a Screenshot on Windows
The Snipping Tool is the most flexible option because it lets you choose exactly what to capture.
Use the Snipping Tool shortcut
- Press Windows logo key + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
- Pick a snip mode: Rectangle, Window, Full screen or Freeform.
- Drag over the area you want (or click a window for Window mode).
- By default, the snip is saved automatically to your Screenshots folder.
- Open it in the Snipping Tool if you want to mark it up or save an extra copy with Save as.
You can also open the app itself: select Start, type "snipping tool" and choose Snipping Tool. Inside the app, Ctrl + S saves and Ctrl + C copies the snip.
Use the Print Screen key
- PrtScn: Copies an image of the entire screen to the clipboard. Paste it into an email, document or image editor with Ctrl + V.
- Alt + PrtScn: Copies only the active window. Click the window first so it is selected.
- Windows logo key + PrtScn: Takes a full-screen screenshot and saves it as a file.
To find saved screenshots, open File Explorer, select Pictures, then open the Screenshots folder. If your laptop has no PrtScn key, Microsoft notes that Fn + Windows logo key + Space Bar can take a screenshot instead.
Record your screen on Windows
Press Windows logo key + Shift + R to open the Snipping Tool's video mode. Select the area, choose Start, and choose Stop when you are done. You can then save the clip.
How to Take a Screenshot on a Mac
Macs use three main shortcuts. Press and release all the keys together.
- Whole screen: Press Shift + Command + 3.
- Part of the screen: Press Shift + Command + 4. The pointer becomes a crosshair. Drag to select the area, then release. Press Esc to cancel.
- One window or menu: Open the window, press Shift + Command + 4, then press the Space bar. The pointer turns into a camera. Click the window. Hold Option while clicking if you don't want the window's shadow.
- All options: Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the Screenshot app. Its Options menu lets you set a timer, choose where files are saved and show or hide the mouse pointer. You can also find the app in the Utilities folder inside Applications.
After you take a screenshot, a small thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen. Click it to mark up the image, or ignore it and the file saves to your desktop by default.
Tip: Add Control to any shortcut (for example Control + Shift + Command + 3) to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving a file.
How to Take a Screenshot on iPhone
The buttons you press depend on your iPhone model.
- iPhone with Face ID (no Home button): Press the side button and the volume up button at the same time, then quickly release both.
- iPhone with Touch ID and a side button: Press the side button and the Home button at the same time, then release.
- iPhone with Touch ID and a top button: Press the top button and the Home button at the same time, then release.
A preview appears right after the capture. Tap it to crop, draw or share. To find your screenshots later, open Photos, go to Collections, tap Media Types, then tap Screenshots.
How to Take a Screenshot on Android
Android phones vary by brand, but most work the same way.
- Press the Power and Volume down buttons at the same time.
- If that doesn't work, hold the Power button for a few seconds, then tap Screenshot.
- If neither works, check your phone maker's support site for the exact method.
To capture a long page (on Android 12 and up), take a screenshot as usual and tap Capture more at the bottom. Then drag the crop guides to include as much as you need.
You can find screenshots in the Photos app under Collections > On this device > Screenshots. If you use a different gallery app, look for a Screenshots album.
To record the screen, swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap Screen record. If you don't see it, tap Edit and drag it into your Quick Settings.
Screenshot Shortcuts at a Glance
| Device | Full screen | Part of screen | Where it's saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows logo key + PrtScn | Windows logo key + Shift + S | Pictures > Screenshots |
| Mac | Shift + Command + 3 | Shift + Command + 4 | Desktop (by default) |
| iPhone (Face ID) | Side button + Volume up | Crop after capture | Photos > Screenshots |
| iPhone (Home button) | Side or top button + Home | Crop after capture | Photos > Screenshots |
| Android | Power + Volume down | Crop after capture | Photos or Gallery > Screenshots |
Menu names and shortcuts can vary slightly by device and software version.
Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting
- Pressing the buttons one after the other. On phones, press both buttons at exactly the same time and release quickly. Holding too long may turn on the volume slider or the power menu instead.
- Thinking PrtScn didn't work. On Windows, plain PrtScn only copies to the clipboard. Nothing visible happens until you paste it with Ctrl + V. Use Windows logo key + PrtScn if you want a saved file.
- Can't find the file on a Mac. Open the Screenshot app with Shift + Command + 5 and check Options to see which save location is selected.
- Black or blocked screenshots. Some streaming or banking apps block screenshots on purpose.
- Phone storage is full. If screenshots fail to save, free up space first. See our guide on how to free up phone storage.
Before you share a screenshot, crop out personal details like email addresses, account numbers or one-time codes. Scammers often ask people to send screenshots of codes, so learn how to spot online scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do my screenshots go on Windows?
Screenshots saved with Windows logo key + PrtScn or by the Snipping Tool go to Pictures > Screenshots in File Explorer. Plain PrtScn and Alt + PrtScn only copy the image to the clipboard, so you need to paste it somewhere and save it yourself.
How do I screenshot just one window?
On Windows, click the window and press Alt + PrtScn, or use Window mode in the Snipping Tool. On a Mac, press Shift + Command + 4, then Space, and click the window.
Can I take a screenshot of a whole web page?
On Android 12 and up, tap Capture more after taking a screenshot to extend it down most scrollable screens. iPhone also has a full-page option in some apps; Apple explains it in a separate help article. On a computer, you can take several screenshots as you scroll.
Why can't I take a screenshot on my phone?
The app you're using may block screenshots, your storage may be full, or the button timing may be off. Try pressing both buttons at once and releasing quickly, or use the Power-button menu on Android.
How do I record my screen instead?
Use Windows logo key + Shift + R on Windows, then select an area and choose Start. On Android, tap the Screen record tile in Quick Settings and tap Start after choosing what to record. Stop the recording from the notification when you're done.
Do screenshots take up a lot of space?
Each image is small, but hundreds of them add up. Delete old screenshots regularly, and back up your phone before clearing out anything you want to keep.