The quickest way to capture only part of the screen in Windows 11 is the current Snipping Tool shortcut, Windows + Shift + S. You can select a rectangular or free-form area instead of taking a full-screen screenshot and cropping it afterward.
How to Screenshot Part of the Screen
- Arrange the screen so the content you want to capture is visible.
- Press Windows + Shift + S.
- Choose Rectangle for a rectangular crop, or another snipping mode if it better fits the content.
- Click and drag around the area you want to capture.
- Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.
- Open the Snipping Tool notification if you want to edit, annotate, save, or share the image.
Windows also copies the snip to the clipboard, so you can paste it into a compatible app with Ctrl + V.
Use Snipping Tool Directly
- Open Start.
- Search for Snipping Tool and open it.
- Choose the image snipping mode you want.
- Select New and capture the desired area.
- Use Snipping Tool’s controls to save or edit the result.
Snip & Sketch vs. Snipping Tool
Older Windows tutorials may refer to Snip & Sketch. Current Windows 11 guidance uses Snipping Tool, which handles rectangular, free-form, window, and full-screen image captures and also includes additional capture features on supported systems.
Summary
Press Windows + Shift + S, choose a snipping mode, and select the portion of the screen you want. The result is copied to the clipboard and can be opened in Snipping Tool for saving or editing.