How to take a screenshot on almost any device

In this article, you'll learn how to take screenshots on the devices listed below. Choose your device from the list and proceed to the suggested steps.

Windows 7 and Windows 8

Sadly, Windows 7 and 8 do not have a built-in feature for taking screenshots immediately. However, there are still a couple of ways to snap one.

1. The first way is to press the PrtSc button on your keyboard. This does not save an image but makes a copy of your screen to your clipboard.
   
   
2. Once you press PrtSc, you'll need to open an app that supports pasting images, e.g., Paint, Paint.NET, Google Docs, etc.
   
   
   
   
3. For this example, we'll use Paint. You can open it by pressing the Windows Start or Search buttons and typing Paint.
   
   
   
   
4. Once you open Paint, press CTRL + V to paste your copied screenshot.
   
   
5. Click on the floppy disk icon to save this picture. Choose to save it on your Desktop – it will be easier to find it later.
   
   

NOTE: Windows Snipping Tool is a great way to make a screenshot as well. This app should already be installed on your Windows device. See how to take a screenshot on Windows with the Snipping Tool.

Windows 8.1 and above

1. Press the Windows Button + PrtSc to take a screenshot of your whole screen. All screenshots will immediately appear in This PC > Pictures > Screenshots folder
   
   
   
   
2. To make a partial capture of your screen, use the inbuilt Windows Snip & Sketch application. Press the Windows Button + Shift + S. This shortcut will start the Snip & Sketch app without further steps. Then, select the area you'd like to capture.
   
   

Windows Surface

New Windows Surface models can take screenshots with a combination of 2 buttons.

1. Press the Power + Volume Down buttons at the same time to capture your screen.
   
   
   
   
2. Alternatively, if you have a keyboard connected, press the Windows + Space + Fn to take and save your screenshot.
   
   

macOS

1. Press Command + Shift + 3. A screenshot will automatically appear on your desktop.
   
   

Android

The majority of new Android devices use the same universal command to take screenshots. 

1. If your Android has a physical Home button, press the Home + Volume Down buttons at the same time to capture a screenshot.
   
   
   
   
2. If your phone or tablet has no Home button, press the Power + Volume Down buttons at the same time to take a screenshot.
   

iOS

The iPhone 8 and older models still have the Home button.

1. To take a screenshot, press the Home + Power buttons at the same time.
   
   
2. The process is similar to that of iPads with Home buttons. Press the Home + Power buttons to capture the screen.
   
   
3. For iPhone 10 and later models that no longer have the Home button, press Power + Volume Up at the same time to take a screenshot.

Linux

The commands below were tested on Ubuntu OS. However, they should work just fine with other distributions as well. All screenshots will automatically appear in the Pictures folder.

1. Press PrtSc to capture your whole screen.
   
   
   
   
2. To capture a specific part of your screen, press Shift + PrtSc, then select the part of your screen you'd like to capture.
   
   

Chrome OS

Even though Chromebooks have no PrtSc buttons, you can still easily take screenshots using a combination of two buttons.

1. Press Ctrl + Switch Window buttons at the same time. The screenshot will appear in the Downloads folder.
   
   
2. If you're using a standard keyboard, Ctrl + F5 will do the trick.
   
   

You may also be interested in:

• How to send a screenshot to our Support Team
• How to enable 2FA on your Surfshark account
• How to take a screenshot on Windows