• On Windows 11, use the “Print” key (or “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut) to bring up the Snipping Tool toolbar and take a screenshot.
  • You can also open the Snipping Tool, choose the type of screenshot, and click the “New” button to take a screenshot.
  • Alternatively, you can use the “Windows key + Print” shortcut to take a full-screen screenshot that will be saved directly in the “Pictures” folder.

UPDATED 12/17/2025: On Windows 11 , you can take a screenshot of an area of the screen or the entire desktop in several ways (for example, using the “Windows key + PrtScrn” keyboard shortcut), but using the Snipping Tool is perhaps the best way to complete the task.

The Snipping Tool app for Windows 11 replaces the legacy “Snipping Tool” and “Snip & Sketch” apps. The new version combines the two previous applications into a modern experience that looks similar to the old Snipping Tool and integrates the best features of Snip & Sketch. (The tool also includes a feature to take screen recordings .)

The app integrates with the operating system to make it easy to take screenshots without opening the app using the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut. You can even change the settings to configure the “Print” key to take screenshots with a single button. In the app, you can choose different screenshot modes and other settings, like the ability to add a delay before taking the screenshot. The app even provides editing tools, such as cropping, text extraction and redaction, and annotation options like shapes.

In this guide , I will teach you how to use the Snipping Tool to take screenshots on Windows 11.

  • Take screenshots on Windows 11 using Snipping Tool
  • Edit screenshots on Windows 11 using Snipping Tool

Take screenshots on Windows 11 using Snipping Tool

Although there are many third-party apps, using the Snipping Tool is the easiest way to take and annotate screenshots for Windows 11 users.

Capture with or without print key

To take a screenshot on Windows 11, use the “Print” ( PrtSc or PrtScn ) key to bring up the Snipping Tool toolbar. You can choose to take a screenshot of the entire screen or a selected part of it.

Print key Snipping Tool controls - 1

Print key Snipping Tool controls / Image: Mauro Huculak

If the key isn’t working, you may have to enable the Print key to open the screen capture on Windows 11. Alternatively, you can use the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut.

Once you complete the steps, the Snipping Tool app will open, allowing you to use tools to crop and annotate the image.

You can also use the “Windows key + PrtScrn” (PrtSc or PrtScn) keyboard shortcut, the system’s default feature, to screenshot the entire screen.

When invoking this keyboard shortcut, Windows 11 captures a screenshot of the entire screen. The screenshot is saved as a PNG file in the “Screenshots” folder inside the “Pictures” folder.

Capture with hardware shortcut

If you have a Surface device, press and hold the “Power” button and press and release the “Volume Up” button to take a screenshot.

Similar to using the keyboard shortcut, when invoking the hardware shortcut, the system will take a full-screen screenshot. The capture will be saved as a PNG file in the “Screenshots” folder inside the “Pictures” folder.

Capture without cropping or resizing using AI

On Copilot+ PCs, you can also use the “Perfect screenshot” option to use AI to precisely capture content on the screen without cropping or resizing it after taking the screenshot.

You only need to use the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut, click the “Perfect screenshot” button (while the mode is set to “Rectangle” ), and then select the region of the screen.

Snipping Tool Perfect screenshot option - 2

Snipping Tool Perfect screenshot option / Image: Mauro Huculak

Once you have done this action, the feature will use AI to precisely determine the object or region you are trying to capture. Then, click the “Capture” button.

Capture screenshot with AI - 3

Capture screenshot with AI / Image: Mauro Huculak

Capture rectangle screenshot with Snipping Tool

To take a screenshot of a selected area on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Click the Snip button (if applicable).
  4. Choose the “Rectangle” option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  5. (Optional) Select the delay time (3, 5, or 10 seconds) to take the screenshot.
  6. Click the New button.
  7. Select the area to capture with the mouse cursor.

Capture window screenshot with Snipping Tool

To take a screenshot of an active window, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Click the Snip button (if applicable).
  4. Choose the “Window” option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  5. (Optional) Select the delay time (3, 5, or 10 seconds) to take the screenshot.
  6. Click the New button.
  7. Select the active window or app to capture.

Capture full-screen screenshot with Snipping Tool

To take a full-screen screenshot on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Click the Snip button (if applicable).
  4. Choose the “Full screen” option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  5. (Optional) Select the delay time (3, 5, or 10 seconds) to take the screenshot.
  6. Click the New button to take a full-screen capture.

Capture freeform screenshot with Snipping Tool

To take a screenshot using the freeform option with Snipping Tool, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Click the Snip button (if applicable).
  4. Choose the “Freeform” option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  5. Click the New button to take a full-screen capture.
  6. Draw a free-form shape around an object.

Once you complete the steps, the screenshot will load in the Snipping Tool editor, where you can edit the capture with various tools (see steps below).

Edit screenshots on Windows 11 using Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool editor allows you to edit the capture with shapes, emojis, a pen, and a highlighter. You can also use AI tools to extract and redact text from screenshots (see steps below).

