How do I copy a screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it?

Windows: Win + Shift + S. Mac: add Control to the usual shortcut, e.g. Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + 4. Both put the image on the clipboard for pasting.

Can I paste a screenshot into Gmail or Slack?

Yes. Both accept a pasted image with Ctrl + V or Cmd + V, in the message body for Gmail and the composer for Slack.

How do I copy a screenshot after annotating it?

Use an editor with a Copy button, which puts the edited image on the clipboard. Demorta’s screenshot editor has Copy alongside Download.

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How to Copy a Screenshot Straight to the Clipboard in Chrome

September 18, 2026

The destination for most screenshots is a chat message or an email, and both accept a pasted image. Saving a file first, finding it, and attaching it is three steps that a clipboard capture makes one.

Windows

Win + Shift + S copies the area you drag to the clipboard. Print Screen copies the whole screen, Alt + Print Screen the active window. Paste with Ctrl + V into Slack, Teams, Gmail, Word, or anywhere else that takes an image.

Mac

Add Control to any screenshot shortcut to send it to the clipboard instead of the desktop: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + 4 for an area, Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + 3 for the whole screen. Paste with Cmd + V.

Copy after editing, in the browser

The clipboard shortcuts copy the raw capture. If you need to blur or annotate first, use a tool with a Copy button after the edit: in Demorta’s screenshot editor, capture, blur, add the arrow, then press Copy and paste wherever it is going. Download is there too if you want the file. Try the free screenshot tool.

Copy uses the browser’s clipboard API, which asks for permission once per site and is blocked in a few corporate environments; if Copy fails, Download always works.

Pasting into places that want a file

Some forms -- ticket systems, older upload fields -- only take a file. Paste into a message draft, or save from the clipboard with an editor, or simply download the PNG. Chrome itself can also paste an image into most modern file inputs directly.

Frequently asked questions

How do I copy a screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it?: Windows: Win + Shift + S. Mac: add Control to the usual shortcut, e.g. Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + 4. Both put the image on the clipboard for pasting.
Can I paste a screenshot into Gmail or Slack?: Yes. Both accept a pasted image with Ctrl + V or Cmd + V, in the message body for Gmail and the composer for Slack.
How do I copy a screenshot after annotating it?: Use an editor with a Copy button, which puts the edited image on the clipboard. Demorta’s screenshot editor has Copy alongside Download.

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