Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool Keyboard Shortcuts

Snipping Tool keyboard shortcuts for Windows, and the default screenshot keys on a Mac. Windows+Shift+S opens the snip overlay. Windows+Shift+R records a video clip on Windows 11. Alt+N starts another snip in the same mode. On a Mac there is no Snipping Tool app: Shift-Command-4 snips a region, Shift-Command-3 captures the whole screen, and Shift-Command-5 opens the Screenshot toolbar.

Checked against Microsoft Support and Apple Support · Last checked 6 November 2026

Windows Snipping Tool shortcuts and the Mac screenshot keys

The Windows tab is the Snipping Tool keymap from Microsoft Support, plus the Print Screen keys from Microsoft's Windows 11 screenshot guide. The macOS tab is Apple's built-in Screenshot app from the take a screenshot on Mac article, published 14 September 2026. The two tabs do not share keys. A full Windows list also lives on the Windows shortcuts page, and the rest of the Mac system list is on the macOS shortcuts page.

Win+Shift+S is the snip. Print Screen is the full screen.

Windows+Shift+S is the Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It opens the overlay for a rectangle, a freeform shape, one window, or the full screen, and it copies the result. Print Screen, by itself, copies the entire screen to the clipboard. Alt+Print Screen copies the active window. Windows+Print Screen saves a PNG under Pictures, then Screenshots. Windows+Shift+R is the Windows 11 shortcut for a video snip.

Windows only. Snipping Tool is not a Mac or Linux app. Windows+Shift+S and the Alt keys below are from Microsoft Support. Print Screen, Alt+Print Screen, and Windows+Print Screen are from Microsoft's Windows 11 screenshot guide. Mac keys are on the macOS tab.

Open a snip or a recording

Open the Snipping Tool overlay for a screenshot. Windows+Shift+S is the snipping tool shortcut on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
WinShiftS
Open the Snipping Tool video overlay on Windows 11. Windows+Shift+R starts a screen recording of a rectangular area.
WinShiftR
Copy the entire screen to the clipboard. This is the default Print Screen shortcut, before any Snipping Tool setting is changed.
PrtSc
Copy the active window to the clipboard. Alt+Print Screen captures the window you are working in, then Ctrl+V pastes it.
AltPrtSc
Save a full-screen PNG to Pictures, then Screenshots. Windows+Print Screen writes the file instead of only copying it.
WinPrtSc
Take a screenshot on most Windows tablets. Microsoft documents Power plus Volume Up for a tablet capture.
PowerVol Up
Capture an open menu on Windows 10. Open Snipping Tool, open the menu, then press Ctrl+Print Screen so the menu stays in the gray overlay.
CtrlPrtSc
Paste a snipping tool screenshot into another app. Microsoft documents Ctrl+V after Windows+Shift+S and after Print Screen.
CtrlV

Inside Snipping Tool

Choose a snipping mode. Alt+M is the Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut for rectangle, window, full screen, or freeform.
AltM
Create a new snip in the same mode as the last one. Alt+N is the repeat-snip shortcut inside Snipping Tool.
AltN
Move the cursor to select a snip type. Microsoft documents Shift plus the arrow keys for this.
ShiftArrows
Delay the capture by 1 to 5 seconds. Alt+D is the Snipping Tool delay shortcut for menus that close when you click.
AltD
Copy the snip to the clipboard from the Snipping Tool window.
CtrlC
Save the snip. Ctrl+S writes another copy. A capture is also saved automatically to the Screenshots folder.
CtrlS

macOS only. There is no Snipping Tool on a Mac. Shift-Command-4 is the region snip. Shift-Command-5 opens Screenshot. Add Control to copy to the clipboard instead of saving a file on the desktop. Keys are from Apple Support, 14 September 2026.

Capture the screen, a region, or a window

Capture the entire Mac screen. Shift-Command-3 saves a screenshot to the desktop by default.
⇧⌘3
Snip a region on a Mac. Shift-Command-4 turns the pointer into a crosshair. Drag, then release to capture.
⇧⌘4
Capture one window or a menu. Press Shift-Command-4, then the Space bar, and click the window.
⇧⌘4Space
Leave the window shadow out of a window screenshot. Hold Option while you click the window.
⌥click
Cancel a region or window screenshot before it is taken.
Esc
Move a selected region without resizing it. Hold the Space bar and drag after Shift-Command-4.
Space
Open the Screenshot toolbar on a Mac. Shift-Command-5 is the Mac equivalent of Snipping Tool for capture, recording, a timer, and the save folder.
⇧⌘5

