How to Capture a Screenshot of Only One Monitor Using Snipping Tool

Quick fix: Press Win + Shift + S. Snipping Tool opens at top of screen. Pick Window snip: click an app window on your target monitor. Or Rectangle snip: drag across target monitor only. Or use Full-screen snip from the toolbar at top of just-the-target-monitor (move toolbar to that monitor first).

Multi-monitor setups complicate Print Screen (captures all monitors). Use Snipping Tool’s mode selection to capture specific monitor or window. For full-screen of one monitor: position Snipping Tool on that monitor first.

What causes this need

Print Screen (PrtScn) captures all monitors. With 2-4 monitors, screenshot is huge and shows everything. Snipping Tool gives precise control: full-screen of one monitor, specific window, or rectangle.

Method 1: Use Snipping Tool modes

The standard route.

1. Press Win + Shift + S. Top-of-screen toolbar appears.
2. Pick mode:
   • Rectangle snip: drag rectangle. Stay within target monitor.
   • Window snip: click app window on target monitor.
   • Full-screen snip: captures all monitors. Not what you want.
   • Free-form snip: draw shape. Stay within monitor.
3. Selection auto-copied to clipboard. Notification shows preview.
4. Paste into app (Ctrl+V) or open in Snipping Tool to save.
5. For full save: Snipping Tool app opens automatically. Click Save.
6. For specific monitor full-screen: use Rectangle snip across just that monitor’s area.

This is the standard route.

Method 2: Use specific app fullscreen capture

For window-only capture.

1. Open the app you want to capture on target monitor.
2. Make it active (click on it).
3. Press Win + Shift + S. Pick Window snip.
4. Click on the app window.
5. Window-only capture (no taskbar, no other monitors).
6. For Alt+PrintScreen alternative: captures active window directly to clipboard. No Snipping Tool needed.
7. For each app on target monitor: window snip works regardless of monitor position.
8. For windows that span monitors: Window snip captures the entire window even if it crosses monitor boundary.

This is the window route.

Method 3: Use third-party tools for monitor-specific capture

For granular control.

1. For dedicated “Print Screen this monitor” functionality:
2. ShareX (free, open source): tons of capture modes including per-monitor.
3. Greenshot (free): per-monitor capture.
4. Snagit (paid): comprehensive with scrolling capture.
5. Configure: in each tool, set hotkey to capture specific monitor.
6. For ShareX: Settings → Hotkey settings → bind “Capture monitor 1” / “Capture monitor 2” to specific keys.
7. For PowerToys Screen Ruler: measures but doesn’t capture per-monitor directly.
8. For chronic capture needs: install ShareX. Configure once, use repeatedly.
9. For specific resolution capture: tools can rescale on-the-fly.

This is the third-party route.

How to verify the fix worked

• Screenshot shows only target monitor / window / region.
• No content from other monitors visible.
• Resolution matches target monitor.
• For window snip: only the window, transparent corners (if app has them).

If none of these work

If Snipping Tool not available: Reinstall via Microsoft Store: search Snipping Tool. For older Windows: Snipping Tool path: %windir%\system32\SnippingTool.exe (legacy). For specific GPU configs: HDR + SDR mixed monitors complicate captures. For HDR captures: tone mapping may differ. For DPI-different monitors: 100% scaling vs 200% — mixed captures look odd. For chronic Snip issues: re-register Snipping Tool: Get-AppxPackage *ScreenSketch* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode}. For specific keyboard layout: Print Screen key may differ; remap via PowerToys.

Bottom line: Win+Shift+S → pick Rectangle / Window / Free-form snip on target monitor. For full-monitor: drag Rectangle across all of that monitor only. For more control: ShareX or Greenshot for dedicated per-monitor capture.