Every screenshot keyboard shortcut for Windows, Mac and Linux
The shortcut you want depends on one question nobody documents clearly: do you want a file on disk, or the image on your clipboard? Here is the full list, split that way.
Almost every screenshot frustration comes from the same place — you press the shortcut you half-remember, then cannot find the file, or you paste and nothing appears. The distinction that matters is whether a shortcut saves to disk or copies to the clipboard. This reference splits them accordingly.
Windows 11 and 10
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Region you drag, window, or full screen | Clipboard, plus a notification to edit and save |
| Print Screen | Entire screen, all monitors | Clipboard |
| Alt + Print Screen | Active window only | Clipboard |
| Windows + Print Screen | Entire screen | File, in Pictures then Screenshots |
| Windows + Alt + Print Screen | Active window | File, via Xbox Game Bar, in Videos then Captures |
Alt + Print Screen is the one worth committing to memory. It captures just the window you are looking at, straight to the clipboard, which is exactly what you want when reporting a bug.
macOS
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Command + Shift + 3 | Entire screen | File on the Desktop |
| Command + Shift + 4 | Region you drag | File on the Desktop |
| Command + Shift + 4, then Space | A window, with its shadow | File on the Desktop |
| Command + Shift + 5 | Opens the capture toolbar with all options | Your choice |
| Control + Command + Shift + 3 | Entire screen | Clipboard |
| Control + Command + Shift + 4 | Region you drag | Clipboard |
Two extras worth knowing. Holding Space while dragging a Command + Shift + 4 selection moves the selection box rather than resizing it. Pressing Escape mid-capture cancels it.
Linux
Linux shortcuts depend on the desktop environment rather than the distribution. These cover the common ones.
GNOME (Ubuntu, Fedora Workstation)
| Shortcut | What it captures | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Print Screen | Opens the screenshot UI | Your choice |
| Shift + Print Screen | Region you drag | File in Pictures |
| Alt + Print Screen | Active window | File in Pictures |
| Ctrl + Print Screen | Entire screen | Clipboard |
| Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen | Region you drag | Clipboard |
KDE Plasma
Print Screen opens Spectacle, which handles every mode from one window and can be configured to copy to the clipboard automatically. Ctrl + Print Screen captures the active window; Shift + Print Screen captures a region.
Others
On XFCE, Print Screen opens xfce4-screenshooter. On i3, Sway and other tiling window managers there is usually no default binding at all — most people bind maim, grim or scrot themselves, with a flag to pipe the output into the clipboard via xclip or wl-copy.
The clipboard route is almost always faster
If you are going to share the screenshot rather than archive it, capturing to the clipboard saves several steps. You skip naming a file, finding it again, and cleaning it up afterwards.
That is the whole idea behind PasteSnip: capture to clipboard, press Ctrl+V on the page, and you have a shareable link. No file ever touches your Desktop.
Quick reference: capture straight to clipboard
| Platform | Region to clipboard | Window to clipboard |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows + Shift + S | Alt + Print Screen |
| macOS | Control + Command + Shift + 4 | Control + Cmd + Shift + 4, then Space |
| GNOME | Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen | Configure in Settings |
| KDE | Shift + Print Screen | Ctrl + Print Screen |
Common questions
Where do Windows screenshots get saved?
Windows + Print Screen saves to Pictures then Screenshots. Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen do not save anything — they only copy to the clipboard, which is why the file cannot be found.
Why does my Mac screenshot not paste?
Command + Shift + 3 and 4 save a file to the Desktop rather than copying. Hold Control as well — Control + Command + Shift + 4 — to send the capture to the clipboard instead.
How do I screenshot just one window?
Windows: Alt + Print Screen. macOS: Command + Shift + 4 then press Space and click the window. GNOME: Alt + Print Screen.
Can I change where macOS saves screenshots?
Yes. Press Command + Shift + 5, open Options, and pick a different location under Save to.