How do I take a screenshot of part of the screen in Windows?

Press Win Shift S to open the Snipping Tool overlay, then drag to select a region. The capture is copied to the clipboard and a notification lets you annotate and save it. Win PrtScn instead saves a full-screen PNG to your Pictures folder.

How do I snap a window to half the screen?

Press Win Left or Win Right to snap the active window to that half of the screen, then pick another window to fill the other half. Win Up maximises and Win Down minimises or restores.

Win is the Windows logo key, usually between Ctrl and Alt on the bottom row. Many system shortcuts combine it with a letter, for example Win E for File Explorer or Win L to lock the PC.

How do I create and switch virtual desktops?

Press Win Ctrl D to make a new virtual desktop, Win Ctrl Left or Win Ctrl Right to switch between them, and Win Ctrl F4 to close the current one. Win Tab opens Task View to see them all.

Are these shortcuts the same on Windows 10 and 11?

Most are identical. A few are Windows 11 additions, such as Win Z for Snap Layouts and Ctrl T for tabs in File Explorer. They are labelled where relevant, and some depend on features being enabled in Settings.

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

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The Windows logo key unlocks a large set of productivity shortcuts that many users never discover — snapping windows, switching virtual desktops, and grabbing screenshots without lifting your hands off the keyboard. This reference lists Microsoft’s documented defaults for Windows 10 and 11.

How it works

Each shortcut records the action, a category, and the key combination. Win denotes the Windows logo key; press all listed keys together. The search field matches the action text, the category, and the keys, so you can type snap, screenshot, or Win E and find the right row. The category selector limits the table to a single group such as File Explorer or Virtual desktops.

Tips and notes

Win Shift S is the modern screenshot shortcut and routes straight to the Snipping Tool, while the legacy PrtScn key copies the whole screen.
Window snapping pairs well with Win Z on Windows 11, which opens Snap Layouts for grid arrangements.
Ctrl Shift Esc jumps directly to Task Manager, skipping the security screen that Ctrl Alt Delete shows.
Several accessibility shortcuts (Magnifier, Narrator) and some Windows 11 tab features require the feature to be enabled first, so they may do nothing on a default install.

OEM laptops sometimes relocate or omit keys like PrtScn; check your keyboard’s function-row labels if a chord does not respond.