How to Insert a Screenshot Directly From Word

You can insert a screenshot of any open window or a clipped portion of your screen without leaving Word. The built-in Screenshot tool is part of the Insert tab and works with all currently open application windows. This article explains how to use the Screenshot button to capture a full window or a custom area, and it covers the limitations of this feature compared to external screenshot tools.

How the Word Screenshot Tool Works

The Screenshot feature in Word is located on the Insert tab in the Illustrations group. It captures a bitmap image of any currently open window or a user-defined screen area. The tool does not require any third-party software or add-ins. It works in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 on Windows. The feature is also available in Word for Mac with a slightly different interface.

The tool has two modes. Available Windows shows a thumbnail gallery of all non-minimized application windows. Clicking a thumbnail inserts a full-screen capture of that window at the cursor position. Screen Clipping minimizes Word and lets you draw a rectangle on the screen. When you release the mouse, the clipped area is inserted into the document.

The inserted image is a static bitmap. It does not update when the source window changes. The image is placed inline with text by default. You can resize it, apply picture styles, and add borders or effects using the Picture Format tab.

Steps to Insert a Screenshot Using Available Windows

1. Open the window you want to capture
   Make sure the target window is open and not minimized. The Screenshot tool only sees windows that are visible on the taskbar.
2. Place the cursor in your Word document
   Click at the location where you want the screenshot to appear.
3. Go to Insert > Illustrations > Screenshot
   Click the Screenshot button in the Illustrations group. A gallery opens showing thumbnails of all available windows.
4. Click the thumbnail of the target window
   Word inserts the full screenshot of that window at the cursor position. The image is placed inline and can be moved or formatted afterward.

Steps to Insert a Screen Clipping

1. Position the cursor in your document
   Click where you want the clipped image to appear.
2. Click Insert > Illustrations > Screenshot > Screen Clipping
   Word minimizes and the screen becomes translucent white. The mouse pointer changes to a crosshair.
3. Drag to select the area to capture
   Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag a rectangle around the content you want. Release the mouse button. Word restores and inserts the clipped image at the cursor.
4. Press Escape to cancel a clipping
   If you change your mind while the screen is dimmed, press the Escape key. Word returns to the document without inserting anything.

Keyboard Shortcut to Open the Screenshot Gallery

You can open the Screenshot gallery without clicking the ribbon. Press Alt + N + SC in sequence. The gallery opens immediately. Use the arrow keys to highlight a window thumbnail and press Enter to insert it. To start a screen clipping from the keyboard, press Alt + N + SC, then press the letter C to activate the Screen Clipping command.

Common Issues and Things to Avoid

Word does not show the window I want to capture

The Screenshot tool only lists windows that are not minimized. If the target window is minimized to the taskbar, restore it first. Also, some system windows such as the Task Manager or the Windows Start menu may not appear in the gallery. Use Screen Clipping instead to capture those areas.

The screenshot is too large or too small

The image is inserted at full screen resolution. Use the sizing handles on the corners of the image to scale it. Hold Shift while dragging a corner handle to maintain the aspect ratio. For precise dimensions, right-click the image, select Size and Position, and enter exact height and width values.

I accidentally captured the wrong area

Delete the inserted image and repeat the Screen Clipping process. There is no undo for the clipping action itself, but you can press Ctrl+Z to remove the inserted image immediately.

The Screenshot button is grayed out

This occurs when the document is protected or in a read-only mode. Save the document to a writable location and close any content controls that restrict editing. The button is also disabled when Word is running in compatibility mode with an older document format. Convert the document to the .docx format by going to File > Info > Convert.

Word Screenshot vs External Tools: Key Differences

Item	Word Screenshot Tool	External Screenshot Tools (Snipping Tool, Snagit)
Capture method	Select from open windows or drag a rectangle	Full screen, window, rectangle, freeform, delayed capture
Image format inserted	Static bitmap (PNG internally)	PNG, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP depending on tool
Editing before insertion	None	Annotate, crop, resize, highlight, blur in the tool
Requires leaving Word	No for window capture; temporarily for clipping	Yes, you switch to the tool then paste into Word
Automatic saving	Image is placed directly in the document	Image is saved to clipboard or file; you paste or insert it
Keyboard shortcut	Alt + N + SC	Windows key + Shift + S (modern Snipping Tool)

For quick captures of any open application, the Word Screenshot tool saves time. If you need annotations, arrows, or highlight boxes before inserting, use an external tool and then paste the edited image into Word.

You can now insert a screenshot directly from Word using either the Available Windows gallery or the Screen Clipping command. Try the Alt + N + SC keyboard sequence to speed up the process. For more control over image formatting, explore the Picture Format tab options such as Picture Border, Picture Effects, and the Remove Background tool.