How to Screenshot On Windows – The Ultimate Guide
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A screenshot is a picture of your computer screen that you can capture at any given time. Taking a screenshot on Windows is easy, but finding out how to screenshot on Windows might take some time.
Screenshotting is a very useful tool, especially when you are using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or blogging sites like WordPress.
Having a visual reference of what your page will look like with the changes you are making helps immensely. Have you ever been in a situation where you want to show someone something on your computer, but you don’t have another monitor around? Screenshots come in very handy in such situations.
They also help if you are developing applications for Windows and need to send an error report to your client or boss.
Step 1 – Installing Screenshot Software
If you are using Windows 10, then you don’t need screenshot software. However, if you are running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, then you will need a screenshot application.
The main reason is that the keyboard shortcuts used to take screenshots on Windows 10 are different from those used in older versions of the operating system.
There are many screenshot applications available for download on the internet. Some of the most popular ones are Snagit, Lightshot, Jing, and Greenshot.
There are also some built-in screenshot tools. When you are on the desktop, you can press the PrtSc (Print Screen) key on your keyboard to take a screenshot of the entire screen.
If you want to screenshot only a portion of your computer screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then selecting Snipping Tool.
Step 2 – Taking a Screenshot on Windows Computer
Let’s say you want to screenshot your computer screen, and you have installed a screenshot application. Once you have the application installed on your computer, you can use any of the following methods to take a screenshot.
– Using the keyboard shortcuts – If you have installed a screenshot application, you can use the keyboard shortcuts to take screenshots.
For example, if you want to take a screenshot of the entire screen, you can press the PrtSc key. If you want to screenshot only a portion of the screen, you can use the Snipping tool and press the Ctrl + PrtSc keys.
– Using the Screen Capture option – If you want to screenshot your entire screen, you can use the Screen Capture option. Open the Screen Capture option by pressing Windows Key + Print Screen.
If you want to screenshot a specific area of your computer screen, you can click on the Screen Region option and then click and drag the rectangle that you want to screenshot. After doing so, click on the Screen Region option again, and click on the “Save to File” option.
Step 3 – Using Print Screen Key
Using the Print Screen key is one of the most popular methods of taking a screenshot. It is a very old method that has been used for many years now.
However, it is still used in many computers to this day. When you press the PrtSc key, it only takes a screenshot of the entire screen and saves it to the computer’s clipboard. It is up to you to paste that screenshot into a graphics editor application like Photoshop.
To take a screenshot of only a portion of your computer screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool.
Step 4 – Using Windows Key + Volume Button
If you are taking a screenshot on a laptop and have installed a screenshot application, you can use the Windows Key + Volume Up/Down buttons to take a screenshot.
Most screenshot applications will allow you to choose the type of screenshot you want to take. – Screenshot Type – You can select between Screenshot Type, Full Screen, Selection, and Timed Screen. Screenshot Type will take a screen shot of the full computer screen.
Full Screen will take a screenshot of only the things shown on the computer screen without the Windows Taskbar. Selection will take a screenshot of only a selected portion of the computer screen. Timed Screen will take a screenshot after a specified number of seconds.
– More Information – If you want to take a screenshot of only a specific area of your laptop screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool.
Step 5 – Using Windows Key + Arrows Key
If you have installed a screenshot application, you can use the Windows Key + Arrows key to take a full computer screen screenshot. You can also use the Windows Key + Arrows key combination to take a screenshot of a selected portion of your computer screen.
– Screenshot Type – You can select between Screenshot Type, Full Screen, Selection, and Timed Screen. Screenshot Type will take a screen shot of the full computer screen.
Full Screen will take a screenshot of only the things shown on the computer screen without the Windows Taskbar. Selection will take a screenshot of only a selected portion of the computer screen.
Timed Screen will take a screenshot after a specified number of seconds. – More Information – If you want to take a screenshot of only a specific area of your laptop screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool.
Step 6 – Using Snipping Tool
If you want to take a screenshot of only a specific area of your laptop screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool. You can also take a screenshot of your entire screen by pressing the PrtSc key after going to the Snipping Tool.
– Screenshot Type – You can select between Screenshot Type, Full Screen, Selection, and Timed Screen. Screenshot Type will take a screen shot of the full computer screen.
Full Screen will take a screenshot of only the things shown on the computer screen without the Windows Taskbar.
Selection will take a screenshot of only a selected portion of the computer screen. Timed Screen will take a screenshot after a specified number of seconds.
– More Information – If you want to take a screenshot of only a specific area of your laptop screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool.
Determine Which Windows Key You Need to Use
If you are using Windows 10, then you don’t need screenshot software. However, if you are running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, then you will need a screenshot application.
The main reason is that the keyboard shortcuts used to take screenshots on Windows 10 are different from those used in older versions of the operating system.
There are many screenshot applications available for download on the internet. Some of the most popular ones are Snagit, Lightshot, Jing, and Greenshot.
There are also some built-in screenshot tools. When you are on the desktop, you can press the PrtSc (Print Screen) key on your keyboard to take a screenshot of the entire screen.
If you want to screenshot only a portion of your computer screen, you can go to the Snipping tool by pressing Windows Key + W and then select Snipping Tool.
Step 7 – Conclusion
Taking screenshots is very important when you want to keep track of your computer activities or share something with your friends and family. Screenshots are also great when you are using social media and want to show your followers what you are doing.
There are many different ways to screenshot on Windows. You can use a screenshot application to take a screenshot of your entire computer screen, a selected portion of your computer screen, only a specific area of your computer screen, or screenshot your laptop screen.
There are also some ways to take a screenshot on a Mac. Clicking on Command+Shift+3 will take a screenshot of the entire screen, and Command+Shift+4 will take a screenshot of a selected area.
If you want to screenshot on an Apple computer, you have to click on Command+Shift+4 and select the area of your screen that you want to screenshot.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to let us know. We would love to hear what you think and if this guide helped you understand how to screenshot on Windows computers. END END
Image Source: 8 Ways to Take a Screenshot on Windows 10 and Windows 11
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