How to Screenshot on an HP Laptop or Desktop

The fastest way to screenshot on an HP laptop or desktop is Windows + PrtScn. The screen dims for a moment, and Windows saves the whole screen as a PNG file in Pictures > Screenshots. To capture only part of the screen, press Windows + Shift + S and drag over the area you want.

On many HP laptops, Print Screen shares a key with another function. If nothing happens when you press it, hold Fn as well.

This guide covers every built-in way to take a screenshot on an HP computer running Windows 11 or Windows 10, plus HP Chromebooks and HP tablets. You’ll also learn where each screenshot is saved and how to fix Print Screen when it stops working. The steps are based on Microsoft, Google and HP documentation.

HP screenshot shortcuts at a glance

Pick the shortcut by what you want to capture and where you want the image to end up.

Shortcut	What it captures	Where the screenshot goes
Windows + PrtScn	Full screen	Saved as a PNG in Pictures > Screenshots
Windows + Shift + S	An area, a window, a freeform shape or the full screen	Clipboard; Windows 11 also saves it to Pictures > Screenshots
PrtScn (Windows 11)	Usually opens the same capture bar as Windows + Shift + S; on some PCs it copies the full screen instead	Same as Windows + Shift + S, or the clipboard
PrtScn (Windows 10)	Full screen	Usually clipboard only; paste it with Ctrl + V. If screen snipping is turned on, it opens the capture toolbar instead
Alt + PrtScn	The active window only	Clipboard only
Windows + Alt + PrtScn	The active game or app (Xbox Game Bar)	Saved in Videos > Captures
Windows + Shift + R (Windows 11)	A video recording of part of the screen	Snipping Tool, where you save it
Ctrl + Show windows for full screen, or Shift + Ctrl + Show windows for more options (HP Chromebook)	Full screen, part of the screen or one window	Downloads folder, and copied to the clipboard

If Print Screen is a secondary label on your HP keyboard, add Fn to any Windows shortcut above, for example Windows + Fn + PrtScn.

How to take a screenshot on an HP laptop or desktop (Windows 11 and 10)

These methods work on every HP Windows computer, from Pavilion and Envy laptops to EliteBooks and all-in-one desktops. They are built into Windows, so there is nothing to install.

Microsoft’s own guide to screenshots on Windows 11 covers the same shortcuts.

Method 1: Save the full screen with Windows + PrtScn

Use this when you want a file saved straight away.

1. Set up the screen the way you want it captured.
2. Press Windows + PrtScn together. Add Fn if Print Screen is a secondary label on your keyboard.
3. The screen dims for a moment to confirm the capture.
4. Open File Explorer > Pictures > Screenshots to find the PNG file.

Method 2: Capture part of the screen with Windows + Shift + S

This is the most flexible way to screenshot on an HP laptop, because you choose exactly what goes in the image.

1. Press Windows + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
2. Choose a mode: rectangle, freeform, window or full screen.
3. Drag over the area you want, or click the window.
4. The image is copied to the clipboard. Paste it into an email, chat or document with Ctrl + V.
5. To edit or save it, click the preview in the lower-right corner. It opens in Snipping Tool, where you can crop, highlight and draw on it.

On Windows 11, Snipping Tool also saves a copy to Pictures > Screenshots by default. You can turn this off in Snipping Tool under See more (…) > Settings > Automatically save screenshots. On Windows 10, the snip stays on the clipboard until you save it from the notification.

Method 3: Press the PrtScn key on its own

What Print Screen does on its own depends on your version of Windows:

• Windows 11: On many Windows 11 computers, pressing PrtScn opens the Snipping Tool capture toolbar, just like Method 2. Microsoft made this the default in 2023. Depending on your keyboard settings, it may instead copy the entire screen to the clipboard.
• Windows 10: Pressing PrtScn usually copies the entire screen to the clipboard, and nothing appears on screen. Open Paint, Word or a chat window and press Ctrl + V to paste it, then save. If screen snipping is turned on in keyboard settings, the key opens the capture toolbar instead.

You can switch either behavior. Open Settings, search for Print screen, and turn the toggle on or off. On Windows 11 it is called “Use the Print screen key to open screen capture.” On Windows 10 it is “Use the PrtScn button to open screen snipping” under Ease of Access > Keyboard.

