Capturing screenshots is useful for creating tutorials, documentation, presentations, and more. Windows 11 offers various built-in tools to print screen, along with third party options. This guide will overview 4 main ways to capture screenshots on Windows 11 and compare their features.
Overview
The term "print screen" refers to functionality that captures an image of your entire screen or a portion of it. Similar terms like screen capture, screen grab, and screen snip also refer to taking screenshots.
Screenshots are handy for:
- Creating visual guides and documentation
- Capturing error messages for troubleshooting
- Saving something to reference later or share with others
Windows 11 provides the following built-in methods for taking screenshots:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Snipping Tool | Capture full screens, selected areas, or freeform snips |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Quickly copy entire screen or selected portion to clipboard |
| Xbox Game Bar | Designed for capturing gaming footage but works for standard screens |
You can also use third party screenshot apps for additional features.
Below we‘ll explore how to use these major methods step-by-step…
Using the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool has been built into Windows for years. It provides customizable screen capture options and basic image annotation ability.
To start, search for "Snipping Tool" in the Windows search bar or task tray.
When Snipping Tool opens, click New to capture options:
As you can see, the Snipping Tool allows you to capture your full screen, a specific window, or a custom/freeform area. You can annotate your snips and save as .JPG, .PNG, .GIF and more.
Overall, the Snipping Tool provides the most flexibility and customization options without needing any third party software. The downside is it has a fairly dated interface and lacks some convenient shortcuts power users may want.
Keyboard Shortcut Methods
Using keyboard shortcuts keeps your hands on the keys and offers the fastest way to copy screen captures.
Windows 11 supports two main keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots:
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + Print Screen | Takes screenshot of entire screen |
| Win + Shift + S | Lets you select area to copy to clipboard |
The screenshots themselves won‘t be saved as image files right away when using shortcuts. But you can quickly paste them into Paint, Word, or other apps with Ctrl + V to edit and save.
By default, Win + Print Screen saves a file to This PC > Pictures > Screenshots. The file format is .PNG.
Win + Shift + S briefly prompts you to click and drag for a selection. This copies to your clipboard only.
The main advantages of keyboard shortcuts include speed, convenience, and no extra apps needed. But they lack capture customization and you may still need to open another program to edit and save.
Xbox Game Bar
You might be surprised to learn the Xbox Game Bar included with Windows has print screen abilities as well.
The Game Bar was created to help gamers capture game footage and screenshots. But this feature also works for capturing standard Windows screens.
To prepare:
- Open Settings and select Gaming
- Toggle on the setting for Xbox Game Bar
You can then invoke the toolbar with Win + G while in any app or desktop view.
Click the camera icon to take a time or standard screenshot. Adjust additional settings as needed.
The Xbox Game Bar method can feel more intuitive for casual users. It works similar to Snipping Tool but has nicer aesthetics. However, the interface still caters heavily to gamers.
Third Party Screenshot Apps
If the built-in Windows tools don‘t meet your needs, explore screenshot apps available for free on the Microsoft Store.
Top options include:
| App | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Screenshot Screen Capture | Annotations, auto-saving options, filters |
| NiceShot | Screen recordings, GIF capture, fast editing tools |
| PicPick | Basic & pro versions, searchable history, sharing integration |
Look for apps that offer capture modes, editing tools, share integration, or specialty features like screen recording.
The advantage of third party apps is they provide more features plus modern interfaces. However, you‘ll have to install extra software and learn new tools.
Putting It All Together
As you can see, Windows 11 equips you with various solid print screen options out of the box. It mainly comes down to which method best matches your use case, technical comfort level, and personal preference.
For most quick documentation needs, keyboard shortcuts get the job done with minimal interruption. But for creating tutorials or formal images, the customization of Snipping Tool is beneficial.
Hopefully this overview gave you some ideas on how to easily print screen on Windows 11 using the tools available. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!
