Learning how to have a screenshot on Windows systems is the simplest mode to preserve or share whatsoever visual content from a website, plan, or video game. You tin take it and ship it via electronic mail, social media, or file-sharing sites with merely a few clicks.

This article volition evidence you lot how to screen-capture any webpage, programme, and even full-screen video games using a broad variety of methods. You lot'll learn how to capture not merely static screenshots but also tape videos.

We'll also explore the differences in screenshotting betwixt the almost recent Windows versions: 7, 8, and x.

Check Out Our Video Guide to Taking a Screenshot on Windows (seven, eight, 10)

The Basic Windows Method: Print Screen Fundamental

This method works on any version of Windows, including Windows XP and 95.

Standard keyboards for Windows computers include a defended primal to capture your screen. It looks something like this:

Print screen key on the keyboard,
The PrtSc key on the keyboard.

The print screen cardinal says "Impress Screen," "PrtSc," or "PrtScn," depending on your keyboard and land. It's typically in the summit correct corner beside the final F12 key.

Notation: On some newer keyboards, especially on laptops, you lot need to concur downward the "Fn" or "Office"  fundamental while pressing "PrtSc" to capture the screen.

When you use this method, the Os copies the unabridged screen automatically to the clipboard. From in that location, y'all tin can direct paste information technology into an email, social media platform, or messaging app. You can even showtime editing information technology in an image editing software like Photoshop or even MS Paint.

A basic full screen screenshot in Windows.
A bones full-screen screenshot in Windows.

Annotation: 1 disadvantage of using this method is that it automatically captures the entire screen, including the toolbar and tab bar of your screen. Manually cropping tin atomic number 82 to inconsistent screenshot sizes.

Chop-chop capture any webpage, program, and even total-screen video games in Windows with assist from this guide 📸 Click to Tweet

How to Save and Share the Screenshot

Ane of the easiest ways to salvage a screenshot taken with the impress screen key is to paste it into your photograph editing software of choice. For case, you tin can apply Microsoft Pigment, which comes free with all relevant versions of Windows.

Open up up Paint and press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot. You tin can also right-click and select Paste from the dropdown menu.

Screenshot in MS Paint.
Screenshot in MS Pigment.

From in that location, you can can edit the file as you want before saving information applied science (Ctrl + Due south) in the prototype format y'all prefer.

If y'all use Windows 10, you tin also utilise Paint 3D. Simply if yous want to use a more than powerful epitome editor, we recommend a specialized tool.

It'due s as well possible to paste the screenshot straight into an email or a social media message.

Inserting a screenshot in Gmail.
Inserting a screenshot in Gmail.

Information technology'due southward one of the fastest means to share what'southward on your screen without jumping on a phone telephone call. Printing the impress screen key, paste it in, printing Send, and it's on its fashion.

If you desire more than control over your screenshots, like capturing a tab, yous can utilise the congenital-in Windows "Snipping Tool" or other third-party apps or software.

That mode, you lot won't have to ingather away the toolbar or other elements manually.

How to Have Screenshots in Windows seven, 8, x with the Snipping Tool

All contempo versions of Windows, including 7, eight, and ten, include the Snipping Tool. Yous can easily open information technology by searching for information technology in the toolbar search.

Printing the Windows cardinal to open the toolbar and bound to Windows search. Alternately, y'all tin also apply the Windows + Due south shortcut to summon Windows search. Still, annotation that in Windows 7, you must manually select the search field before you lot can type out the keyword. Blazon in "Snipping Tool" and printing Enter.

Note: There'due south no keyboard shortcut to open the Snipping Tool. It would exist best if you did that manually. In Windows 10, the updated version of this app tin exist opened with a shortcut—more than on that afterwards.

The Snipping Tool in Window's Start menu.
The Snipping Tool in Window'due south Start menu.

Pressing the Enter primal afterwards typing the right phrase volition open the programme automatically.

Information applied science has diverse modes, including complimentary-form screenshots, but the basic form is a rectangular screenshot shape. But at to the lowest degree information technology gives you more flexibility than merely pressing the print screen key.

Once you initiate the "Snipping" past clicking the "New" push, the whole screen goes gray. You tin can and then select the area you lot desire to capture and relieve.

Windows Snipping Tool screenshot example.
Windows Snipping Tool.

