How to screenshot on a Lenovo laptop

Step by step on a Lenovo Windows laptop

1. 1Find the Print Screen key on your Lenovo Windows laptopIt is usually labelled PrtScn, PrtSc or Print Sc on the top row. Lenovo labels the key PrtSc and usually places it between the arrow cluster and the function row.
2. 2Capture the whole screenPress Windows + Print Screen. The display dims briefly and a PNG is saved to Pictures\Screenshots.
3. 3Capture a region insteadPress Windows + Shift + S, drag across the area, and the snip is copied to the clipboard.
4. 4Capture only the active windowPress Alt + Print Screen, then paste into Paint or a document with Ctrl + V.
5. 5Save and rename the fileIn the Snipping Tool editor press Ctrl + S, then use a descriptive filename so you can find the capture later.

Notes specific to Lenovo Windows laptop hardware

• Fn Lock on Lenovo is Fn + Esc; a small padlock light shows the current state.
• Lenovo Vantage exposes 'Hotkey Mode', which decides whether the top row needs Fn.
• Yoga convertibles in tablet mode can use the Power + Volume Down hardware combination.
• Lenovo does not change the Windows screenshot folder; files stay in Pictures\Screenshots.

Windows screenshot keyboard shortcuts

These shortcuts are part of Windows itself and work in File Explorer, Chrome and any desktop application.

Where Windows saves your screenshots

• Windows + Print Screen saves PNG files to This PC \ Pictures \ Screenshots.
• Windows + Alt + Print Screen saves to This PC \ Videos \ Captures via Xbox Game Bar.
• Windows + Shift + S copies to the clipboard first; the file only exists once you save it from the Snipping Tool editor.
• Print Screen and Alt + Print Screen copy to the clipboard only — paste into an editor or document with Ctrl + V.

You can move the Screenshots folder: right-click it, open Properties, then the Location tab, and choose a new path.

Troubleshooting when the screenshot does not work

• Nothing happens on Print Screen: on a Lenovo Windows laptop the key may be shared with a function key. Try Fn + Print Screen or Fn + Windows + Print Screen.
• Windows + Shift + S does nothing: check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, and make sure the Snipping Tool app is installed and updated from the Microsoft Store.
• The screen does not dim: another application may have taken the hotkey. Close capture tools running in the notification area and try again.
• Screenshots are black: this usually means hardware-protected content, such as a DRM video player. Capture the window with a different tool or disable hardware acceleration in that application.
• The file never appears: Windows + Print Screen writes to Pictures\Screenshots. If OneDrive is managing your Pictures folder, look inside OneDrive \ Pictures \ Screenshots.

Recommended Windows software

Frequently asked questions

What is the screenshot shortcut on a Lenovo?

Windows + Shift + S for a region, or Windows + Print Screen to save the entire screen.

How do I screenshot on a Lenovo Yoga in tablet mode?

Press Power + Volume Down; the capture is saved to Pictures\Screenshots.