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Press Windows + Shift + S. When the screen dims, choose the rectangular snip mode and drag around the part of the display you want. Windows copies the selected area to the clipboard; select the Snipping Tool notification to annotate, save, or share it. This works on Dell computers running Windows 10 or Windows 11 and avoids Dell-specific Print Screen key differences.
Capture part of your Dell screen with Windows + Shift + S
- Arrange the screen. Open the window, document, image, or web page and position the exact content you want to capture.
- Open screen snipping. Press Windows + Shift + S at the same time. The display dims and a snipping toolbar appears.
- Choose a mode. Select the rectangular icon for a normal box selection. Choose freeform if you need to draw an irregular outline. The toolbar also offers window and full-screen modes.
- Select the area. For a rectangle, press at one corner, drag over the content, and release. For freeform, draw around the shape you need.
- Open the result. The snip is copied to the clipboard. Click the Snipping Tool notification that appears, or open Snipping Tool from the Start menu, to mark up, save, or share the image.
The shortcut captures a region; it does not by itself promise that a file has been written to disk. In Snipping Tool, choose the save command and select a folder and image format when you need a permanent file.
Choose the right snipping mode
Rectangular snip
Use this for most tasks: a chart, dialog box, paragraph, image, or a precisely bounded section of a page. Drag from one corner to the opposite corner.
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Freeform snip
Use freeform when a rectangle would include unwanted material, such as a person in a photo or a non-rectangular diagram. Your outline determines the captured shape; the surrounding result may still appear on a rectangular canvas.
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Window snip
Choose a window capture when you want one complete application window rather than a manually selected portion. This is useful for an error dialog or a single program while several windows overlap.
Full-screen snip
Use full-screen mode when you need every visible monitor area. For a full-screen image that is saved automatically, press Windows + PrtSc; Windows places that capture in PicturesScreenshots.
Clipboard versus a saved screenshot
Windows + Shift + S sends the selected image to the clipboard first. You can paste it immediately with Ctrl + V into an email, chat, document, image editor, or support form. If you close the notification without saving, the clipboard content can be replaced by your next copy operation.
- Paste quickly: press Ctrl + V in the destination app.
- Save and edit: open the Snipping Tool notification, use its pen, highlighter, crop, or markup controls, then select Save.
- Share: use the share option in Snipping Tool or paste the clipboard image into the service you are using.
The exact buttons can vary slightly between Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates, but the region-selection shortcut and clipboard behavior are the same in Microsoft’s current Windows guidance.
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- Stay connected to what you love: Spend more screen time on the things you enjoy with Dell ComfortView software that helps reduce harmful blue light emissions to keep your eyes comfortable over extended viewing times.
- Type with ease: Write and calculate quickly with roomy keypads, separate numeric keypad and calculator hotkey.
- Ergonomic support: Keep your wrists comfortable with lifted hinges that provide an ergonomic typing angle.
What if your Dell keyboard has no obvious Print Screen key?
You do not need to locate a particular Dell Print Screen key for a partial capture. Windows + Shift + S works independently of the keyboard’s Print Screen label.
Dell keyboards differ by model. Some laptops put Print Screen on a function-row key and require Fn with that key; some desktop keyboards without a dedicated Print Screen key use Fn + Insert. Fn is not universally required, and those combinations do not apply to every Dell model. If a Print Screen shortcut does not respond, check the manual for your exact Dell model.
Windows can also be configured so pressing PrtSc opens screen snipping. To check that setting, open Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard and look for the option that uses the Print Screen key to open screen snipping. The label may differ slightly between Windows releases.
Alternative shortcuts and when to use them
| Method | Capture scope | Initial destination | Print Screen key required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + S | Selected region, freeform, window, or full screen | Clipboard; open Snipping Tool to save | No |
| Windows + PrtSc | Full screen | Saved in PicturesScreenshots | Usually uses the Print Screen function, sometimes with Fn |
| PrtSc (if enabled) | Windows screen-snipping overlay or full-screen behavior, depending on settings | Typically clipboard or Snipping Tool | Yes, with possible Fn variation |
For the specific question “How do I screenshot part of the screen?”, Windows + Shift + S is the best fit because it selects a region directly and avoids Dell keyboard-layout variation.
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Troubleshoot a Dell partial screenshot
The overlay does not appear
- Press and hold the Windows key, then press Shift and S together; release all three after the screen dims.
- Open Start and search for Snipping Tool. If it opens, use New and select a region manually.
- Restart Windows if the shortcut worked previously but stopped responding.
