There isn’t one folder for every Minecraft screenshot on Windows 11: the location depends on your edition and how you took the capture. For Java Edition’s in-game F2 screenshots, open %APPDATA%.minecraftscreenshots. For Windows + PrtScn, check Pictures → Screenshots. Bedrock’s storage location varies by installation, so the older UWP path may not apply.
First, identify how you took the screenshot
The shortcut is often the quickest way to find the right folder. If you are unsure which Minecraft edition you have, check the game or launcher name: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition for Windows do not share a screenshot location. A Windows capture shortcut saves through Windows or its capture app rather than Java’s F2 system.
| Capture method | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Minecraft: Java Edition, F2 | %APPDATA%.minecraftscreenshots. Minecraft’s Java hotkeys documentation says F2 takes screenshots and stores them in the .minecraft folder. |
| Minecraft Bedrock Edition for Windows | Check the in-game gallery or profile interface if available, then inspect the installation-dependent Bedrock locations below. A gallery image is not necessarily a standalone file in the folder you expect. |
| Windows + PrtScn | Pictures → Screenshots. Microsoft documents this destination for captures made with this shortcut. |
| Print Screen alone | Often copies the image to the clipboard instead of saving a file. Paste it into Paint or another image editor, then save it. |
| Windows + Shift + S / Snipping Tool | Check the location chosen when you select Save and the Snipping Tool’s automatic-save settings. |
| Xbox Game Bar | Check the Windows capture folder and the Game Bar gallery. This is separate from Java’s .minecraft folder. |
Find Java Edition screenshots
Java Edition uses F2 for its built-in screenshot command. Minecraft’s official hotkeys page confirms the shortcut and the .minecraft storage relationship.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
- Enter
%APPDATA%.minecraftscreenshots. - Press Enter. File Explorer opens the folder if it exists.
- Sort by Date modified to bring the newest capture to the top.
%APPDATA% is a Windows environment variable that points to the current user’s roaming AppData folder; you do not need to substitute your account name. The Run dialog is also easier than browsing manually because AppData is hidden by default.
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If the Java folder is missing or empty
- The screenshots folder may not exist until that Minecraft installation has successfully captured an image. Load a world, press F2 once, and check the path again.
- On some keyboards, you may need Fn + F2 because the function keys control hardware features. An overlay or laptop utility may also intercept the key; these are practical possibilities, not universal causes.
- Make sure you are checking the Windows account and Minecraft installation you used. Multiple profiles or launchers can mean you are looking in a different game directory.
- A screenshot confirmation in Minecraft indicates a capture, but you still need to open the saved file in File Explorer.
If you need to browse instead, press Windows + R, enter %APPDATA%, then open .minecraft and screenshots. Or in File Explorer choose View → Show → Hidden items to reveal hidden folders.
Find Bedrock Edition screenshots
Bedrock on Windows does not have one confirmed local screenshot path that applies to every installation. Minecraft’s screenshotting guide describes Windows Edition captures through Game Bar and also discusses built-in screenshot support on Bedrock Realms. If you used a Bedrock gallery or profile feature, first check there; seeing an image in a game interface does not establish that a normal image file is exposed in a particular folder.
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Try the reported newer storage location
Recent Windows user reports describe Bedrock screenshots under a folder resembling %APPDATA%Minecraft BedrockUsers<ID>gamescom.mojangScreenshots. This is a reported current location, not a first-party guarantee for every build. To inspect it:
- Press Windows + R, enter
%APPDATA%Minecraft Bedrock, and press Enter. - Open
Users, then the folder with a numeric or unique user ID. - Follow
gamescom.mojangScreenshots, if those folders exist.
Windows user reports describe this structure, including reports about current Bedrock screenshot saving, a Windows 11 location question, and reports of a missing Screenshots folder. The precise folders can differ, so do not assume the path exists on your system.
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Check the legacy UWP path only as an alternative
The older Bedrock/UWP location is %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesMicrosoft.MinecraftUWP_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalStategamescom.mojangScreenshots. Microsoft Q&A reports indicate that this legacy path can be absent or empty on newer installations. If it does not exist, do not create it manually: making a folder there will not redirect Minecraft’s save behavior. Try the reported newer location above and check the capture method instead.
Find Windows screenshots
Windows + PrtScn
Open File Explorer and select Pictures → Screenshots. Microsoft’s Windows keyboard-shortcut guidance identifies this as the location for screenshots made with Windows + PrtScn. If your Pictures folder is redirected or synced, use the Pictures shortcut in File Explorer rather than assuming the folder is directly under C:Users.
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Snipping Tool and Windows + Shift + S
Windows + Shift + S opens the snipping capture experience. A capture may need to be saved through Snipping Tool instead of appearing automatically in Minecraft’s folders. Select Save to see or choose the destination, and review the app’s settings if automatic saving is enabled. Microsoft explains the app’s save workflow and settings in its Snipping Tool guidance.
Xbox Game Bar
If you used Game Bar rather than Java’s F2 command, look in the Windows capture folder and Game Bar gallery. Minecraft’s screenshotting guide describes Game Bar for Windows Edition. A Game Bar capture is not normally stored in Java’s .minecraftscreenshots folder.
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If you still cannot find the image
- Confirm whether you used Java, Bedrock, or a Windows capture tool; then return to the matching location above.
- Repeat a test capture using the same method. For Java, load a world and press F2; for Windows + PrtScn, use that shortcut and check Pictures → Screenshots.
- In File Explorer, select This PC and search for
kind:pictureor*.png. Sort results by Date modified and narrow them to the approximate capture date. Naming varies by edition and tool, so date and thumbnail are more dependable than a single filename pattern. - For Bedrock, inspect both the reported newer location and the legacy path, but treat a missing path as a possible difference in installation rather than proof that the screenshot was never taken.
- For Windows captures, check the Pictures shortcut and the relevant app’s gallery or save location. If Pictures is synced or redirected, its displayed location may be under OneDrive.
Move or share a screenshot
Once you find the image file, use File Explorer to copy it to Desktop or another folder, rename it, or attach it to a message. Copy rather than move if you want to keep the original in Minecraft’s folder. Before deleting or reinstalling a game folder, back up any screenshots you want to keep.
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