what am i doing wrong when i screenshot on hp?

If Win + Shift + S does nothing at all, check Snipping Tool is still installed - some cleanup apps remove it, and that shortcut depends on it. Reinstall from the Microsoft Store and it works again.

what actually happens when you press it - nothing at all, or does the screen flash? On Windows 11 that key opens the snipping overlay now, but on 10 it silently copies to the clipboard and saves no file, so if you're hunting for a png that's why. Easier to skip the key. Win + Shift + S, drag a box, click the notification that pops up, save it wherever you like. And on some HP keyboards prt sc shares a key with something else, so you need to hold fn with it.