How to Screenshot Part of the Screen in Windows 10

Use Windows logo key + Shift + S. Windows 10 dims the display and opens the screen-snipping overlay. Choose Rectangular snip, drag around the area you need, then use the notification to edit and save the image or paste it directly into another app.

Quick steps

Arrange the screen so the content you want is visible.
Press Windows logo key + Shift + S.
When the screen dims, choose a capture mode from the toolbar.
For a normal partial screenshot, choose Rectangular snip.
Click and drag from one corner of the area to the opposite corner, then release.
The capture is copied to the clipboard. Select the notification that appears to open it in Snipping Tool, or paste it with Ctrl + V.
In Snipping Tool, annotate the image if needed and select Save (or press Ctrl + S) to create an image file.

Choose the right snipping mode

Mode	What it captures	Best use
Rectangular	A box you draw with the mouse or touchpad	Most partial-screen screenshots
Freeform	An irregular outline you draw by hand	Isolating a non-rectangular shape
Window	One application window	Capturing a browser or program without surrounding content
Full screen	Everything visible on the display	Capturing the complete desktop

For the question “How do I screenshot part of the screen?”, Rectangular is usually the fastest and cleanest option. Freeform is useful when the boundary itself matters. Window and Full screen change what is included rather than letting you draw a custom region.

What happens after you select an area?

Windows copies the snip to the clipboard immediately. A notification normally appears in the lower-right corner. Select it to open the capture in Snipping Tool, where you can draw on it, crop or mark it up, and save or share it.

You can also skip the notification and paste the image directly:

Word, OneNote, email or chat: press Ctrl + V.
Paint: open Paint and press Ctrl + V, then use Save As to choose PNG, JPEG or another supported format.
Image editor: create or open a document and paste the clipboard image into it.

The shortcut does not automatically create a file in a screenshots folder. Save the image from Snipping Tool or from the app where you pasted it.

How to capture an irregular area

Press Windows + Shift + S.
Select Freeform snip if it is available on the toolbar.
Hold the mouse button (or use a pen or finger) and trace around the object.
Release to finish the outline.
Open the notification to edit and save, or paste the result elsewhere.

The saved image normally includes the area inside your outline. For clean documentation, Rectangular mode is often easier to align and crop later.

Capturing a specific application window

Press Windows + Shift + S.
Choose Window snip.
Move the pointer over the target window and select it.
Open the notification or paste the result from the clipboard.

Window mode is useful when a window is surrounded by unrelated desktop content. Make sure the target window is not minimized and that the part you need is visible before starting.

Tips for better partial screenshots

Resize or move the window before opening the overlay so the complete target is visible.
Close menus, tooltips and notifications that you do not want in the image.
Use Rectangular mode for documentation because its edges are predictable.
For a precise boundary, start slightly outside the first pixel you need and crop later in Snipping Tool or Paint.
If text is too small, increase the application zoom before capturing rather than enlarging a small image afterward.
On a multi-monitor setup, move the pointer to the display containing the target before dragging.

Troubleshooting

The Windows + Shift + S shortcut does nothing

Shortcut behavior can vary in some applications. Open Start, type Snipping Tool, and launch it from the results. Use its capture mode and New controls to take the snip manually.

The overlay opens, but the wrong area is captured

Press Escape and try again after moving or resizing the window. In Rectangular mode, begin at the exact corner you want and keep the pointer pressed until you reach the opposite corner.

No notification appears

The capture may still be on the clipboard. Open Paint, an email, or another destination and press Ctrl + V. If you need the editor, start Snipping Tool from Start and make a new capture there.

Pasting produces an old screenshot

Take a new snip and wait for the screen to return before pressing Ctrl + V. Clipboard history or another application may have replaced the previous image.

The screenshot contains private information

Before saving or sharing, inspect the image for account names, notifications, addresses and other visible data. Crop or mark out anything that should not leave your computer.

Open Snipping Tool first and use its delay option if your Windows 10 version provides one. A delay gives you time to open the menu before the capture begins.

Clipboard, file formats and storage

The immediate result is a bitmap in the Windows clipboard. Saving from Snipping Tool lets you create a file in the location and format you choose. PNG is a good default for interface screenshots and text; JPEG creates smaller files for photographic content but can blur sharp text.

If you need a repeatable filename or folder, paste the capture into Paint or another editor and use Save As. The Windows + Shift + S workflow itself does not enforce a permanent save location.

Accessibility and input devices

A mouse, touchpad, touchscreen or pen can define the selection.
On a touchscreen device, use the same keyboard shortcut when a keyboard is connected, then drag with your finger or pen.
If keyboard shortcuts are difficult to use, launch Snipping Tool from Start and use its visible controls.
Increase display scaling or application zoom before capturing if the result must be readable by someone else.

Performance and reliability notes

This is a local capture: Windows copies pixels already displayed on your screen, so it does not require an internet connection. The capture is limited to what is currently visible; a long webpage must be scrolled and captured in multiple pieces or captured with a separate full-page tool. Animations, video frames and rapidly changing content may differ between attempts, so pause the content when accuracy matters.

Or skip the browser setup

If what you actually need is a screenshot of a web page rather than the pixels currently visible on your Windows desktop, ScreenshotNeo returns a clean PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF from one GET request. Its consent step accepts cookie banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.

See the complete option list and request details in the ScreenshotNeo documentation.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);

It also provides an MCP server so Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients can take screenshots, plus full-page and element capture, custom CSS and JavaScript, device presets, PDF options, waiting and blocking controls, caching, signed links, async jobs and bulk capture. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots each month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.

FAQ

What is the shortcut for part of the screen in Windows 10?

Press Windows logo key + Shift + S, then drag over the area.

Where does the screenshot go?

It is copied to the clipboard first. Open the notification to use Snipping Tool, or paste it into another application and save it there.

Can I capture a circle or custom shape?

Choose Freeform snip and trace the shape. Rectangular snip is better for precise, document-ready edges.

Can this shortcut capture a whole webpage?

No. It captures the visible display. For a page that extends below the viewport, capture multiple sections or use a web screenshot service such as ScreenshotNeo.

Does Windows 10 need a separate screenshot app?

No. The shortcut and Snipping Tool are included with Windows 10.