You can now edit the screenshot with the pen, highlighter, and eraser tools. It as well offers a few unique options compared to copying and pasting something into Paint, such as the Delay mode for taking delayed (timed) screenshots. Y'all can also highlight something in the screenshot and email it straight from the Snipping Tool.

In 1 example information technology'southward open up, you lot lot tin as well utilize many shortcuts to work faster.

In the table below, we interruption downwardly all the keyboard shortcuts (just bachelor after opening the Snipping Tool):

Keyboard Shortcut What It Does
Ctrl + PrtScn / Alt + N Takes a new screenshot with the Snipping Tool app (when information technology'southward open upward).
Alt + G Changes betwixt different modes (gratuitous-course, rectangular, window, and total-screen).
Alt + D Sets a filibuster for the screenshot.
CTRL + South Saves the screenshot.
CTRL + C Copies the screenshot to your clipboard.

One characteristic we miss is the power to take multiple screenshots with an identically sized and placed window.

All in all, it'due s not a life-irresolute screenshotting app by whatever stretch of the imagination, simply information technology's sufficient for master utilise.

How to Take Windows x Screenshots with Snip & Sketch Tool

In Windows 10, you too take access to the new and slightly improved Snip & Sketch app.

You tin open information technology in the same style by searching the carte du jour or apply the built-in shortcut: Shift + Windows + Southward.

That'll automatically open the app card for taking a screen snip. Besides, here, you lot tin choose from window, complimentary-course, full-screen, or rectangle options for your snapshot.

Windows Snip & Sketch tool.
Windows Snip & Sketch tool.

With the window snip option, information technology doesn't automatically capture the active window. Yous tin switch tabs with Alt + Tab and so click the specific window y'all want to capture.

Compared to the original version, at that identify's been a few changes:

  • Screenshots automatically save to the dashboard (including changes y'all make, like highlights or annotations).
  • Automatically add outlines to snips—helpful for partial screenshots.
  • Share the screenshot via WiFi or Bluetooth.
  • Change the settings, and then the PrtScn button opens Snip & Sketch automatically.
  • Y'all tin no longer set a delay for the screenshot to happen later.

Want to upload these screenshots to your website to spice up your latest weblog mail service service?

By default, the PNG format files saved by Windows screenshotting software are unnecessarily big. Once you've taken and edited these screenshots, you should make sure to optimize the images for the web.

If y'all want some extra features, similar more than than powerful editing, automatic web optimization, or full-page website captures, you'll demand to utilize a tertiary-political party tool.

How to Screenshot Tabs and Entire WebPages in Google Chrome

Google Chrome doesn't come up with congenital-in screenshotting functionality, but there are plenty of corking, free extensions available.

Just become to the Chrome Spider web Store and search for "screenshot," filter the consequence by extensions, and you'll meet for yourself. Y'all lot can so choose from dozens of chrome extensions for screenshotting webpages.

Screenshot extensions in Chrome Web Store.
Chrome Spider web Store screenshot extensions.

At that place are so many options that it tin can be difficult to choose. To make things uncomplicated, nosotros recommend whatever of the following:

  • Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Video Recorder
  • Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder
  • LightShot (static screenshots only)

All of these tools go way across what you can do with Snip & Sketch. For example, y'all tin can capture a full-folio screenshot instead of only the visible part with each of these.

In Crawly Screenshot, you lot tin even employ a Ctrl + Shift + Due east shortcut or manually open the menu to do this.

Awesome Screenshot's menu in Chrome.
Crawly Screenshot's menu in Chrome.

If yous're wondering what that looks like, accept a peek at this full-screen capture of our homepage: i continuous shot perfectly representing what our site looks similar in a browser. It's an similar shooting fish in a butt fashion to share what a examination site on a local server seems like if in that location are errors that don't evidence upwards in staging.

A full-page screenshot of the Kinsta homepage.
A full-page screenshot of the Kinsta homepage (click for bigger image).

Some other applied characteristic is that you can screenshot only the contents of whatsoever item tab. That means yous don't have to crop out your ninety+ tab windows or the full URL to your hole-and-corner document.

In Crawly Screenshot, the shortcut for this is Ctrl + Shift + V.

It also ways you lot can take screenshots with identical dimensions across multiple different pages. That'due southward perfect if you use screenshots equally office of your blogging or content marketing and want to continue your visuals consistent.

Plus, most of these extensions, including Awesome Screenshot, come with a better image editor than what you lot'll find natively in Windows.

Yous lot tin can, for example, mistiness out parts of the image, add together in shapes, arrows, text boxes, and more. And these options are all available in the free versions.

