How to take a screenshot on Mac or Windows
Both macOS and Windows have screenshot tools built in. The most useful shortcut is the one that copies the screenshot to your clipboard instead of saving a file, so you can paste it straight into a chat, a doc or an editor.
The short version: on a Mac, press ⌘⌃⇧4 and drag over an area. On Windows, press Win+Shift+S. Either way, the screenshot is on your clipboard, ready to paste.
On a Mac
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⌘⇧3 | Captures the whole screen and saves it as a file on the desktop. |
| ⌘⇧4 | Turns the pointer into crosshairs. Drag over an area to capture it and save it to the desktop. |
| ⌘⇧4, then Space | Captures a single window. Move over the window and click it. |
| ⌘⇧5 | Opens the Screenshot toolbar, with screen recording, a timer and a choice of where to save. |
| Add ⌃ Control | Hold Control with ⌘⇧3 or ⌘⇧4 to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving a file. |
That makes ⌘⌃⇧4 (Command-Control-Shift-4) the one to remember: drag over an area and it's on your clipboard. Press Esc to cancel before you let go.
Always copy to the clipboard
If you'd rather screenshots never piled up on your desktop, press ⌘⇧5, click Options, and under Save to choose Clipboard. After that, the regular shortcuts copy instead of saving.
Use the floating thumbnail
After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner for a few seconds. Click it to mark up the image in macOS, or drag it straight into another app or a browser tab.
On Windows
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win+Shift+S | Dims the screen and opens the Snipping Tool bar. Drag a rectangle, or choose a window, the full screen or a freeform shape. The capture is copied to the clipboard. |
| PrtSc | On Windows 11, opens the same Snipping Tool bar by default. On Windows 10, copies the whole screen to the clipboard. |
| Alt+PrtSc | Copies just the active window to the clipboard. |
| Win+PrtSc | Saves the whole screen as a file in Pictures > Screenshots. |
Win+Shift+S works on both Windows 10 and 11, so it's the one to remember. After you capture, a notification appears: click it to open the snip in the Snipping Tool, or skip it and paste with Ctrl+V.
On many laptops the Print Screen key shares a key with something else, so you may need to hold Fn as well. To change what Print Screen does, look for the Print Screen option in Settings under Accessibility > Keyboard (Ease of Access > Keyboard on Windows 10).
Then mark it up
With the screenshot on your clipboard, open Shotlighter and press ⌘V (Ctrl+V). You can highlight text, add arrows and numbered steps, blur private details and crop, then copy the result back to your clipboard. It all runs in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
More guides
- How to highlight text in a screenshotClean, straight highlights that snap to the text.
- How to blur or redact private info in a screenshotPixelate or black out names, emails, keys and card numbers.
- How to add arrows, boxes and text to a screenshotPoint at exactly what you mean.
- How to make step-by-step instructions with screenshotsNumbered markers that count up on their own.
- How to crop a screenshot and add a backdropTrim to what matters and make it look finished.