Method 4: Capture one window with Alt + PrtScn

Use this to leave out the taskbar, notifications and other windows.

1. Click the window you want so it is active.
2. Press Alt + PrtScn (or Alt + Fn + PrtScn).
3. Paste the image with Ctrl + V.

This copies the window to the clipboard. It does not save a file.

Method 5: Use the Snipping Tool app for timed shots, recordings and text

Open Start, type Snipping Tool and open it. The app does several things the keyboard shortcuts can’t:

• Delay timer: Capture a menu or tooltip that closes when you press a key. Set a delay, open the menu, and wait for the screen to dim.
• Screen recording (Windows 11): Press Windows + Shift + R, select an area, then select Start. Select Stop when you’re done, then save the video or edit it in Clipchamp.
• Copy text from a screenshot (Windows 11): Select Text Actions to pick up the text in the image. You can copy it, or use Quick redact to hide sensitive text before you share. Text recognition runs on your PC.
• Annotate and edit: Use the pen and highlighter, crop the image, or choose Edit > Edit with Paint for more tools.

For every option, see Microsoft’s Snipping Tool guide.

Method 6: Use Xbox Game Bar in games

Press Windows + Alt + PrtScn while a game or app is active. Game Bar saves a PNG of that app straight to Videos > Captures, without opening anything. This is handy in full-screen games. If nothing happens, turn Game Bar on in Settings > Gaming.

Method 7: Capture a whole web page in Microsoft Edge

Windows has no built-in scrolling screenshot for desktop apps, but Edge can capture a full web page.

1. Open the page in Microsoft Edge.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + S to open Web capture.
3. Select Capture full page, then save or copy the image.

How to find and use the Print Screen key on an HP keyboard

HP labels the key prt sc, PrtSc, PrtScn or Print Screen. On most HP laptops it sits in the top row near the right edge, often next to Delete. On HP desktop keyboards it is usually in the cluster above the arrow keys.

If Print Screen shares a key with another function, the screenshot label may appear as a secondary label. Hold Fn while pressing the key to use its screenshot function, and add Fn to the shortcuts in this guide.

What to do if your HP has no Print Screen key

If the key is missing or broken, you can still screenshot on an HP laptop without it:

• Press Windows + Shift + S, which doesn’t use Print Screen at all.
• Open the On-Screen Keyboard with Windows + Ctrl + O and click its PrtScn key.
• Open Snipping Tool from the Start menu and select New.
• On a desktop, plug in any external keyboard that has the key.

How to screenshot on an HP 2-in-1 or tablet

When an HP 2-in-1 such as an Envy x360 or Spectre x360 is in laptop mode, use the keyboard shortcuts above. In tablet mode, try the hardware buttons or Snipping Tool.

• HP Windows tablets and 2-in-1s: Some Windows tablets take a screenshot with Power + Volume Up, while other devices use a different combination. Check your HP model’s documentation for the correct shortcut. If your device doesn’t support hardware-button screenshots, open Snipping Tool from the Start menu and select New to capture the screen with touch.
• HP Chromebook tablets: Press Power + Volume Down.
• Older HP Android tablets: Hold Power + Volume Down for about two seconds. The screen flashes and the image is saved to the tablet’s photos.

How to screenshot on an HP Chromebook

HP Chromebooks run ChromeOS, so the Windows shortcuts above won’t work. Use the built-in Screen capture tool instead.

Quick tip: To capture the entire screen at once, press Ctrl + Show windows. For a partial screenshot, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows and select the area.

1. Press the Screenshot key if your keyboard has one. If it doesn’t, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows (the Show windows key is in the top row and shows a rectangle with two lines beside it).
2. In the menu at the bottom of the screen, select Screenshot.
3. Choose full screen, partial or window, then click or drag to capture.

The screenshot is copied to the clipboard and saved in your Downloads folder. To change the folder, open the same menu, select Settings > Select folder, and pick a new location.

Using an external keyboard without a Show windows key? Press Ctrl + Shift + F5 instead. To record a video, open the same menu and select Screen record. A partial-screen recording can be saved as a video or a GIF.

Google’s Chromebook screenshot help and Chromebook keyboard shortcuts list every option.

Where are screenshots saved on an HP computer?

Most “missing” screenshots were never saved as files. They went to the clipboard. Check the table for the method you used.

