On Windows 11, Win+PrtSc saves a file: the whole screen goes to Pictures > Screenshots. PrtSc on its own opens the snipping overlay and copies your selection to the clipboard. On Windows 10, or with that setting off, PrtSc copies the whole screen.
| Keys | What you get | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Win+PrtSc | Full screen (Win 11) | File in Pictures > Screenshots |
| PrtSc | Win 11: area you select; Win 10: full screen | Clipboard |
| Alt+PrtSc | Active window (Win 11) | Clipboard |
| Win+Shift+S | Area you select | Snipping Tool; Win 11 also saves it to the Screenshots folder |
| Win+Shift+R | Video of an area (Win 11) | Snipping Tool, to save or edit in Clipchamp |
To stop PrtSc opening the overlay on Windows 11: Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, then set "Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping" to Off.
Snipping modes
Rectangle drags a box. Window clicks one window, such as a dialog. Full screen captures immediately. Freeform lets you draw any shape. Windows 11 picks the mode under Snipping Mode, then New; Windows 10 uses Mode. In Windows 10, open the menu first, then press Ctrl+PrtSc to freeze it before you snip.
Inside the app, Alt+N starts a new snip in the last mode, Alt+M changes mode, and Alt+D adds a 1 to 5 second delay, which helps with menus that close when you click away.
Saving and changing the folder
In Windows 11, snips save to the Screenshots folder automatically. To change that, open See more, then Settings. Save as makes an extra copy somewhere else. In Windows 10, select Save Snip and pick a name and folder in the Save As box.
Video clips
Press Record then New, or Win+Shift+R. Pick the area, press Start, and Stop when done. You can save it as is or open it in Clipchamp.
Copilot+ PC extras
Perfect screenshot, which crops tightly around the main content on screen, and the Color picker need a Copilot+ PC. Text actions, which copy text out of a snip, work on any Windows 11 PC, and Microsoft says the text recognition runs on the device.
Sources
- Microsoft Support — Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (checked Nov 9, 2026)
- Microsoft Support — Keyboard shortcuts in Windows (checked Nov 9, 2026)