The multi-monitor setup is becoming more common. From my limited experience with a dual-monitor setup, I find it a lot easier for me to get things done. After all, I don’t need to squeeze multiple windows onto one relatively cramped display. Statistics actually show that a setup with more than one monitor boosts productivity by up to 30%.
One article found that nearly 15% of desktop PC users had a multi-monitor configuration. This is more prevalent than most people might have thought.
However, with so many people making use of multiple monitors, they may want to know how they can make use of one of the most useful Windows functions: Print Screen (or PrtSc, Print Scrn, Prt Scrn, or numerous others, as your keyboard might call it). Using it the way most of us are used to – pressing PrtSc and pasting in whichever program will take it – will end up pasting both screens together when you want a screenshot of only one monitor. Sure, you can crop it manually, but if you’re taking many screenshots, this will get annoying.
Fortunately, there’s a way to make this process a lot easier by doing just a single screen screenshot. This article will show you how to print screen one screen at a time, even in a multi-monitor setup.
Do you have a particular question about making a print screen of one screen? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
Here's what we'll cover:
What is the difference between a print screen one screen or two screens?
When you have a dual-monitor setup, it can be a bit tricky to screenshot one monitor. This is because the default action for a print screen done on a dual-monitor setup is to stitch both screens together and give you an extra-large screenshot. For most people, this is not what they want.
On the contrary, when you print screen on a single-monitor setup, it obviously only captures the screen that you have. Many users want to find a way to print screen one monitor similarly, even if they have two. The following section will discuss how to do that.
How to screenshot only one monitor?
Suppose you’re rocking a dual (or even triple) monitor setup and you want to take a screenshot of just one of your monitors. Then it is fortunately not complicated to do.
If you have a single window that takes up one monitor on its own, then this will be relatively easy to execute. Follow these steps to print screen single window:
- Click on the window you want to capture to make sure that it is active.
- Press “Alt” + “PrtSc”.
- Go to any space where the image can be pasted, such as Paint, Microsoft Word, or others.
- Press “Ctrl” + “V.”
- This will paste only the contents of that one window instead of the contents of both displays.
How to screenshot one monitor Windows 10?
While the above method to screenshot one screen will help many people, what about if you want to screenshot one monitor with more than one window in it?
If you’re using Windows 10, there is one great way to get the job done. I think that you’ll agree that it is less stressful than capturing the entire screen and then having to crop out half of it. We’ll be using Snip & Sketch.
To open the program, you can simply use the Windows key + “Shift” + “S.” Draw a box with the cursor around the portion of the display that you want to capture, which might be all of it. The moment you release the mouse button, it will save the snipped portion to your clipboard. You can then save it into the program you want to insert it in.
Alternatively, you can search “Snip & Sketch” in the Start menu to open it.
How to do it on the earlier versions of Windows?
On Windows 10, 8 and 8.1, and 7, you can use the Snipping Tool to get the same thing done. Follow these steps to open the app.
- Press Start, type “snipping tool,” and select the app from the options that appear.
- Click “New.”
- Drag the box over the space you want to capture, in this case, your entire monitor.
- This will automatically bring you to the Snipping Tool editor. From here, you can make edits or simply “Save As.” Just like that, you have a capture of a single monitor.
Also, don’t worry. Even though the Snipping Tool window might look like it is in the way, it won’t appear in the final image.
How to print screen one monitor on Mac?
Okay, so maybe you have figured out how to print screen dual monitors on Mac, so you’ve found this page in your bid to get a screenshot of only one monitor. Well, there are some ways you can go about it, which we’ll discuss.
To take a screenshot of a window, such as one that takes up one whole screen, you just press “Command” + “Shift” + “3”, followed by the spacebar, and then click on the window that you want to capture.
You can also use “Command” + “Shift” + “4” in a similar vein to the Snip & Sketch tool by selecting the area you want to capture.
How to screenshot one screen on Ubuntu?
If you’re a Linux lover, then you may be running Ubuntu (one of the most popular Linux distros, for a good reason) instead of either of the two big players. Fortunately, using print screen here is similar to doing so on Windows. Normally, using PrtSc alone will print screen dual monitors, but if you want just one screen, here are the things that you can try.
Using “Alt” + “PrtSc” will print screen single window. But if you want to capture a multiwindow layout on a single display, just use “Shift” + “PrtSc,” which will screenshot the area you drag out, just like Snip & Sketch. It’s that simple!
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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