Taking a screenshot is a useful way to capture and share important information or images that appear on your computer screen. Whether you want to save a conversation from a messaging app, capture a funny meme from social media, or document an error message for technical support, a screenshot can come in handy. Windows 11 has its complexities in taking a screenshot but our focus here would be on dissecting the various ways we can take a screenshot on Windows 10.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to take a screenshot on a Windows 10 computer
Use the Print Screen key on your keyboard
The print screen key, often abbreviated as “PrtScn” or “PrtSc,” is a key on your keyboard that allows you to take a screenshot and save it to your computer’s clipboard. In this article, we’ll explain how to use the print screen key to take a screenshot on your computer.
The print screen key, often abbreviated as “PrtScn” or “PrtSc”, is a key on your keyboard that allows you to take a screenshot and save it to your computer’s clipboard. In this article, we’ll explain how to use the print screen key to take a screenshot on your computer.
First of all, it’s important to note that the print screen key is usually located in the top right corner of your keyboard, between the “Insert” and “Delete” keys. Depending on your keyboard, the print screen key may also be labeled as “PrtScn,” “PrtSc,” or “Print.”
To take a screenshot using the print screen key, all you need to do is:
Find the print screen key on your keyboard.
Press and hold the “Fn” or window key (usually located in the bottom left corner of your keyboard). While holding down the “Fn” key, press the print screen key.
Release both keys.
That’s it! You should now have a screenshot of your entire screen saved to your clipboard.
Now, you may be wondering what to do with your screenshot. If you want to save the screenshot as an image file, you can paste it into an image editing program such as Paint or Photoshop. To do this, open the image editing program and press “Ctrl” + “V” to paste the screenshot into a new file. Then, save the file as a .jpg or .png to your desired location.
You can also paste the screenshot directly into a document or email by opening the document or email and pressing “Ctrl” + “V.”
And there you have it – a quick and easy guide on how to use the print screen key to take a screenshot on your computer. Happy screenshotting!
Use the ‘Snipping tool’
Sometimes, you might not want to take a screenshot of your entire screen. Maybe you only want to capture a specific part of a webpage, or perhaps you want to highlight a particular area in a screenshot. In these cases, you can use the snipping tool to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen.
The snipping tool is a built-in utility in Windows that allows you to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen. Here’s how to use it:
Open the snipping tool: To open the snipping tool, go to the Start menu and search for “snipping tool.” Click on the app to open it.
Choose a snipping mode: The snipping tool offers four different snipping modes: free-form, rectangular, window, and full-screen. Choose the one that best fits your needs.
Select the area you want to capture: Once you’ve chosen a snipping mode, use your mouse to select the area of your screen that you want to capture.
Save the screenshot: After you’ve selected the area you want to capture, the snipping tool will open a new window with your screenshot. From here, you can save the screenshot by going to File > Save As and choosing a location to save the file.
And that’s it! You’ve now successfully taken a screenshot of a specific area of your screen using the snipping tool.
One thing to note is that the snipping tool only allows you to save your screenshot as a .png file. If you want to save your screenshot in a different file format, you can paste the screenshot into an image editing program such as Paint or Photoshop and save it as a .jpg or .gif file.
I hope this guide on how to use the snipping tool to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.
Use ‘Windows + Print Screen’ to screenshot the entire screen
To take a screenshot of your entire screen using the Windows + Print Screen method, follow these steps:
Press the Windows logo key and the Print Screen key on your keyboard at the same time. This will capture a screenshot of your entire screen and save it to your clipboard.
Open an image editing program such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop.
Press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot into the image editing program.
Use the tools in the image editing program to crop, edit, or annotate the screenshot as needed.
Save the screenshot by going to File > Save or using the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut. Choose a location to save the screenshot and click Save.
This will take a screenshot of your entire screen and save it as a file in the “Screenshots” folder, which is located in the “Pictures” folder of your computer.
Use ‘Alt + PrtScn’ to take screenshots of your active windows
Press the Alt + Print Screen keys on your keyboard to capture a screenshot of your active window. The screenshot will be saved to your clipboard, which you can paste into an image editing program such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop.
Press the Windows + Shift + S keys to open the Snipping Tool. Use the Snipping Tool to select the area of your screen you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved to your clipboard, which you can paste into an image editing program or save as a file.
Press the Windows + Print Screen keys to capture a screenshot of your entire screen. The screenshot will be saved as a PNG file in the Screenshots folder within your Pictures folder.
Use the Game Bar to capture a screenshot of your active window. Press the Windows + G keys to open the Game Bar, then click the camera icon to take a screenshot. The screenshot will be saved in the Captures folder within your Videos folder.
By using these methods, you can easily capture a screenshot of your active window in Windows 10 and save it for later use.
That’s it!
You now know how to take a screenshot on a Windows 10 computer using different methods and tools. Whether you want to capture the whole screen, a specific window, or a selected area, there is a way to do it quickly and easily. Just remember to save the screenshot to a location on your computer where you can access it later.
Here are a few more tips and tricks for taking screenshots on a Windows 10 computer:
If you want to take a screenshot of a menu or a drop-down list, you can use the “Print Screen” button in combination with the “Alt” key. Pressing “Alt + PrtScn” will capture a screenshot of the active window, including any menus or open drop-down lists.
If you want to take a screenshot of the login screen or the lock screen on your computer, you can use the “Windows + L” keyboard shortcut to lock your screen, and then use the “Print Screen” button to capture the lock screen. This will save the screenshot as a file in the “Screenshots” folder.
If you want to take a screenshot of a video that is playing on your computer, you can use the “Windows + Alt + PrtScn” keyboard shortcut to capture a screenshot of the active window. This will save the screenshot as a file in the “Videos” folder.
If you want to take a screenshot of a website, you can use the “Windows + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut to capture a screenshot of your active window or a selected area of the screen. This will save the screenshot as a file in the “Screenshots” folder.
Use the ‘Snipping tool’ for long documents
If you want to take a screenshot of a long document or a webpage that extends beyond the screen, you can use the “Snipping Tool” to capture a scrolling screenshot. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open the “Snipping Tool” and click the “Delay” button.
2. Set a delay of at least 5 seconds to give you time to open the document or webpage that you want to capture. Click the “New” button to start a new snip.
3. Use your mouse to select the area of the screen that you want to capture.
4. After the delay, the Snipping Tool window will reappear, and you can use the scrollbar to capture the entire document or webpage.
5. To save the screenshot, go to the “File” menu and select “Save As.” Choose a location on your computer to save the screenshot and click “Save.”
With these tips and tricks, you should be able to take screenshots on your Windows 10 computer with ease. Whether you want to capture a specific window, a selected area, a scrolling screenshot, or the whole screen, there is a way to do it quickly and easily. Just remember to save the screenshot to a location on your computer where you can access it later.