The fastest way to take a screenshot on a Surface Pro without a Type Cover or external keyboard is to use the tablet’s physical buttons:
Press and hold the Power button, then press the Volume Up button.
The screen briefly dims, and Windows saves the screenshot automatically in:
Pictures > Screenshots
Microsoft currently documents this hardware shortcut for Surface Pro, Surface Go, Surface Book, and Surface Studio devices. It does not apply to Surface Laptop.
For most people using a Surface Pro as a tablet, this is the only shortcut they need.
Capture the Entire Screen With Power + Volume Up
Put whatever you want to capture on the screen.
Then:
- Press and hold the Power button.
- While holding Power, press Volume Up.
- Release the buttons after the screen flashes or dims.
Open File Explorer > Pictures > Screenshots to find the image.
This method captures the full display, so it is ideal when you want to save an error message, webpage, Settings screen, or anything else exactly as it appears.
It also works without opening an app first.
Use Snipping Tool When You Only Need Part of the Screen
The hardware buttons are convenient, but they always capture the full display.
For a specific window or area, use Snipping Tool with the touchscreen.
Tap Start, search for Snipping Tool, and open it.
Select New, then choose the type of capture you need. Depending on your current Windows version, the available screenshot modes include:
- Rectangle
- Window
- Full screen
- Freeform
Use your finger or Surface Pen to select the area.
The capture opens in Snipping Tool, where you can crop, annotate, copy, share, or save it.
This is usually better than taking a full-screen screenshot and cropping it afterward.
Pin Snipping Tool for easier tablet use
When you take screenshots regularly without a keyboard, pin Snipping Tool to Start or the taskbar.
Open Start, search for Snipping Tool, press and hold its result, and choose the appropriate pin option.
That gives you a touch-friendly route to screenshots without relying on keyboard shortcuts such as Windows + Shift + S.
Can You Use a Surface Pen?
Yes, but I would treat the pen primarily as a convenient way to operate Snipping Tool rather than assume every Surface Pen has the same screenshot shortcut.
Surface Pen button behavior varies with the pen, Surface model, Windows version, and configured shortcuts.
The reliable approach is:
- Open Snipping Tool.
- Tap New.
- Use the pen to select the area.
- Mark up the screenshot directly with the pen.
- Save or share it.
This is particularly useful for annotating diagrams, documents, webpages, or error messages.
If a pen button on your setup is configured to launch a screenshot or snipping feature, you can use that shortcut as well.
Where Did the Screenshot Go?
The answer depends on how you captured it.
Power + Volume Up
Windows automatically saves the full-screen capture under:
Pictures > Screenshots
If OneDrive is configured to back up or redirect your Pictures folder, the actual file may also appear within the corresponding OneDrive location. To keep captures available on another device, see how to sync OneDrive files across devices.
Snipping Tool
After a capture, Snipping Tool shows the image so you can edit or save it.
Current versions can also save captures automatically depending on the app’s settings. Open Snipping Tool settings if you want to change its screenshot-saving behavior.
When you cannot find a recent capture, open Pictures > Screenshots first, then check Snipping Tool’s recent captures and your OneDrive Pictures folders if you use OneDrive. If the screenshot is available online and you need a local copy, follow how to download files from OneDrive.
Power + Volume Up Does Nothing
Test the two physical buttons separately before changing Windows settings.
Press Volume Up normally. The volume indicator should appear and the volume should increase.
Then verify that the Power button responds normally.
If both buttons work, try the screenshot combination again, making sure you hold Power and then press Volume Up.
A case can also make one of the buttons difficult to press fully. Remove it temporarily if necessary.
When the hardware shortcut still fails, use Snipping Tool. If Snipping Tool captures the screen correctly, Windows screenshot functionality itself is working and the problem is more likely related to the button shortcut.
Restart the Surface and install available updates under:
Settings > Windows Update
Surface firmware and driver updates are normally delivered through Windows Update as well.
Snipping Tool Will Not Capture
Close and reopen the app first.
If it remains unresponsive, open:
Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Snipping Tool > Advanced options
Depending on the Windows build, you may see options to repair or reset the app.
Try Repair before Reset.
Also check Windows Update for current app and system fixes. For a capture that freezes, fails to save, or does not open for editing, use the targeted checks in Snipping Tool not working on Windows 11.
A Snipping Tool problem does not prevent you from using Power + Volume Up for a full-screen screenshot, provided the Surface hardware buttons are working.
What About the On-Screen Keyboard?
You do not need it for this task.
A virtual keyboard adds unnecessary steps for most screenshots. The physical buttons and Snipping Tool both work directly in tablet use, so you can capture the screen without opening a keyboard first.
For a Surface Pro being used without a keyboard, I would use:
Power + Volume Up for the whole screen.
Snipping Tool for a selected area or window.
Surface Pen + Snipping Tool when you want precise selection or annotation.
Those cover the useful scenarios without turning a simple screenshot into a complicated workflow.
Can You Record the Surface Pro Screen Without a Keyboard?
On Windows 11, Snipping Tool can also record part of the screen.
Open Snipping Tool, switch to the Video mode, select New, and drag over the area you want to record.
Select Start to begin and Stop when finished.
That is useful when a still screenshot cannot show a sequence of actions or an intermittent problem.
Windows 10 does not have the same Snipping Tool screen-recording workflow.
For a normal screenshot, though, remember the shortest route: hold Power and press Volume Up. The screenshot should appear automatically in Pictures > Screenshots, with no keyboard required.
