Screen capture on Windows
Short answer: Screen capture on Windows covers both still images and video. Windows + Shift + S captures a still; Windows + G opens Xbox Game Bar for recording; software such as ShareX, Snagit and Ashampoo Snap does both from one hotkey set.
Last verified: 2026-08-01
Still capture or screen recording?
| Task | Best format | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Documenting a setting | Still image | Snipping Tool, Greenshot |
| Reporting a bug that flickers | Short video or GIF | ShareX, Xbox Game Bar |
| Training material | Video with callouts | Camtasia, Snagit |
| A long list or report | Scrolling capture | ShareX, Snagit, PicPick |
Built-in Windows capture shortcuts
These shortcuts are part of Windows itself and work in File Explorer, Chrome and any desktop application.
| Shortcut | What it does | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Open the snipping overlay: rectangular, free-form, window or full-screen snip. Result goes to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Print Screen | Copy the whole screen to the clipboard. On Windows 11 this can be set to open the snipping overlay instead. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Alt + Print Screen | Copy only the active window to the clipboard. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Print Screen | Save the whole screen straight to Pictures\Screenshots as a PNG file. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | Save the active window as a PNG through Xbox Game Bar, into Videos\Captures. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Windows + G | Open Xbox Game Bar, which includes a capture widget for stills and screen recording. | Windows 10 & 11 |
| Fn + Print Screen | On many Windows laptops the Print Screen key is shared with another function and needs the Fn key. | Windows laptops |
Recommended Windows software
ShareX
ShareX Team
Free, open-source Windows screenshot and screen capture software with scrolling capture, OCR, screen recording and scriptable after-capture workflows.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Snagit
TechSmith
Commercial Windows screenshot and screen capture software with scrolling capture, a polished annotation editor, templates, OCR and screen recording.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Ashampoo Snap
Ashampoo
Paid Windows screen capture software with scrolling capture, OCR, video recording, watermarking and a modern annotation editor.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
OBS Studio
OBS Project
Free, open-source Windows screen recording and streaming software with scenes, sources and a screenshot output for the current frame.
- Screen recording
- Full screen capture
- Window capture
- Screenshot
Bandicam
Bandicam Company
Windows screen recording software with game, screen and device modes, plus still image capture and scheduled recording.
- Screenshot
- Full screen capture
- Region capture
- Screen recording
- Delayed capture
Frequently asked questions
- Is screen capture the same as a screenshot?
- A screenshot is always a still image. Screen capture is the broader term and often includes video recording of the Windows screen.