Awesome Screenshot's editor.
Awesome Screenshot'due south editor.

These features make information technology easy to edit and ready tutorial-mode screenshots to include in a how-to weblog postal service service.

(And if you lot desire to go an even more than productive blogger, cheque out our list of the all-time Chrome extensions for WordPress users.)

How to Screenshot in Microsoft Border (Full Page)

I interesting matter about Microsoft Edge is that the latest version has built-in screenshotting.

You don't demand to install any additional plugins. But open the browser, and offset taking screenshots. Utilise the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + S to open the "Spider web Capture" overlay.

You tin so choose betwixt free option or capture the whole folio.

Microsoft Edge menu showing the location of
Microsoft Edge menu showing the location of the "Web capture" option.

The full-page capture doesn't rely on multiple fractional screenshots and scrolling. And so a floating bar won't ruin your screenshot.

Once you've captured the page, you lot tin and so use the available draw and erase tools to highlight items on the folio or brand annotations.

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A full-page screenshot in Edge.
A full-folio screenshot in Edge.

Beyond that, you can share, re-create, or save the screenshot (the default screenshots folder is /User/Downloads/).

The features are rudimentary, but the tool works perfectly to share a webpage with a friend or coworker.

How to Screenshot a Game (or Annihilation Else) with Xbox Game Bar

In Windows 10, the Xbox Game Bar is installed and active by default (even if yous don't ain an Xbox). You lot tin can tin open information technology at whatsoever 4th dimension by pressing the Windows key + Chiliad.

Although information technology was congenital into Windows as a feature to screenshot and record video games, information technology works but as well for capturing movies, websites, or the content of any other plan.

Subsequently opening the Xbox Game Bar, yous tin can either press the camera button in the peak-left corner or take a screenshot without opening the nib of fare by pressing the print screen shortcut keys: Windows central + Alt + PrtScn.

Xbox Game Bar Terraria screenshot.
Xbox Game Bar Terraria screenshot.

In 1 example you lot open up the Game Bar, y'all tin can prove contempo screenshots by clicking the "Show all captures" push.

Xbox Game Bar screenshot gallery.
Xbox Game Bar screenshot gallery.

From here, yous can scan and share all contempo screenshots on Twitter. At that place's even a super basic "meme editor" that lets yous add together a big block text to the tiptop and lesser.

The Xbox Game Bar saves files to the /User/Videos/Captures/ folder past default. Information technology has some unique features, like the ability to scale the screenshots up to 4K.

Note: Yous don't have to exist playing a video game to utilise the Game Bar to accept screenshots.

How to Screenshot in PowerPoint

If yous accept the latest version of PowerPoint in Windows ten, information technology supports capturing screenshots.

Instead of using the PrtScn primal and pasting information technology in, you tin capture other windows while within PowerPoint.

Taking a screenshot through PowerPoint.
Taking a screenshot through PowerPoint.

It volition automatically insert a screenshot of the window y'all cull into the slide. If it's a total-sized window, it'll comprehend the entire folio.

The newer versions of PowerPoint ship with a fairly powerful prototype editor. You can alter colors, saturation, and even remove the background with a magic wand.

You can likewise customize the screenshot with shapes, borders, and text inside PowerPoint and salve the slide as an epitome.

Editing a PowerPoint screenshot.
Editing a PowerPoint screenshot.

Combined, that probably makes PowerPoint the well-nigh stiff official Microsoft screenshotting tool.

How to Screenshot with LightShot (and Other 3rd-Party Apps)

Lightshot is a lightweight—surprise—and easy-to-use screenshotting software. To utilise 3rd-political party software like LightShot, the commencement matter y'all demand to practise is download the program.

Visit the download page on the official website, and download the Windows version using the appropriate button or link.

LightShot screenshot tool's download page.
LightShot screenshot tool'southward download folio.

In one instance installed, it automatically overrides the regular PrtScn fundamental command. Every time you lot printing that key, now you open the LightShot interface.

Yous can select an area of the screen to capture and add uncomplicated text, rectangles, or arrows. Yous lot can edit the thickness of the lines and elements by using your mouse whorl. If yous don't take a mouse plugged in, attempt swiping 2 fingers on your touchpad.

Taking a screenshot with LightShot.
Taking a screenshot with LightShot.

