How to Take Screenshots on Windows 11

If you want to share with other people exactly what’s on your computer screen, you need to take a screenshot. A screenshot, also called a screengrab, is a picture that takes a snapshot of the entire screen of your computer.

On your iPhone, Android device, or even the brand-new Windows 11 operating system, you can snap a screenshot. Taking screenshots is not only useful, but it may also save you time, particularly if you need to illustrate a point that might be challenging to convey in words.

How to Take Screenshots on Windows 11
In Windows 11, you can take and share screenshots with others using a built-in tool and a few free third-party solutions. As a result, this post will outline the top four simplest ways to take screenshots of Microsoft’s latest Windows 11. Let’s have a look.

1. Use the PrtSc key to take a screen capture.
The PrtSc button on your keyboard is the most convenient way to take a screenshot in Windows 11, despite the fact that there are numerous other options. Any version of Windows can be used to quickly take a screenshot by pressing the PrtSc key.

Learn more: How to Fix Windows 11 Updates Not Downloading

The PrtSc function’s sole limitation is that it can only record what is currently visible on your screen. With PrtSc, you won’t be able to take long scrolling images or pick out particular areas. The snapshot will be saved to the clipboard if you simply hit the PrtSc key on your keyboard. To paste the screenshot you took, you must first launch the Paint application.

Simply open the screen you wish to take a screenshot of and hit the PrtSc key. After taking a screenshot, launch the Paint application and use the CTRL + V keys. This will make the screenshot paste.

2. Take a Screenshot using Windows + PrtSc Key Combination

If you don’t want PrtSc to save your screenshots to the clipboard, you must utilize this key combination. Pressing the Windows + PrtSc Key together captures the screenshot and gets saved to the Pictures > Screenshot folder.

3. Use the PrtScn with OneDrive
The OneDrive client for Windows has a feature that automatically saves the screenshots in the OneDrive cloud folder.

We have mentioned this because it’s a bit different than the standard PrtScn option because it doesn’t require opening an app and pasting the screenshot from the clipboard.

You just need to configure the OneDrive client to automatically save screenshots that you capture to the OneDrive Screenshot folder. Here’s what you need to do.

1. To get started, right-click on the OneDrive client on the taskbar.

2. Next, select Settings to open the OneDrive client.

3. In the OneDrive Settings, switch to Sync and Backup.

4. On the right side, enable the toggle next to Save screenshots i capture to OneDrive.

After making the change, press the Print Screen key to capture a screenshot. Once captured, the screenshot will be automatically saved to OneDrive. You can access the saved screenshots from any device.

4. Using Snipping Tool
Snipping Tool is a built-in utility of the Windows operating system that captures screenshots. The Snipping Tool feature is available on Windows 10 and 11 operating systems.

To use the Snipping Tool on your Windows 11 operating system, follow some simple steps below.

1. First, open Windows 11 Search and type in Snipping Tool. Next, open the Snipping Tool from the list.

2. Alternatively, press the Windows + Shift + S key on your keyboard to launch the Windows Snipping Tool.

3. You will find four options to capture screenshots – Rectangular Snip, Freeform Snip, Window Snip, and Fullscreen Snip.

4. Depending on the type of screenshot you want to capture, select the option and capture the screen.

5. Now, you will be able to view the screenshot. Right-click on the image and select the Save as option to save it on your storage device.

This is how you can use the Snipping tool to capture screenshots in Windows 11.

5. Capture Screenshot using the Xbox Game Bar
In this method, we will use the Xbox Game bar to take a screenshot in Windows 11. However, to use the Xbox Game bar, you need to enable the feature on your device. For that, follow our guide –

1. First of all, press the Windows + G key on your keyboard. This will open the Xbox Game bar on your device.

2. On the top, click the Widgets option and select the Capture Widget.

3. On the Capture Widget, click the camera icon to capture the current app or desktop.

The screenshot that was taken will be stored in the C:\Users\[username]\Videos\Captures directory. Look through the folder to locate your screenshot.

Using the Xbox Game bar to take screenshots on Windows 11 is quite simple, and the greatest thing is that the tool is available for free.

6. Use Lightshot to Take a Screenshot
Lightshot is a free third-party screenshot tool that is incredibly small. The Lightshot tool is a reliable resource for taking screenshots and adding annotations to photos. This is the Lightshot user manual.

1. On your Windows 11 PC, first download and install Lightshot.

2. The Lightshot app icon will be added to the system tray.

3. Click on the Lightshot icon and select the area you want to capture.

4. After that, you may either make an instant sharable link or alter the image.

And that’s it! You’re done now. Here’s how to take screenshots on Windows 11 with Lightshot.

7. Make use of third-party screen capture tools
There are more third-party snapshot applications for Windows besides Lightshot. There are a ton of additional possibilities open to you.

You have more control over your screenshots with third-party Windows screenshot tools. For instance, you may instantly add text, draw on screenshots, and more after taking one. Learn more