How to Screenshot on Surface Pro: Step-By-Step

With its excellent performance, detachable keyboard, adjustable kickstand, best-in-class digital pen, and more, the Microsoft Surface Pro range is the most popular 2-in-1 tablet or laptop. The tablet is ideal for anyone who needs a powerful machine in a portable form factor, including digital artists, students, and professionals. You can experience trouble taking screenshots on Surface Pro, especially when using the tablet form factor if you are making the transfer from another laptop. A screenshot can be taken and edited in a number of ways on a Microsoft Surface device running Windows 11/10. In this article, we will discuss how to screenshot on a Surface Pro laptop and how to screenshot on it without a keyboard.

How to Do a Screenshot on a Surface?

There are a few alternative ways, in addition to the on-screen buttons, to take a screenshot on a Surface Pro. The appearance of the buttons varies from Surface device model to model. Take a look at these steps as we go over how to take a screenshot on a Surface Pro:

1. Using Tablet Buttons

This process is complex and differs depending on the model of Surface Pro you own. To assist you in understanding how to take a screenshot on any model of Surface Pro, we’ve included detailed instructions and visual aids right here.

Taking a screenshot on the tablet is as simple as pressing the physical buttons without needing a keyboard or typing cover. Here’s how to use the tablet’s physical buttons to take a screenshot on your Surface Pro:

Hold down the power button.
Press and hold the side Volume Up button until you hear a beep, then release both the Power and Volume Up buttons. When a full-screen screenshot is taken, the screen will go dark for a moment to alert the user.

Note: You’ll find your screenshots from the hardware buttons in a Screenshots folder within the Pictures folder.

#2. Using Surface Type Cover

With a Surface Type Cover attached, you can use the tried-and-true method of pressing the PrtScn (Print Screen) key on the keyboard to capture screenshots. To accomplish this.

Option 1: Recording the contents of the screen and saving them to the Windows Clipboard

On a Surface Pro 8 or Surface Pro X with a Type Cover, follow these steps to capture the entire screen:

To take a screenshot, hit the PrtScn key on your keyboard.
Copy and paste into the program of your choice, be it Paint or Word.

Option 2: Copy the contents of the currently selected window to the system clipboard.

To capture a screenshot of the current window on a Surface Pro 8 or Surface Pro X with the Type Cover, do the following:

Capture the current window by using the Alt + PrtScn combination.
Copy and paste into your favorite application, such as Paint or Word.

#3. Using Surface Pen

In Windows 10, the features of the Surface Pen have been enhanced. The new Screen Sketch function was included in the Windows 10 anniversary update. Using this feature, you may record the screen of your device and access a variety of editing options, such as drawing, cropping, and more.

Using the Surface Pen, you can take a screenshot on the Surface Pro. To bring up the sketching option on the screen

To use the Surface Pen’s eraser, press and hold down the button for a second.
You can now use the cropping tools and the Save as button in the top right corner of the screen to modify the screenshot before saving it.

#4. Using Windows Snipping Tool

Windows includes a screenshot tool called the Snipping Tool that provides more customization options and features than previous solutions. To activate the tool:

Simply put “Snipping Tool” into the Start menu, Cortana, or the Search box to bring up the program. Alternatively, you can get the Snipping Tool via the Start menu.
Also, you can access the Snipping Tool via the Start menu, which is housed in the Windows Accessories subfolder.

There are four different ways to take a screenshot on the Surface Pro after launching the tool:

Take a screenshot of your complete desktop with a “full-screen snip.”
Snipping a window means capturing just that window from an application.
With a rectangular snip, you can cut off a rectangle of arbitrary dimensions.
Snip in any direction to cut out whatever shape you draw.

A screenshot of the region you’ve chosen will appear in a new tab or window. After taking a screenshot, you have the option of annotating it in some way. Save your work as a JPEG, PNG, GIF, or HTML with this handy tool.

