5 easiest and fastest ways to take screenshots on Win 10

Microsoft no longer sells Windows 10 , but you can still use it until Microsoft stops supporting it in October 2025. Until then, you'll have to switch to Windows 11 on new devices. The commonality between the two operating systems is that you'll have some common ways to take screenshots.

Taking a screenshot is quite important, such as taking a photo of a bill or document that needs to be verified, an online purchase receipt... Especially when you can't copy and send the photo to your friends, colleagues or relatives, or the email or application, the web that information is not working. Whether you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11 .

Here's how to use built-in tools and other keyboard shortcuts to take screenshots in Windows 10 and Windows 11, so you can decide which one works best for you.

How to take a full Win 10 screenshot or take a partial screenshot using shortcut keys, using Win 10 computer screenshot software or built-in tools in the operating system. In the article below, we will show you the most common ways to take a screenshot of a Windows 10 computer .

Table of Contents

• 1. Take a screenshot of Win 10 using shortcut keys
  • Take full screen shot of Win 10 with PrtScn
  • Take full screen screenshot of Win 10 and save it automatically with Windows + PrtSc
  • Capture open window with Alt + PrtScn
  • Capture custom Win 10 screen area with Windows + Shift + S
  • How to take a screenshot of Windows 10 computer and share it with Windows + H
  • Windows key + volume down button
• 2. Take a screenshot of Windows 10 using Snipping Tool
• 3. Take a screenshot of Win 10 with Snip & Sketch
• 4. Use Xbox Game Bar
• 5. Use third-party software to take screenshots on Win 10

1. Take a screenshot of Win 10 using shortcut keys

Take full screen shot of Win 10 with PrtScn

This is the simplest and fastest way to take a photo on Windows. The entire screen will be captured when we press the PrtScn key and saved to the Clipboard. You can paste it into chat software or open photo editing tools such as Photoshop, Paint and paste the image to save or edit if you want.

Take full screen screenshot of Win 10 and save it automatically with Windows + PrtSc

To capture the entire Win 10 screen, press Windows + PrtSc , the image will automatically save to Pictures > Screenshots on your computer.

Just open the folder above and find the screenshot you just took.

Capture open window with Alt + PrtScn

To take a screenshot of an open window you are working on on Windows 10, press Alt + PrtScn . The image will be saved to the Clipboard, so you also need the support of photo editing software on your computer such as Paint, Photoshop to save the image.

Capture custom Win 10 screen area with Windows + Shift + S

If you just want to capture a custom area on Windows 10, use the Windows + Shift + S key combination . When you press this key, the mouse pointer will turn into a + sign, allowing you to draw a rectangle on the area you want to capture to select the area you want to capture.

The captured image will be saved to the Windows 10 clipboard. Just press Ctrl+V to paste the image into chat applications, Word, Photoshop to share and edit further if needed. Or easier, open Paint and paste the image there to save.

How to take a screenshot of Windows 10 computer and share it with Windows + H

Windows 10 screenshot shortcut Windows + H provides additional sharing features, in addition to capturing the entire interface on the computer. After pressing the key combination, the Windows Share interface appears on the right side of the screen, asking if you want to share the photo you just took via email, Facebook, OneNote.

Windows key + volume down button

If you own a Microsoft Surface computer, you can use the physical buttons to take a screenshot, just like you would on a smartphone or tablet. First, press and hold the Windows logo on the touchscreen, then press the volume down button on the side of the device. The screen will dim and the photo will be taken. To get the photo, go to Pictures > Screenshots .

2. Take a screenshot of Windows 10 using Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool has been around since Windows Vista. Windows announced a few years ago that the Snipping Tool would be discontinued, but it still works in Windows 11. The Snipping Tool has been removed from the list of apps in the Start menu, but you can still easily access it via search.

The Snipping Tool on Windows 10 doesn't automatically save your screenshots—you'll need to save them to the tool manually before exiting—and it does automatically copy your captures to the clipboard.