Copy a Mac screenshot to the clipboard

Copy the full Mac screen to the clipboard instead of saving a file. Add Control to Shift-Command-3.
⌃⇧⌘3
Copy a selected region to the clipboard. Control-Shift-Command-4 is the Mac clipboard snip.
⌃⇧⌘4
Copy one window to the clipboard. Press Control-Shift-Command-4, then the Space bar, and click the window.
⌃⇧⌘4Space
Save the thumbnail to the clipboard from the corner preview. Control-click the thumbnail and choose Save to Clipboard.
⌃click

macOS 27 keys that are not screenshots

Ask Siri about the active window on macOS 27. Shift-Command-Space is Visual Intelligence, not a screenshot and not Snipping Tool.
⇧⌘Space
Select an area for Visual Intelligence on macOS 27. Shift-Command-6 is not Command-Shift-4 and does not save a screenshot.
⇧⌘6

How to snip on Windows

Press Windows+Shift+S. Pick rectangle, freeform, window, or full screen from the toolbar, then drag or click. The image lands on the clipboard and a thumbnail appears so you can mark it up. Inside the app, Alt+N repeats the last mode, Alt+M changes the mode, and Alt+D delays the shot by 1 to 5 seconds so you can open a menu first. Ctrl+S saves a copy. On Windows 11, Windows+Shift+R records a rectangular video clip.

  1. Press Windows+Shift+S.
  2. Choose rectangle, freeform, window, or full screen.
  3. Drag or click the area you want.
  4. Press Ctrl+V to paste, or open the thumbnail to edit, then Ctrl+S to save.

The Mac equivalent of Snipping Tool

Search the Mac for an app named Snipping Tool and it will not be there. Shift-Command-4 is the rectangular snip. Shift-Command-4, then Space, then a click, captures one window. Hold Option on that click to drop the shadow. Shift-Command-3 captures everything. Shift-Command-5 opens Screenshot, including screen recording, a timer, the mouse pointer, and the save folder. On macOS Tahoe 26 and later, that toolbar can also choose an SDR PNG or an HDR HEIF capture. Add Control to any of the capture keys when the image should go to the clipboard.

Command-Shift-6 is a different job on macOS 27

Shift-Command-3, Shift-Command-4, and Shift-Command-5 still take screenshots. Shift-Command-Space asks Siri about the window in front of you. Shift-Command-6, then a drag, asks about part of the screen. Both need Siri AI turned on. They do not replace the screenshot keys.

Also see: Windows • macOS • Chrome • Photoshop

Snipping Tool shortcut questions

What is the Snipping Tool shortcut on Windows 11?

Press the Windows logo key plus Shift plus S. The screen dims and a toolbar offers a rectangle, a freeform shape, a window, or the full screen. The snip is copied to the clipboard. Paste it with Ctrl+V, or open the notification to edit it in Snipping Tool.

How do I record the screen with Snipping Tool?

On Windows 11, press the Windows logo key plus Shift plus R. That opens the video overlay. You can also open Snipping Tool, select Record, then New. Select the area, select Start, then Stop. Save the clip, or select Edit in Clipchamp to add captions or audio.

What is the Snipping Tool shortcut on a Mac?

Mac has no app named Snipping Tool. Shift-Command-4 is the region capture, the closest match to a rectangular snip. Shift-Command-3 captures the whole screen. Shift-Command-5 opens the Screenshot toolbar, where you can capture, record, set a timer, and choose the save folder.

How do I copy a Mac screenshot to the clipboard?

Hold Control with the screenshot keys. Control-Shift-Command-3 copies the full screen, and Control-Shift-Command-4 copies a region. You can also Control-click the thumbnail and choose Save to Clipboard. Without Control, the screenshot is saved to the desktop.

How do I capture one window on a Mac?

Press Shift-Command-4, then press the Space bar. The pointer becomes a camera. Click the window or menu. Hold Option while you click to leave out the window shadow. Escape cancels before you click.

What does Alt+N do in Snipping Tool?

Alt+N creates a new snip in the same mode as the last one. Alt+M chooses a snipping mode. Alt+D sets a delay of 1 to 5 seconds, which is the key to use when a menu would close as soon as you click. Shift plus the arrow keys moves the cursor among snip types.

Does Print Screen open Snipping Tool?

By default, Print Screen copies the entire screen to the clipboard. Alt+Print Screen copies the active window. Windows+Print Screen saves a full-screen PNG to Pictures, then Screenshots. You can turn on Use the Print screen key to open screen snipping under Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard. Until that setting is on, Print Screen does not open the overlay.

Is Command-Shift-6 a Mac screenshot?

On macOS 27, Shift-Command-6 selects an area for Visual Intelligence, and Shift-Command-Space asks Siri about the active window. The screenshot keys are still Shift-Command-3, Shift-Command-4, and Shift-Command-5. Those three do not ask Siri.

Explore more shortcuts

System cheat sheets that pair with Snipping Tool