The image pasted into another app is missing
Return to the Snipping Tool notification and save the capture, then attach the saved file. A later copy operation may have replaced the clipboard image.
The wrong area was selected
Cancel the current snip and press Windows + Shift + S again. Move the pointer to the intended starting corner before dragging. At high display scaling, zoom or application layout can make boundaries look different from their pixel coordinates.
Print Screen works differently than expected
Do not infer that Fn is always needed. Test Windows + Shift + S instead. For hardware-key behavior, consult the guide for your Dell model because key labels and function layers vary.
The screenshot is black or hides protected content
Some video players, remote desktops, banking pages, and other protected surfaces intentionally block or blank screen capture. This is an application or security restriction, not a Dell shortcut defect. Use the application’s permitted export or sharing function where available.
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- Built for virtual connection: Bring your connections to life with an up-to FHD camera, designed with wide dynamic range and temporal noise reduction to deliver crisp, sharp images, no matter the lighting conditions.
- Adaptive thermals: Built-in technology allows your PC to sense when it's on a stable surface and adjusts its power and thermals to run more efficiently.
You captured the wrong monitor
With multiple displays, move the pointer to the monitor containing the target and begin the rectangular drag there. For a whole desktop, use full-screen capture and verify the resulting image before sharing it.
Quality, accessibility, and privacy tips
- Capture at the right scale: maximize the source window or increase its zoom before selecting a small region so text remains readable.
- Include context deliberately: leave the title bar or relevant error code visible when sending a support screenshot, but crop unrelated tabs and personal data.
- Check sensitive information: passwords, account numbers, notifications, and browser addresses can be visible even outside the area you intended to show.
- Use keyboard navigation: after opening Snipping Tool, Tab and arrow keys can move among controls on supported Windows versions; a mouse or touchpad is usually fastest for drawing the region.
- Annotate before sending: use markup to circle an error or cover private text, then save a new copy so the original remains available.
Or skip the browser setup
If what you actually need is a repeatable screenshot of a web page—not a crop of your physical Dell display—ScreenshotNeo can return an image or PDF from one request. It accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in headers.
Read the parameter details in the ScreenshotNeo documentation. A minimal cURL request is:
The Tool Desk
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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)And in Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);For automation, ScreenshotNeo also provides an MCP server with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. Features include full-page lazy-image loading, CSS-selector element capture, device presets, custom viewport and retina scale, PDF controls, custom CSS and JavaScript, clicks, waits, request blocking, headers, cookies, user-agent and authorization, timezone and geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, selectable cache TTLs, signed links, asynchronous webhooks, bulk capture for up to 100 URLs per call, a usage API, and an OpenAPI specification. Common screenshot-API parameter names are accepted to ease migration.
The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; every feature is available on every plan. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try it.
Best Value
- Effortlessly chic. Always efficient. Finish your to-do list in no time with the Dell 15, built for everyday computing with Intel processors.
- Designed for easy learning: Energy-efficient batteries and Express Charge support extend your focus and productivity.
- Stay connected to what you love: Spend more screen time on the things you enjoy with Dell ComfortView software that helps reduce harmful blue light emissions to keep your eyes comfortable over extended viewing times.
- Type with ease: Write and calculate quickly with roomy keypads, separate numeric keypad and calculator hotkey.
- Ergonomic support: Keep your wrists comfortable with lifted hinges that provide an ergonomic typing angle.
Frequently asked questions
Does Windows + Shift + S work on every Dell computer?
It applies to Dell computers running supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 versions. The shortcut is provided by Windows, so Dell model-specific Print Screen labeling does not affect it.
Where is a partial screenshot saved?
Initially, it is copied to the clipboard. Open Snipping Tool from the notification and save it yourself. The automatic PicturesScreenshots location applies to the Windows + PrtSc full-screen shortcut instead.
Can I screenshot an irregular shape?
Yes. Open Windows + Shift + S and choose freeform snip, then draw around the area.
Why should I use Windows + Shift + S instead of Print Screen?
It directly selects a region and does not depend on whether your Dell keyboard places Print Screen on a dedicated key or behind Fn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the image format from Snipping Tool?
Snipping Tool’s save dialog lets you choose the available image format and filename for the capture; the shortcut itself does not impose a file extension.
Will the shortcut capture a second monitor?
Yes. Move the pointer to the display containing the target and begin the selection there; choose full-screen mode when you need the entire desktop.
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Is a web-page screenshot the same as a Dell screen snip?
No. A screen snip records pixels currently displayed on your computer. A service such as ScreenshotNeo renders a URL remotely and is better suited to repeatable, automated web captures.
Quick Recap
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