Add shapes to screenshot with Snipping Tool

To add shapes to a screenshot on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Choose the capture option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  4. Click the New button.
  5. Screenshot the entire screen or part of it.
  6. Click the Shapes tool in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
  7. Choose the shape, including rectangle, circle, line, or arrow.
  8. Choose the outline size, color, and opacity. Quick tip: The “Fill” option is available for the circle and rectangle shapes.
  9. Draw the shape on the screenshot.
  10. (Optional) Click on the Emoji shape and choose the emoji to insert into the screenshot.
  11. Click the Save button in the top-right to save the capture as a PNG or JPG file on your computer.

Crop screenshot with Snipping Tool

To crop a screenshot with the Snipping Tool, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Choose the capture option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  4. Click the New button.
  5. Screenshot the entire screen or part of it.
  6. Click the Crop tool in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
  7. Use the elements on the edges to crop the image.
  8. Click the Apply button.
  9. Click the Save button in the top-right to save the capture as a PNG or JPG file on your computer.

Annotate screenshot with Snipping Tool

To annotate a screen capture on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start .
  2. Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Choose the capture option from the “Snipping Mode” setting.
  4. Click the New button.
  5. Screenshot the entire screen or part of it.
  6. (Option 1) Use the Highlighter to highlight text or an element on the image.
  7. (Option 2) Use the Pen to annotate the image.
  8. (Option 3) Click the Text actions button in the toolbar.
  9. Click the Copy all text to copy the text from the image.
  10. Click the Quick redact option to remove sensitive information such as phone numbers and email addresses from the image.
  11. Click the Save button in the top-right to save the capture as a PNG or JPG file on your computer.

Once you complete the steps, the shapes and other annotations will be saved in the screenshot.

Update December 17, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.

  • Windows 11 maps the “Print Screen” key to the Snipping Tool by default.
  • You can enable or disable this behavior in Keyboard settings.
  • Turning it off restores the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut.
  • Disabling the shortcut lets other screenshot apps use the Print Screen key.

UPDATED 12/17/2025: On Windows 11 , the system remaps the Print Screen (Prt Scr) key to the Snipping Tool by default to make it easier to take screenshots. However, if you want to use another app, you will notice that it won’t be able to register the print key on the keyboard, but you can always change this behavior for any reason, including if you’re comfortable using the previous default “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut.

In the same way, if pressing the Print Screen key doesn’t open the Snipping Tool interface, you can change the “Keyboard” settings to open the screen capture tools more easily by pressing one key instead of using a shortcut.

In this guide , I will show you how to change Windows 11 settings to enable or disable the Print Screen key, which opens the Snipping Tool interface to capture screenshots .

  • Disable Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 11
  • Enable Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 11
  • FAQs about the Print Screen key mapping to the Snipping Tool

Disable Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 11

To disable the Snipping Tool Print Screen key shortcut on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.
  2. Click on Bluetooth & devices .
  3. Click the Keyboard page.
  4. Turn off the “Use the Print screen key to open screen capture” toggle switch to disable the Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut integration.

Once you complete the steps, the Snipping Tool will default to the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut to bring up the screen capture tools, and you can now assign the “Print Screen” key to another screenshot application.

If you’re assigning the Print Screen key to another app (such as Lightshot or Greenshot), you may need to restart the app or the computer to apply the changes.

Enable Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 11

To use the keyboard’s Print key instead of the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut to bring up the menu, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings .
  2. Click on Bluetooth & devices .
  3. Click the Keyboard page.
  4. Turn on the “Use the Print screen key to open screen capture” toggle switch to enable the Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut.

Once you complete the steps, press the Print Screen button instead of the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut to quickly take a screenshot on Windows 11.

In older versions of the operating system, the settings were located on Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard .

Why does the Print Screen key open Snipping Tool on Windows 11?

Windows 11 remaps the Print Screen key to open the Snipping Tool by default, making taking screenshots faster and more accessible without a keyboard shortcut.

Can I disable the Print Screen key in Snipping Tool?

Yes. You can disable this behavior from Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard by turning off the “Use the Print screen key to open screen capture” toggle.

What happens after I disable the Print Screen shortcut?

When the setting is turned off, Windows 11 reverts to the classic “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut to open the Snipping Tool, and the Print Screen key becomes available for other apps.

Can I use the Print Screen key with another screenshot app?

Yes. Disabling the Snipping Tool integration prevents third-party screenshot apps such as Lightshot, Greenshot, or ShareX from detecting and using the Print Screen key.

What if pressing Print Screen does not open Snipping Tool?

If the Print Screen key does nothing, check Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard and make sure the “Use the Print screen key to open screen capture” option is enabled.

Where was this setting located in older versions of Windows 11?

In earlier Windows 11 releases, the Print Screen setting was found under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard , rather than on the Keyboard page under “Bluetooth & devices.”

Update December 17, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.