How to Take a Screenshot on Mac & Windows (2026 Guide)

Whether you're saving a receipt, documenting a bug, creating a tutorial, or just capturing something funny, knowing how to take a screenshot is an essential skill. This guide covers every screenshot method on Mac and Windows — from basic shortcuts to advanced techniques like scrolling screenshots and timed captures.

Windows Screenshot Methods

1. Print Screen (PrtScn) — Entire Screen

Press PrtScn (or Print Screen) to copy the entire screen to your clipboard. Then paste (Ctrl+V) into any application like Paint, Word, or an email.

Variation: Press Win + PrtScn to automatically save the screenshot as a PNG file in your Pictures > Screenshots folder.

2. Alt + Print Screen — Active Window Only

Press Alt + PrtScn to capture only the currently active window (no desktop background, no other windows). The screenshot is copied to your clipboard.

3. Snipping Tool (Win + Shift + S) — Best for Most People

Press Win + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool overlay. This is the most versatile Windows screenshot method:

• Rectangle: Draw a box around the area you want
• Freeform: Draw any shape to capture
• Window: Click a window to capture it
• Full Screen: Capture everything

The screenshot is copied to your clipboard and a notification appears — click it to open the Snipping Tool editor for annotations, cropping, and saving.

4. Xbox Game Bar (Win + Alt + PrtScn) — In-App Screenshots

For capturing content within games and apps, press Win + Alt + PrtScn. Screenshots are saved to Videos > Captures folder.

Mac Screenshot Methods

1. Cmd + Shift + 3 — Entire Screen

Press Cmd + Shift + 3 to capture your entire screen. The screenshot is saved to your Desktop by default (you can change this in settings). A thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner — click it to annotate or crop before saving.

2. Cmd + Shift + 4 — Selected Area

Press Cmd + Shift + 4 and your cursor becomes a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture.

Pro tips:

• Press Space after activating to switch to window capture mode — hover over a window and click
• Hold Shift while dragging to lock one dimension
• Hold Option while dragging to resize from the center
• Press Escape to cancel

3. Cmd + Shift + 5 — Screenshot Toolbar

Press Cmd + Shift + 5 to open the full screenshot toolbar with all options:

• Capture entire screen, a window, or a selected area
• Record your screen (full or partial)
• Set a timer (5 or 10 seconds) for timed captures
• Choose where to save (Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, etc.)
• Show or hide the mouse cursor in screenshots

4. Cmd + Shift + 4, then Space — Window Screenshot

This captures a specific window with a nice drop shadow. The window doesn't need to be in the foreground. Hold Option when clicking the window to capture without the shadow.

After the Screenshot: What to Do Next

Once you've captured your screenshot, you might want to:

• Compress it for email or web: Use Tools Oasis Image Compressor to reduce file size while keeping visual quality. PNG screenshots often compress by 40-70%.
• Extract text from it: Use Tools Oasis Image to Text to OCR any text visible in the screenshot. See our screenshot to text guide.
• Record a video instead: If a screenshot doesn't capture what you need, use Tools Oasis Screen Recorder for a video recording.
• Change the format: PNG is best for screenshots with text and UI elements. Convert to JPG for photographs or when you need a smaller file size.

Where Are My Screenshots Saved?

Advanced: Scrolling Screenshots

Standard screenshots only capture what's visible on screen. For long web pages, chat threads, or documents:

• Windows: Use ShareX (free) or the Snipping Tool's scrolling capture feature in Windows 11
• Mac: Use the built-in scrolling screenshot in Safari (capture full web page via Web Inspector), or install Shottr (free)
• Any browser: Open DevTools (F12), press Ctrl+Shift+P, type "screenshot," and select "Capture full size screenshot"

Screenshot Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheet