A tablet with a keyboard looks a little like a laptop, but it does not necessarily use laptop screenshot shortcuts. The correct keys depend on whether your tablet runs iPadOS, Android, Windows or ChromeOS.
On an iPad, press Command + Shift + 3. On a Windows Surface, press Windows + Shift + S. Chromebook tablets use Ctrl + Show windows. Android tablets are less consistent: Samsung DeX may support PrtSc, but there is no single keyboard combination that works on every Android model.
Use the table below to find your tablet first. Then follow the short instructions for that operating system.
Tablet screenshot keyboard shortcuts at a glance
| Tablet | Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| iPad with Magic Keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard | ⌘ + Shift + 3 | Captures the iPad screen |
| iPad, open screenshot for editing | ⌘ + Shift + 4 | Captures and opens Markup |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab in compatible DeX setup | PrtSc, if supported | May capture the DeX screen; check keyboard shortcuts |
| Surface Pro or other Windows tablet | Windows + Shift + S | Opens screen-snipping selection |
| Chromebook tablet with keyboard | Ctrl + Show windows | Captures the screen |
| ChromeOS capture toolbar | Ctrl + Shift + Show windows | Choose full, partial or window capture |
| Pixel, Lenovo and many other Android tablets | No universal keyboard shortcut | Use Power + Volume down if a keyboard shortcut is unavailable |
Important: A key named PrtSc, a camera symbol, or an Fn-layer screenshot key may behave differently depending on your keyboard cover, software version and tablet. A Bluetooth connection alone does not make Windows shortcuts work on Android or iPadOS.
Screenshot on an iPad using a keyboard
The quickest iPad method works with a compatible Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard or external Bluetooth keyboard that provides the Command key.
- Connect your keyboard and open the app or page you want to capture.
- Press Command + Shift + 3 at the same time.
- Look for the screenshot preview. You can tap it to review or edit the image, or leave it to save.
- Open Photos to find the captured image, usually in the Screenshots collection.
Want to annotate the image straight away? Use Command + Shift + 4. Apple says this captures the screen and opens Markup immediately. It does not behave like the Mac shortcut that first lets you drag around a region. You can crop the image in Markup instead.
If your keyboard has a separate screenshot key, test it only if the keyboard manufacturer documents that function for iPadOS. Apple provides the two Command-based shortcuts above as the reliable starting point. Apple’s iPad keyboard shortcut guide confirms both.
Screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy Tab with a Book Cover keyboard
Samsung tablets need a slightly different approach. Some Samsung DeX setups recognize Print Screen (PrtSc) from a compatible physical keyboard, but other Galaxy Tab keyboards hide that key behind an Fn combination or omit it entirely. Do not assume Ctrl + PrtSc is a universal Android shortcut.
I would check the tablet’s own shortcut list before trying random combinations:
- Connect your Book Cover Keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard.
- Open Settings > General management > Physical keyboard.
- Open Keyboard shortcuts. Look for a screenshot or screen-capture action and check the required keys.
- If you use Samsung DeX and your keyboard has PrtSc, try that key. On some keyboard covers, the printed function requires holding Fn.
Samsung documents the physical keyboard settings path and the DeX Print Screen action, but supported controls vary by model and software version. If your keyboard has no compatible screenshot key, press your tablet’s Side/Power and Volume down buttons together. On supported Galaxy Tab models, an S Pen’s Screen write option is another reliable alternative.
To find the result, open Gallery > Albums > Screenshots. You can also look in My Files.
Use a keyboard to screenshot on Microsoft Surface or another Windows tablet
A Surface Pro with a Type Cover, Surface Keyboard or connected Bluetooth keyboard uses Windows screenshot shortcuts. For capturing only part of a page, this is the method I recommend:
- Open the page, app or document.
- Press Windows + Shift + S.
- Choose Rectangle, Window, Full screen or another available capture mode from the toolbar.
- Drag around the part you want, or choose a full-screen capture. Open the screenshot notification to edit or save it.
For a screenshot that saves directly to a file, try Windows + PrtScn if your keyboard provides that key. The image normally goes to Pictures > Screenshots. On smaller keyboards without Print Screen, Microsoft also documents Fn + Windows + Space as an alternative on compatible hardware.
