You want to capture a moment in your Steam game, but the screenshot shortcut is unclear or pressing it does nothing. Start with F12 on a computer, or STEAM+R1 on Steam Deck. From there, you can find the image, change the controls, and check the overlay settings if the capture fails.
Press F12 to capture your game
Launch your game through Steam.
Press F12 during gameplay to take a screenshot. This is Steam’s default screenshot shortcut on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it works in games that support the Steam Overlay.
If your keyboard assigns another function to F12, hold its function-key modifier while pressing F12. Steam also lets you choose a different combination in its settings.
If the shortcut does not capture an image, check the Steam Overlay settings below. For a game that does not support the overlay, use your operating system’s screenshot shortcut in the final section.
Capture with Steam Deck or a controller
Use these shortcuts when you’re playing with Steam Deck’s built-in controls or a supported controller. Controller combinations depend on the active guide-button chord layout.
On Steam Deck LCD or OLED with the default layout, hold STEAM and press R1, the right bumper.
Hold STEAM to display the device’s shortcut reference.
With Steam’s default controller chords enabled, hold Xbox/Guide and fully press RT on an Xbox One controller.
On a DualShock 4, hold PS and fully press R2. Customized chord layouts change these assignments.
For another controller in Steam’s controller interface, long-press its Steam, PS, or Xbox button.
Select Show Controller Shortcuts.
Use the screenshot combination displayed for that controller.
To enable controller chords on desktop Steam, open Steam > Settings > Controller.
Turn on Enable Guide Button Chords for controllers.
Open Guide Button Chord Layout to inspect or change the screenshot binding. The global editor is not presented identically in SteamOS Gaming Mode.
Find the screenshot you just took
Steam’s media manager gives you access to saved captures and their local files, replacing the older View > Screenshots menu.
On desktop Steam, open View > Recordings & Screenshots.
Select the screenshot you want to view.
To find the original file, open the locally stored screenshot’s context menu.
Choose Show on disk. This requires a local screenshot, rather than only an uploaded community copy.
On Steam Deck, open the STEAM menu.
Select Media to access your captures.
If screenshots fail, enable the Steam Overlay
Open Steam > Settings > In Game.
Turn on Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
Restart the game.
Press Shift+Tab, the default shortcut, to open the overlay.
If the overlay remains disabled for that game, right-click the game in Library.
Choose Properties... > General.
Turn on Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
Relaunch the game.
Press F12 or your configured screenshot shortcut.
These settings enable Steam capture only in games that support the overlay.
Choose a screenshot shortcut that suits your keyboard
A different key combination is useful when F12 has another function on your keyboard or is inconvenient to reach.
Open Steam > Settings > In Game.
Under Screenshots, select the shortcut field labeled Take a screenshot.
Press your desired key combination.
Use that combination while playing. This setting also applies to Steam Deck Desktop Mode with keyboard input.
If the new shortcut still does not work, check both overlay settings above. Changing the key combination does not add overlay support to an incompatible game.
Share and export your captures
Open a screenshot through View > Recordings & Screenshots, then select Share... > Copy to Clipboard to copy it. To export a file, choose Share... > Save Image.... For multiple selected images, the export action is Save Images....
To send a capture through Steam chat, select Share... > Share to a chat and choose the recipient or conversation. To transfer it to your phone, choose Share... > Send to Phone... and follow the transfer prompt with the Steam Mobile App signed into your account.
For a Steam Community post, select Share... > Share on Steam.... Choose an available visibility setting, Public, Friends Only, Private, or Unlisted, and complete the sharing dialog. Account or game restrictions can prevent community sharing without preventing local capture.
Capture a moment from recorded gameplay
If Steam already recorded the moment, open the recording and turn a paused frame into a screenshot.
- 1.For future footage, open Steam > Settings > Game Recording and choose Record in Background, or the option that records only when you turn recording on; for existing footage, start with the next step.
- 2.Open View > Recordings & Screenshots.
- 3.Play the recording and pause on the frame you want.
- 4.Right-click the playback area and select Take Screenshot at Current Playback.
Save an extra copy in a folder you choose
Use this setting when you want Steam to automatically save an additional file for each new screenshot. You choose the destination folder.
Open Steam > Settings > In Game > Screenshots.
Enable Save an external copy of my screenshots.
Under External screenshots folder, select Change folder.
Choose the destination.
Take screenshots using Steam’s configured shortcut.
For an applicable HDR game and display configuration, enable Save external HDR screenshots as AVIF to save external HDR captures in that format.
Use your computer’s capture tools as a fallback
On Windows, press Windows+Print Screen to capture the full screen directly to a file.
Find the image in Pictures > Screenshots.
For a selected area on Windows, press Windows+Shift+S.
Select the area you want to capture.
Use Save as in Snipping Tool if you need to save the capture.
On macOS, press Shift+Command+3 to capture the full screen.
For a region on Mac, press Shift+Command+4.
Drag over the area you want.
For a window on Mac, press Shift+Command+4.
Press Space.
Click the window to capture it.
On KDE Plasma, including Steam Deck Desktop Mode, press Print to open Spectacle with the default shortcut.
Under Area, choose Full Screen (All Monitors) to capture the desktop.
Select Take a New Screenshot.
Select Save As.
On GNOME, press Print to open the screenshot interface with the default shortcut.
Choose the screen, window, or selection capture option.
Click the round capture button.
Look for these images outside Steam’s screenshot library, since operating system captures work independently of Steam’s overlay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off Steam’s screenshot notification stop screenshots from saving?
No. Under Steam > Settings > In Game > Screenshots, When a screenshot is taken, display a notification and When a screenshot is taken, play a sound control confirmations, not whether the image is saved.
Can Steam open the screenshot manager automatically after I finish playing?
Yes. Open Steam > Settings > Cloud and enable Screenshot Management. It opens the Screenshot Manager after you close a game if screenshots were taken.
Can I assign a Steam Deck paddle or controller button to take screenshots?
Yes, with Steam Input. Open the game’s Library page, select the controller icon, then select Edit Layout. Select the desired control under Buttons, then choose System > Take Screenshot. Press that control while playing. Available controls depend on your hardware and layout.
Can I include Steam Deck menus in a screenshot?
In SteamOS Gaming Mode, open Steam > Settings > In Game and enable Include Steam UI elements in screenshots. Then take the screenshot with the device or controller screenshot chord.