Sincron Screen ToolsShare selection
Sales dashboard · 2026
Sales by region — September
Monthly revenue compared with August
Total
$1.25M
+4.2% vs. August
$412K
East
$296K
South
$262K
West
$198K
Central
$77K
North
down 41% here
Guide · Windows 10 & 11
How to take a screenshot on Windows.
Full screen, one window, just a region or a screenshot that is already marked up: each one has its own shortcut on Windows. Here are all six, with what each one does and where the image goes.
Download free for WindowsSee the 6 waysWindows 10 & 11 · capturing and annotating are free, with no limits
Guide · Windows 10 & 11
What is the shortcut to take a screenshot on Windows?
On Windows 10 and 11 the most complete shortcut is Win + Shift + S: the screen dims and you pick a region, a window or the full screen. The screenshot goes to the clipboard, ready to paste with Ctrl + V, and a notification lets you open it in the Snipping Tool to edit.
The PrtScn key copies the full screen (on an up-to-date Windows 11 it opens the same Win + Shift + S selection). Win + PrtScn saves the full screen straight to Pictures > Screenshots, and Alt + PrtScn copies only the active window.
When the screenshot is going to someone — in a ticket, a chat or an email — it pays to send it already marked up: Sincron Screen Tools draws over any app with Ctrl + Shift + D and frames the screenshot with a background and shadow with Ctrl + Shift + C.
Reviewed on October 3, 2026
Step by step
6 ways to take a screenshot on Windows
From the simplest to the most complete. All of them work on Windows 10 and 11, laptops included.
Win + Shift + S: pick the region
The screen dims and a toolbar appears at the top with four modes: rectangle, freeform, window and full screen. Drag over what you want and the screenshot goes to the clipboard. Click the notification in the corner to open it in the Snipping Tool and mark it up.
PrtScn: the full screen
Copies everything on screen (all monitors) to the clipboard. On Windows 11 with the 2023 updates or later, the key opens the Win + Shift + S selection instead; you can switch back under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
Win + PrtScn: save without pasting
The screen flashes and a PNG of the full screen is saved to Pictures > Screenshots. It is the fastest way when you are taking several screenshots in a row to use later.
Alt + PrtScn: only the active window
Copies just the window in focus, without the taskbar or the rest of the desktop. Handy for showing an error in an app without exposing everything else you have open.
Win + Alt + PrtScn: games and full-screen apps
Uses the Xbox Game Bar to capture the active game or app window and saves it to Videos > Captures. It works in full screen, where other shortcuts sometimes capture a black image.
Ctrl + Shift + D and Ctrl + Shift + C: annotated and ready
With Sincron Screen Tools, Ctrl + Shift + D draws arrows, rectangles, highlights and text over any app, and the capture keeps the drawings. Ctrl + Shift + C crops the region and opens the Screenshot Studio, with background, padding, corners and shadow. Copy and paste it into a chat, an email or a ticket, or save the PNG. Capturing and annotating are free, with no limits.
Comparison
Which shortcut to use when
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes | Can you annotate? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win + Shift + S | Region, window or full screen | Clipboard | Yes, by opening the Snipping Tool |
| PrtScn | Full screen (or opens the selection on Windows 11) | Clipboard | Not directly |
| Win + PrtScn | Full screen | Pictures > Screenshots | No |
| Alt + PrtScn | Active window | Clipboard | No |
| Win + Alt + PrtScn | Active game or app | Videos > Captures | No |
| Ctrl + Shift + D and Ctrl + Shift + C (Sincron) | Region or full screen | Screenshot Studio, then clipboard or PNG | Yes: arrow, rectangle, highlight and text on screen; background and shadow in the Studio |
Windows 10 and 11 shortcuts on a standard keyboard. Sincron's shortcuts can be changed in the app's Settings.
From screenshot to explained screenshot
Mark where to look before you send it
A raw screenshot makes the person on the other end hunt for the problem. An arrow and a highlight fix that in seconds — on the live screen or in the Screenshot Studio. Try drawing on the panel below.
Sales dashboard · 2026
Sales by region — September
Monthly revenue compared with August
Total
$1.25M
+4.2% vs. August
$412K
East
$296K
South
$262K
West
$198K
Central
$77K
North
down 41% here
Draw here
Hold Shift for a straight line, Ctrl for a rectangle and Ctrl + Shift for an arrow.
Sincron Screen ToolsShare selection
Sales dashboard · 2026
Sales by region — September
Monthly revenue compared with August
Total
$1.25M
+4.2% vs. August
$412K
East
$296K
South
$262K
West
$198K
Central
$77K
North
down 41% here
Tips
Get a useful screenshot the first time
Crop only what matters
A tight crop avoids sending notifications, tabs and data that should not go along. Win + Shift + S and Ctrl + Shift + C do it in the same gesture.
Point instead of describing
One arrow to the wrong field replaces a paragraph of explanation. A rectangle to frame, a highlighter to emphasize, a short label to name.
Paste instead of attaching
Screenshots on the clipboard paste straight into Teams, Slack, WhatsApp Web and email with Ctrl + V. Saving a file only makes sense when the image will be reused.
Real limits
When the screenshot doesn't come out right
Black image on protected video
Netflix, some banking apps and apps with content protection block capture. No legitimate tool removes that protection.
Washed-out image with HDR
On monitors with HDR on, some screenshots come out too bright. Turn HDR off temporarily with Win + Alt + B and capture again.
A full scrolling page
Windows shortcuts capture only what is visible. For a long web page, the browser handles it: in Edge, Ctrl + Shift + S opens a full-page capture.
Sensitive data in the image
Before sending, check names, emails, keys and notifications. Blur can be reversed; to really hide something, cover it with a solid rectangle.
Common questions about screenshots on Windows
Where are screenshots saved on Windows?
Screenshots taken with Win + PrtScn are saved to Pictures > Screenshots. Those from Win + Shift + S and PrtScn stay on the clipboard unless you save them from the Snipping Tool. Xbox Game Bar captures go to Videos > Captures.
How do I screenshot just part of the screen?
Press Win + Shift + S and drag over the region. With Sincron Screen Tools, Ctrl + Shift + C does the same and opens the crop in the Screenshot Studio.
How do I take a screenshot on a laptop without a PrtScn key?
Win + Shift + S works on any keyboard. On many laptops PrtScn shares a key with another function and needs the Fn key: Fn + PrtScn.
How do I add an arrow or text to a screenshot?
Open the screenshot in the Snipping Tool (click the Win + Shift + S notification) and use the pen or highlighter. For arrows, rectangles and text, Sincron Screen Tools draws straight on screen with Ctrl + Shift + D and captures with the drawings — free, with no limits.
Can I take a screenshot of two monitors?
Yes. PrtScn and Win + PrtScn capture every monitor in one image. To capture a single monitor, use Win + Shift + S in full-screen mode and click the monitor you want.
See also
How to annotate a screenshot
Three ways to mark up a screenshot on Windows 11: Snipping Tool, Paint and Sincron.
Snipping Tool alternative
What the built-in Windows tool already covers and when another app is worth it.
Best screenshot tools for Windows
8 Windows screenshot tools compared on price, features and who each one is for.
Your next screenshot can explain itself.
Install Sincron Screen Tools: draw arrows and highlights with Ctrl + Shift + D and frame the screenshot with a background and shadow with Ctrl + Shift + C. Capturing and annotating are free, with no limits.