To take a screenshot on Windows, you have several methods and tools at your disposal. Here are the main ways to do it:
Capture the Entire Screen
- Using the Windows Key and Print Screen:
- Press the
Windows key + PrtScn
. This will save the entire screen as an image file in the "Pictures" folder, in a subfolder called "Screenshots"123.
- Using Only the Print Screen Button:
- Press
PrtScn
. This copies the entire screen to the clipboard, which you can then paste into another program using Ctrl + V
123.
Capture the Active Window
- Press
Alt + PrtScn
. This copies the active window to the clipboard, which you can then paste into another program1.
Capture a Selected Portion of the Screen
- Using the Snipping Tool Shortcut:
- Press
Windows key + Shift + S
. This opens the Snipping Tool, allowing you to select a rectangular area, a window, or the entire screen to capture. The screenshot is copied to the clipboard135.
- Opening Snipping Tool Manually:
- Select the Start button, type "snipping tool," and select Snipping Tool from the results. You can then choose the type of snip you want (rectangular, window, full-screen, or free-form)34.
Using the Snipping Tool
- Modes Available:
- Rectangular: Drag the cursor around an object to form a rectangle.
- Window: Select a window, such as a dialog box.
- Full-Screen: Capture the entire screen.
- Free-Form: Draw a freeform shape around an object34.
- Additional Features:
- Annotations: Add arrows, shapes, emojis, and text.
- Delay Timer: Capture disappearing elements with a delay.
- Text Actions: Extract text, black out sensitive information, and open QR code links23.
Saving and Pasting Screenshots
- After capturing a screenshot using any of the above methods, you can paste it into another program using
Ctrl + V
.
- If you used the
Windows key + PrtScn
method, the screenshot is automatically saved in the "Screenshots" folder123.
These methods provide flexibility and various options for capturing and managing screenshots on Windows.