Method	Where to find the screenshot
Windows + PrtScn	Pictures > Screenshots (inside your OneDrive folder if OneDrive backs up Pictures)
Windows + Shift + S, PrtScn on Windows 11, Snipping Tool	Clipboard; Windows 11 also saves to Pictures > Screenshots unless you changed the folder in Snipping Tool settings
PrtScn on Windows 10, Alt + PrtScn	Clipboard only; paste it into an app and save it
Windows + Alt + PrtScn (Game Bar)	Videos > Captures
Edge Web capture	Wherever you choose to save it
HP Chromebook	Downloads, unless you picked another folder

To get back a clipboard screenshot you copied earlier, press Windows + V to open clipboard history. It only keeps items copied after you turn it on, so switch it on now if you haven’t.

Print Screen not working on your HP laptop? Try these fixes

Work through these in order, starting with the quickest checks.

1. Check the clipboard first. On Windows 10, PrtScn usually shows nothing on screen. Open Paint and press Ctrl + V; if an image appears, the key works.
2. Add the Fn key. Try Fn + PrtScn and Windows + Fn + PrtScn. If that works, Print Screen is a secondary function on your keyboard.
3. Check Fn lock. If F-keys and action keys seem swapped, toggle Fn lock or change Action Keys Mode in the BIOS (steps below).
4. Look for another app using the key. Screenshot tools such as Snagit, Greenshot or Lightshot, and some cloud storage apps, can take over Print Screen. Check their settings, or close them and try again.
5. Check the Print Screen setting. If PrtScn opens Snipping Tool when you expected a clipboard copy (or the reverse), change the toggle described in Method 3.
6. Reinstall Snipping Tool. If Windows + Shift + S does nothing, Snipping Tool may have been removed. Reinstall it free from the Microsoft Store, then restart.
7. Expect black images from some apps. Many streaming video services block screenshots on purpose, so you get a black frame. In games, try Xbox Game Bar (Method 6) or switch the game to windowed mode.
8. Work around a broken key. Use Windows + Shift + S, the On-Screen Keyboard or an external keyboard, as described in the keyboard section.

What to do if the Fn key works differently than expected

Some HP laptops swap the function keys and the action keys (volume, brightness and so on), so a key does the opposite of what you expect. On some HP business laptops, such as EliteBook and ProBook models, Fn + Shift toggles Fn lock. On many other HP laptops, you change this setting in the BIOS.

Note: BIOS settings and Fn lock shortcuts vary across HP models, and some models don’t have this setting. Check your computer’s documentation, such as HP’s guide to locking or unlocking the fn key, if you can’t find Action Keys Mode.

1. Restart the laptop and press F10 repeatedly to open BIOS Setup.
2. Go to System Configuration > Action Keys Mode.
3. Choose Enabled (action keys work without Fn) or Disabled (F1 to F12 work without Fn).
4. Press F10 to save and restart.

Frequently asked questions

How do I take a screenshot on an HP desktop?

HP desktops and all-in-ones use the same Windows shortcuts as HP laptops. The only difference is the keyboard: any wired or wireless keyboard works, and full-size keyboards rarely need the Fn key.

How do I screenshot only one screen when I use two monitors?

Windows + PrtScn captures every connected display in one wide image, and so does PrtScn when it is set to copy to the clipboard. To capture a single monitor, press Windows + Shift + S and drag over that screen. You can also maximize a window on that monitor and press Alt + PrtScn.

How do I change where Windows + PrtScn saves screenshots?

Open Pictures, right-click the Screenshots folder and select Properties > Location > Move. Pick the new folder and confirm. Snipping Tool has its own save-folder option under See more (…) > Settings.

Are screenshots saved as PNG or JPG?

Windows + PrtScn saves a PNG, which keeps text sharp. If you need a smaller file for email, open the image in Snipping Tool or Paint and use Save as to choose JPG.

Do I need HP software to take screenshots?

No. Every method in this guide is built into Windows or ChromeOS, so there is nothing extra to download.

Conclusion

To screenshot on an HP computer, start with Windows + PrtScn when you want a saved file and Windows + Shift + S when you want only part of the screen. If a shortcut does nothing, add Fn, and check whether the image went to the clipboard instead of a folder. On an HP Chromebook, press Ctrl + Show windows; on a tablet, try the Power and Volume buttons or Snipping Tool.