How to Screenshot One Monitor in Windows 10

You can only take screenshots of your primary monitor

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Key notes

  • In order to be productive, sometimes it’s necessary to use multiple monitors.
  • However, sometimes, some questions arise in regard to doing certain tasks in a dual-monitor setup.
  • Taking screenshots is simple in general, but what if you want to take a screenshot of a specific monitor on a multi-monitor setup?
  • We will show you how to take a print screen of one screen using multiple different methods.
screenshot one monitor windows 10

Creating screenshots is quite simple, and it can be done in a matter of seconds if you know how to do it.

However, the screenshot-taking process can get slightly more complicated if you’re using two or multiple monitors.

In today’s article, we’ll show you how to take a screenshot of one monitor if you’re using a multi-monitor setup on Windows 10 PC, so let’s get started.

How can I take a screenshot of only one monitor in Windows 10?

1. Use the Snipping Tool

  1. 1. Make sure that the monitor you want to screenshot is your primary monitor. If not, change your primary monitor.

  2. 2. Press Windows Key + S and enter snipping tool in the search box.

    snipping tool search windows 10
  3. 3. Select the Snipping Tool from the list of results to open it.

  4. 4. From the app’s menu, go to Mode and select Full-screen snip.

    full screen snipping tool
  5. 5. A screenshot of your currently active monitor will be taken automatically.

  6. 6. Click the save icon at the top.

    snipping tool save screenshot
  7. 7. Now select the save location, enter the desired name and file format.

    snipping tool settings screenshot
  8. 8. Click the Save button.

  9. You can easily take screenshot one monitor using the built-in Snipping Tool on your PC. This method will take a screenshot of your primary display.

    Currently, it’s not possible to take a screenshot of a secondary display. Therefore, you need to set the primary display to be the one you want to take a screenshot of.

    However, you should know that the Snipping Tool will get replaced in the upcoming updates, so it might not be a viable long-term solution.


2. Use a keyboard shortcut

  1. Move the mouse to the monitor that you wish to screenshot.
  2. Now press Print Screen on your keyboard.
  3. Press Windows Key + S and enter paint. Select Paint from the list of results.
    paint search results screenshot one monitor windows 10
  4. Now press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot to Paint.
  5. Now choose File > Save as.
    paint save screenshot one monitor windows 10
  6. Enter the desired file name, select the format, and click the Save

Note: You can use any image editor software to save your screenshot, we used Paint because it’s the most convenient and available on all Windows 10 PCs.

You can make this process a lot faster simply by using the Windows Key + Print Screen shortcut.

By doing so, you’ll automatically take a screenshot of the entire monitor and save it directly to the following path:

C:\Users\WindowsReport\Pictures\Screenshots

This method is incredibly simple and straightforward, so it’s perfect for less experienced users.


3. Use Snip & Sketch

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter snip. Select Snip & Sketch from the list of results.
    snip & sketch search screenshot one monitor windows 10
  2. When the application opens, click on the New button.
    new button screenshot one monitor windows 10
  3. Select the Full-screen icon from the menu.
    full-screen screenshot screenshot one monitor windows 10
  4. Click the Save icon in the top left corner.
    save screenshot screenshot one monitor windows 10
  5. Now choose the save location, file name, and file type.

You can also use the global shortcut to a screenshot by following these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + Shift + S.
  2. Now take your screenshot.
  3. Click the notification in the bottom right corner to open Snip & Sketch.
    notification screenshot one monitor windows 10

4. Use the third-party ShareX app

  1. Download ShareX.
    sharex website screenshot one monitor windows 10
  2. Once the software is downloaded, install it.
  3. Start ShareX.
    sharex search results screenshot one monitor windows 10
  4. Look for the ShareX icon in the system tray and right-click it.
  5. Choose Capture > Monitor and select the monitor that you want to capture.
    sharex systray screenshot one monitor windows 10
  6. You should now get a notification saying that your screenshot was saved.

If you want, you can also use the Print Screen key to take a screenshot of your monitor at any time.

Bear in mind that ShareX is incredibly powerful software, and you can change keyboard shortcuts, or fine-tune your settings any way you want.

If you’re an advanced user, we suggest that you dive in and see everything that ShareX has to offer.

If you prefer using third-party software, you can always try some of these great free Windows 10 screenshot tools.

Creating screenshots of an entire monitor on Windows 10 is rather simple, and you can do it without any third-party applications.

All that you need is a Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch app that comes with Windows 10. If you want to create screenshots even faster, without any software, you can always rely on keyboard shortcuts.

Let us know in the comments section below if you managed to take the desired print screen on your device.

More about the topics: Multi-monitor guides, Windows 10 Guides

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