#5. Using Windows Snip and Sketch Tool

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 updates include a sleek new tool called Snip & Sketch, which lets you take screenshots, photographs, and other images using your pen, touch, or mouse, then copy and paste the annotations into other programs or save them to your hard drive. With this app, you can take a screenshot by:

Launch Snip & Sketch by searching for it in the Start menu, Cortana, or the search bar. Alternatively, you can launch Snip & Sketch from the Start menu.
Select “New” and then “Snip Now” from the tool’s menu upon launch.
Rectangular snip, free-form snip, and full-screen snip are the three capture modes available at the top of the screen.
Pick the location you wish to photograph.
The screenshot is loaded into a new Snip & Sketch window. You now have the option of drawing on the snapshot or highlighting specific areas.
The screenshot can be saved by clicking the Save button. A screenshot can also be copied to the Windows clipboard with a click on the Copy icon.

What Are the 3 Ways to Take a Screenshot on a PC?

There are a few different ways to take a screenshot on a PC. Here are the top 3 methods:

1. The Print Screen Button

When using Windows 10 or Windows 11, hitting the Print Screen (PrtScn) button on your keyboard is the quickest way to take a screenshot of the whole screen.

You have the option of saving the snapshot to your screenshots folder or copying it to the clipboard. Simply copy the screenshot and paste it into an image-editing tool like Microsoft Word or Paint to save the file.

2. The Game Bar

The Game Bar is an overlay that allows you to take screenshots and videos from within most Windows apps and games. To access and make use of it, do as follows:

Simply use the Windows Key + G to open the Find dialog.
To access the Capture menu, select the camera icon (located in the upper right corner of the overlay) and click it.
To capture a screenshot, use the camera icon in the Capture menu. Additionally, you can make a video by tapping the record button and adding sound by selecting the microphone symbol.

However, the Game Bar saves screenshots and video clips in PNG and MP4 format, respectively, and stores them in the Videos > Captures folder in File Explorer. You can also access them through the Game Bar’s Gallery by selecting Show my captures > See my captures from the Capture menu (located directly below the buttons for taking screenshots and recording gameplay).

3. Third-Party Screenshot Apps for PC

If you’re not happy with the built-in Windows options, there are additional programs for taking screenshots that are worth looking into.

Lightshot: Lightshot is a free screenshot app made for instant uploading and sharing online. Anyone using the operating system can download and install it as an alternative to Microsoft’s Windows 10 Print Screen, which has improved editing features.
Greenshot: Greenshot is another free program that gives you the ability to record a full-scrolling web page and edit and adjust screenshots.
ScreenRec: ScreenRec is a free PC application for recording and sharing screencasts and video recordings. In addition to recording and screen-capturing functionality, it also includes annotation capabilities and the ability to generate a shareable link in a matter of seconds.
Screencast-O-Matic: Screencast-O-Matic allows you to create and share screencasts online, and it also functions as a video editor. It also features a screenshot feature; all you have to do is sign up for a free account. For as little as $4 per month, you can gain access to premium features by upgrading to a premium account.

How to Screenshot on Surface Pro Laptop

Taking a screenshot on a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop can come in handy in a variety of situations, such as when you want to show off your gaming screen, document your desktop, or capture a Skype conversation. Surprisingly, the number of available photo-taking options remains constant regardless of whatever Windows 11 Surface laptop you use. These days, the market is flooded with various sorts of computer-related playthings, but only a select few have widespread recognition for their reliability.

One example is Microsoft’s Surface Pro hybrid tablet/laptop. The Surface Pro range of laptops has been gaining popularity in recent years due to their many appealing attributes and useful functions. There are a variety of uses for screenshots, including capturing friends and family members’ hilarious Skype expressions and saving images of useful websites and apps for later reference. Also, read HOW TO SCREENSHOT ON SAMSUNG LAPTOP: The Ultimate Guide

Simply by pressing the “Print Screen” key on your keyboard, you can capture a screenshot of your entire computer screen at any moment. Taking a screenshot is one of the most useful and straightforward Windows features. You can take a picture, save it, and/or share it across numerous channels without needing any additional hardware. Here are different ways to take a screenshot on a Surface Pro laptop:

1. With Snip & Sketch

In Windows 10, the built-in Snip & Sketch set-up may be used to swiftly capture and edit screenshots. It has the ability to markup text. To quickly modify the screenshot, you can use a Surface Pen to doodle on it.

To launch Snip & Sketch, press Windows+Shift+S.
Dimming the Surface Laptop’s screen and revealing four buttons at its top. You can use these to capture a variety of screenshots. Select an option by tapping it.
When you take a screenshot, an alert will show up in the Notifications panel. To view the screenshot in Snip & Sketch, click on it.

