How to screenshot a PDF on Windows, Mac and in Acrobat
October 31, 2026 · 3 min read
To screenshot a PDF, open it, zoom so the part you need fits on screen, and use your system’s area shortcut: Windows + Shift + S on Windows, Cmd + Shift + 4 on a Mac, Shift + Ctrl + Show windows on a Chromebook. In Adobe Acrobat Reader you can also use the Snapshot tool, which copies a selected area of the page as an image.
Ways to screenshot a PDF
| Where you open the PDF | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Any app on Windows | Windows + Shift + S | Snip in Pictures > Screenshots |
| Any app on a Mac | Cmd + Shift + 4 | PNG on the desktop |
| Acrobat Reader (desktop app) | Edit > More > Take A Snapshot | Image to paste elsewhere |
Area screenshot shortcut for your computer
Pick your computer and what you want to capture.
Screenshot one area of a PDF page
- Open the PDF and zoom until the area you need is sharp and fully visible.
- Press the area shortcut for your system.
- Drag across the part you need. On Windows the snip is saved to Pictures > Screenshots; on a Mac it’s saved to the desktop.
Zoom in before capturing small text: a screenshot is saved at your screen’s resolution, so zooming later won’t add detail. More on area shortcuts in how to screenshot part of the screen.
Acrobat Reader: the Snapshot tool
Adobe’s help page describes the steps:
- Choose Edit > More > Take A Snapshot.
- Drag a rectangle around the area you want to copy and release the mouse button.
- Paste the image into another app.
- Press Esc to leave Snapshot mode.
Adobe notes two limits: the tool is in the Acrobat Reader app, not in the browser, and it doesn’t work when the PDF’s security settings block copying.
Screenshot a whole PDF page
Set the zoom to fit the whole page in the window, then use the area shortcut. For a page that’s still too small to read, capture it in two parts at a higher zoom.
The reverse: turning a web page into a PDF
If what you actually need is a PDF of a web page, you don’t need screenshots at all. See how to save a whole webpage as a PDF in Chrome.
Full page screenshot saves web pages in Chrome as PDF, PNG or JPG. It’s made for web pages, not for PDF files, so for an open PDF use the methods above.
Questions people ask
How do I screenshot a PDF page on Windows?
Open the PDF, press Windows + Shift + S, choose Rectangle and drag across the page.
Can I copy an image from a PDF without a screenshot?
In Acrobat Reader, the Snapshot tool copies a selected area as an image you can paste elsewhere.
Why is my PDF screenshot blurry?
It was captured at a low zoom. Zoom in on the PDF until the text is sharp, then take the screenshot again.