Step 1: To use Snipping Tool, simply select the search engine, then search for the keyword Snipping Tool and select that tool.

Step 2: Do the same on Windows 11.

Click the New button to start the screenshot process. The default screenshot type is rectangular, but you can also use window, full-screen, and free-form screenshots.

After taking the photo, it will be transferred to the photo editor, you can edit the photo with the tools before saving it to your device. Click the floppy disk-shaped photo save icon next to Delay to save the photo.

3. Take a screenshot of Win 10 with Snip & Sketch

Snip & Sketch is easier to use, share, and annotate screenshots than the old Snipping Tool above. It can now take screenshots of a single window in your software, which was a surprising omission when the app was first introduced.

The easiest way to use Snip & Sketch is to use the keyboard shortcut Windows + Shift + S . You can also find the Snip & Sketch tool listed in the alphabetical list of apps accessed in the Start icon as well as in the notification panel where it is listed as Screen snip . Or you can just search for it if you don’t have a shortcut assigned to your memory. If you’re a frequent screenshot taker, it’s a good idea to pin Snip & Sketch to the taskbar.

This is a tool available in new versions of Win 10, intended by Microsoft to replace the Snipping Tool. You can type the name of this tool in the search box to open and use it. Snip & Sketch can capture the entire screen or a rectangular image or take a picture as you like. In addition, there are many photo editing tools, such as a note pen for photos, voice recording, or a timer to take a picture after 3 or 10 seconds.

4. Use Xbox Game Bar

Xbox Game Bar is a tool that helps you take screenshots easily but will support more games. First, you need to enable Xbox Game Bar with the shortcut Windows + G and the Xbox Game Bar interface will appear.

From here, you can click the screenshot button in the Game bar or use the default keyboard shortcut Windows + Alt + PrtScn to take a full-screen screenshot. To set your own Xbox Game Bar screenshot keyboard shortcut, go to Settings > Game > Xbox Game Bar.

5. Use third-party software to take screenshots on Win 10

Icecream screen recorder tool

If you want to take screenshots to highlight specific areas or sections, you will find this tool very creative. Icecream Screen Recorder is a professional, streamlined screenshot software.

Icecream Screen Recorder is an alternative to typical screen capture applications on the market. This tool is ideal if you use multiple browsers in your daily Internet browsing sessions.

Best Features of Icecream Screen Recorder:

• Icecream Screen Recorder gives you the ability to capture a portion of a page, or an entire window.
• It comes with all the standard screenshot features.
• You can also record videos online.
• You can capture different video formats from YouTube, Vimeo or Dailymotion.
• You will be able to record video with the click of a simple button.
• You can add annotations, such as arrows and circles, to your videos.
• You can save screenshots directly to your hard drive or any location you choose.
• You will be able to save screenshots in different file formats.

Icecream Screen Recorder is the world's best selling app and you can try the free version right now.

4.2. Win 10 PicPick screenshot software

• Download PicPick free version

PicPick is a user-friendly and feature-rich tool for capturing and editing screenshots. It comes with a plethora of editing features housed in a convenient interface. Just choose from a list that includes a screenshot tool, image editor, color picker, palette, whiteboard, protractor, and pixel ruler. The built-in editor lets you annotate text, draw arrows and shapes, and apply advanced editing. Plus, PicPick is portable and free, so you can store it on a flash drive and use it anywhere without having to install it.

4.3. Snagit Tool

• Try Snagit

Snagit isn't free, and it's not cheap. But the utility you get is worth the $50. Snagit is a screen capture software, and it's even better with the new version 11, which includes support for Windows 10. It comes with Smart Window Detection for cropping, and you can automatically choose to capture the entire window or a portion of it.

Snagit also comes with a OneClick tool that can be pinned to the top, making it easy to take screenshots and add a myriad of annotation tools. Add to that the long list of sorting, tagging, and screen sharing features if needed. This is a potentially useful tool for any user.