Windows + Shift + S copies your capture to the clipboard. On current Windows 11 versions, Snipping Tool also saves it automatically when automatic saving is enabled, normally in Pictures > Screenshots. Check Snipping Tool’s Settings to confirm the save location and behavior. On older versions or with automatic saving disabled, save the capture manually.
For touchscreen-only methods, see how to screenshot on Surface Pro without a keyboard. Our HP laptop screenshot guide explains additional Windows keyboard variations.
Screenshot on a Chromebook tablet with an attached keyboard
ChromeOS uses the Show windows key, often drawn as a rectangle with two short lines to one side. It is commonly found in the top row of a Chromebook keyboard.
- Entire screen: press Ctrl + Show windows.
- Choose a region or window: press Ctrl + Shift + Show windows.
- External PC keyboard without Show windows: try Ctrl + Shift + F5 to open the capture toolbar.
If you are using a Chromebook tablet without its keyboard attached, use Power + Volume down instead. You can also select the time in the bottom-right corner of ChromeOS and open Screen capture. Google documents these options in its ChromeOS screenshot guide.
The captured image is usually accessible in the Files app, commonly in Downloads unless you have changed the save destination. Google also copies captures to the clipboard.
What about a Pixel Tablet, Lenovo tablet or Amazon Fire with a Bluetooth keyboard?
These tablets may accept external keyboards for typing without providing the same screenshot hotkeys as an iPad, Windows tablet or Chromebook. In particular, there is no reliable, universal Ctrl + Print Screen shortcut for every Android tablet.
Try a screenshot-labeled key only if your specific keyboard and tablet support it. Otherwise, use the tablet’s native capture method:
- Google Pixel Tablet: press Power + Volume down together, or use the Screenshot action from Recents where available.
- Other Android tablets: Power + Volume down is the common fallback. Some models also offer a Quick Settings screenshot tile or a gesture.
- Amazon Fire tablets: Amazon documents Power + Volume down for third-generation and later devices.
The absence of a keyboard screenshot shortcut does not indicate that your Bluetooth keyboard is broken. It may simply be an operating-system or accessory limitation.
When the shortcut does nothing
Before changing your tablet’s settings, use these observations to isolate the problem:
| What happens | What to check |
|---|---|
| Keyboard types normally, screenshot shortcut fails | Confirm you are using the shortcut for the tablet’s operating system, not the keyboard’s original PC layout. |
| A key is labeled with two functions | Check whether it requires holding Fn, or whether Fn Lock changes how that key works. |
| Screenshot works on Home but not in one app | Some streaming, banking, secure or managed apps intentionally block screenshots. |
| Windows snip seems to disappear | It may be on the clipboard. Open Paint and try Ctrl + V, or check notifications. |
| Nothing happens anywhere | Reconnect or re-pair the keyboard, then test basic typing. Use the tablet’s physical-button screenshot method as a comparison. |
| Screenshot captured but cannot be found | Check the Photos/Gallery/Files screenshots location for that platform. Search for recent images. |
If other Chromebook keys are unresponsive too, my Chromebook keyboard troubleshooting guide helps separate a hardware issue from a shortcut problem.
Can you take a partial screenshot with a tablet keyboard?
Yes, on supported platforms. Windows + Shift + S lets you select a region on Surface. On ChromeOS, Ctrl + Shift + Show windows opens a toolbar with a partial-capture mode. On iPad, Command + Shift + 4 captures the screen and opens Markup, where you can crop it afterward. On Samsung DeX, your available capture controls depend on the tablet and software configuration.
Does a Bluetooth keyboard use the same shortcut as the original tablet keyboard?
Usually the operating system determines the action, but your Bluetooth keyboard must send the expected keys. A Windows-branded keyboard connected to an iPad may label its keys differently, while a compact Android keyboard may not have Print Screen at all. Check the actual keyboard layout and its manufacturer instructions rather than assuming the labels match the tablet’s shortcuts.
For the fastest result, start with the operating-system shortcut in the first table. If it does not work, compare it with the tablet’s physical-button method before troubleshooting the keyboard itself. That one comparison tells you whether the issue is the shortcut or screenshot capture more generally.