Once the screenshot is open, you can make any necessary changes with the editing tools in Snip and Skitch, or you can just save the snapshot as is by clicking the Save icon.

2. With OneDrive

When using Windows’ Print Screen function, screenshots are typically copied to the clipboard; however, if a OneDrive account is associated with the laptop, the screenshots can be uploaded there instead. See below for activation details.

To change the settings for OneDrive, right-click its icon in the Windows taskbar.
Access the backup menu.
To have your screenshots uploaded to OneDrive as soon as they are taken, select the corresponding box. Select OK to accept the changes and close the window.
Select OK to accept the changes and close the window.

#3. Using Print Screen Button

If you own a Surface Pro laptop, this is the quickest (albeit not the most versatile) way to take screenshots. Here is how to activate it:

To take a screenshot on any Surface Pro laptop, press the Print Screen key (abbreviated as PrtScn). The capture is saved to the clipboard on Windows.

Note: If the Function (Fn) key is depressed and in use, the Print Screen key will not work. While the Function key is being used, a little light will illuminate. Don’t go lighting that up! If that’s the case, pressing the function key will disable it.

The screenshot can be pasted into any document, image editor, or social networking platform once it has been copied to the clipboard. To paste the screenshot, move the cursor to the location on the screen where you want it to appear, then hit Ctrl+V on your laptop’s keyboard.

4. With the Touchscreen

All the techniques discussed thus far require the use of a keyboard. There is no way to remove the keyboard from a Surface Laptop, unlike the Surface Book and Surface Pro. You could still want to avoid typing. Instead, you may learn how to take a screenshot using the touchscreen here.

Select Notification Center by clicking its icon in Windows’s upper-right corner.
Click the Expand button, which is located in the upper right area, above the column of huge, rectangular tile buttons.
Select Screenshot from the menu. Snip & Sketch will now begin.
Dimming the Surface Laptop’s screen and revealing four buttons at its top. You can use these to capture a variety of screenshots. Select an option by tapping it.
When you take a screenshot, an alert will show up in the Notifications panel. To view the screenshot in Snip & Sketch, click on it.

If your keyboard is malfunctioning, you can get around this by using your touchscreen instead. Possession of a Surface Pen is also helpful. Without putting down the pen, you may take a screenshot and immediately begin editing it.

How to Screenshot on Surface Pro Without Keyboard

To take a screenshot on a Surface Pro without a keyboard, you can use the hardware buttons. Follow these steps:

Check for Buttons: The Volume Down button and the Windows button can be located on the right side of your Surface Pro tablet. The tablet’s Volume Down button is typically located on its side, and the Windows button is a real Windows logo on the bezel of the device.
Get Your Display Ready: Before taking a screenshot, make sure the screen is showing the desired content.
Take the screenshot: Press and hold the Windows button while also pressing the Volume Down button. It’s possible that a brief, forceful press is necessary.
Confirmation: Once the screenshot has been taken successfully, your screen will go dark for a moment.
Access the screenshot: Your device’s “Screenshots” folder under the “Pictures” library is where the screenshot will be saved automatically.

Using this method, you can take screenshots of whatever is on your Surface Pro’s screen without plugging in a separate keyboard. It’s a handy tool for capturing screenshots of apps or other visual content for later storage.

Bottom Line

The article above details five different methods (hardware buttons, keyboard shortcuts, Surface Pen, Snipping Tool, and Awesome Screenshot & Recorder) for taking screenshots on a Surface Pro. Choose the one that seems coolest to you.

Also, if you need to take screenshots on a Surface Pro or any other device, we highly recommend Awesome Screenshot & Recorder.

Frequently Asked Question

How do I activate Windows screenshot?

Press the Windows key plus Shift plus S. As you make your selection, the desktop will go dark. The default shape for the window will be a rectangle. Rectangular mode, window mode, full-screen mode, and free-form mode are available in the toolbar to modify the shape of your snip.

What is the shortcut key for active window Print Screen?

You can take a screenshot by pressing the Windows key plus the PrtScn button on some keyboards. However, if your device doesn’t have a particular PrtScn button, you can still print a screenshot by pressing Fn + the Windows logo key + the Space Bar.

How to Screenshot on Surface Pro: Step-By-Step

Table of Contents Hide