4.4. Greenshot tool

Download Greenshot

Greenshot is a free, open source screenshot tool for Windows that optimizes productivity. It allows you to quickly take screenshots of a selected region, window, or entire screen, as well as capture scrolling web pages from Internet Explorer.

After taking a screenshot, you can annotate it, change the order of the screenshot sections. Greenshot has no restrictions on exporting screenshots: You can copy it to the clipboard, send it to a printer, save it as a file, send it to Office programs, attach it to an email, or upload it to photo sites like Flickr and others.

4.5. SnapCrab Tool

Download SnapCrab

SnapCrab is a handy screen capture software that allows you to take screenshots anywhere on your desktop and save them in JPEG, PNG, or even GIF format. You can highlight an area of ​​the screen you want to capture or capture the entire screen.

Snapcrab allows you to capture translucent windows and web pages from your browser by linking through Sleipnir. It also has a timer feature that ensures you don’t miss a single moment. And with the help of the available features, you can share your screen on social networking sites. SnapCrab version 1.1.1 is compatible with Windows 10/8/7/Vista and XP.

4.6. Fireshot tool

The Fireshot extension for Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer allows users to take screenshots in just a few clicks. You can take screenshots of web pages, add text annotations, make quick edits, and save the screenshot as an image or PDF file.

Fireshot allows you to take screenshots of a part or the entire browser window, a selected area on the page, or even the entire page in just a few clicks. Screenshots can be copied to the clipboard, saved as an image or PDF file, printed, emailed, or uploaded to a number of social networking sites . Additionally, Fireshot has a built-in editor that allows users to add arrows, text, shapes, or even draw on the image.

4.7. LightShot Tool

Lightshot is another free screenshot tool that works wonders on your system. It comes with an easy-to-use interface that lets you take screenshots in just 2 clicks. Just press the hotkey and the program will capture a portion of the screen or the entire screen. Just like other premium screenshot tools, Lightshot also comes with an editor to add text annotations and other edits. Additionally, users can create a free account that allows them to have an online gallery for easy reference, sharing links, and online backups.

4.8. ShareX Tool

ShareX is a feature-rich open source screenshot tool. ShareX takes a different approach than the tools discussed above. Instead of uploading your files to the software’s own servers, you can configure the program to upload to one of your accounts on other third-party services. ShareX does more than just screenshots. You can use it to shorten URLs, record your screen, upload text, and convert your recordings to GIF format.

ShareX also comes with a host of automation features and integrates with over 80 image hosting platforms like Flickr, Imgur, Dropbox, Sendspace, Pastebin, Photobucket, and a host of cloud storage providers . You can also configure ShareX to perform other tasks like image annotation, image watermarking, and more.

4.9. Gadwin PrintScreen Tool

Gadwin PrintScreen is one of the most popular screenshot tools and it comes with advanced image editing and annotation features in an easy-to-use interface. PrintScreen is the default, but there are a dozen hotkey combos to choose from.

You can use the tool to capture the entire screen or capture a specific window. Once you have chosen your favorite combo, you can go to the Destination tab to take an instant screenshot, copy it to the clipboard, or save it to a specific folder. Gadwin PrintScreen gives you the option to choose from 6 customizable image formats. You can even email the screenshot.

The importance of getting a feature-rich program is to save you time. The list above is the most powerful screenshot tools on the Internet for Windows 10, allowing you to take and edit screenshots, even allowing you to record short videos and shorten URLs . Depending on the purpose and need for taking pictures, we can immediately use the available screenshot key combinations on the computer, or the tools installed on the Windows operating system accordingly.

Have you used any of the above tools? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

See also the following articles:

• Instructions for recording and taking screenshots of games in Windows 10
• 6 ways to open virtual keyboard on Windows 10
• 4 Steps to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows

Wish you success!