To save the files, you lot can either press the save icon or apply the Windows standard Ctrl + Due south shortcut. It keeps the files in the /Documents/Lightshot/ folder by default. Merely you can change that binder and easily salve files in other locations.

It'south not super powerful, only information technology's fast and effortless to utilise.

How to Have a Screenshot on Microsoft Surface Devices

On a Microsoft Surface with Windows 10 installed, you tin already use any of the ways we mentioned then far.

As if that'due south not enough, at that place'due south also a custom way to have screenshots—because it's technically also a tablet.

To have a screenshot on your Surface device, printing and hold the Windows push push and simultaneously press the Volume Down button. When it takes a screenshot, the screen volition get dimmer.

Yous'll detect the screen capture files in the /User/Pictures/Screenshots folder.

Some Surface owners complain that this option doesn't work for their reckoner. If it doesn't piece of work, you lot tin can either troubleshoot the settings or employ whatever of the eight other ways nosotros've covered and then far.

If you made information applied science hither, nosotros've shown you all nine ways to take screenshots on your Windows estimator. We'll encompass how to capture video from your computer screen in the side by side section.

iv Means to Capture Video in Windows

Non satisfied with static images? Want some move?

We're not surprised. Video is frequently a better manner to showcase tutorial steps, share gameplay, or give feedback on something.

Here are four different tools you can utilise to capture video in Windows.

Cheque Out Our Video Guide: How to Screen Record on Windows (7, 8, x)

1. Xbox Game Bar

Recording the screen is just equally piece of cake equally taking a screenshot. You can utilise the shortcut Windows primal + Alt + R, or open up up the Game Bar, to start recording.

Once the game bar is open (Win + G), you lot tin press the recording button to outset recording the screen.

Xbox Game Bar record screen.
Xbox Game Bar record screen.

Easy, right? It stores all video files in the /User/Videos/Captures/ binder.

Only before you upload a step-past-stride video tutorial to your site, exist warned. Video files are huge. Y'all're much meliorate off using 1 of these video hosting solutions instead.

two. PowerPoint

Y'all might exist surprised to see PowerPoint in this commodity once more, but information technology has a screen recording function, too. The but thing is, information technology has a minimal employ instance.

Screen recording in PowerPoint simply works for your presentation. You tin tape yourself going through the slides, including your vox and web camera footage.

Caput to the Slide Show bill of fare, and click the Record Slide Show push to start recording.

PowerPoint's Slide Show menu.
PowerPoint'south Slide Evidence carte du jour.

It'll then tape your vocalism and photographic photographic camera, and you lot tin can use drawing tools to aid your explanations.

Recording a PowerPoint presentation.
Recording a PowerPoint presentation.

Note: If you lot don't accept a powerful figurer, fancy animated transitions in PowerPoint presentations tin can crusade a lot of lag and a choppy concluding video. Go along animations to a minimum to avoid choppy results.

three. Dedicated Screen Recording Software

You can also employ a dedicated third-party software solution to record your screen.

For beginners, we'd recommend a simple tool similar Snagit or Zappy. Yet, you're probably only equally well off with the already-installed Xbox Game Bar (if you're on Windows 10).

For advanced users and experienced video editors, yous may desire more functionality and customizability.

Camtasia is a powerful screen recorder and video editor in i, making it like shooting fish in a butt to create detailed tutorial videos from scratch.

Camtasia screen recorder app.
Camtasia screen recorder app.

At $300, information technology's probably out of the budget range in not-professional utilize cases.

If you want a little chip more functionality than Zappy or the Game Bar without having to pay, we've got you lot covered.

The concluding option on this listing is 100% complimentary. Plus, information technology'southward an splendid fit for a range of professional person uses.

4. Loom Chrome Extension

Loom is a simplistic, piece of cake-to-utilize screen recording tool that you lot can download every bit a Chrome extension. Information technology records your screen, vox, and face for up to five minutes (in the gratuitous version).

Yous can open Loom upwards past clicking on the icon in the outset carte du jour or using the Alt + Shift + L shortcut.

Loom screen recording Chrome extension.
Loom screen recording Chrome extension.

It's the perfect tool for sharing feedback or communicating difficult things with remote coworkers, clients, or concern partners.

If yous install the desktop version, you can fifty-fifty utilise a confetti issue with Ctrl + Alt + C to congratulate someone on a chore well done.

What makes Loom unique is that information technology isn't but a screen capture tool. It's a free SaaS solution that automatically uploads your screen capture videos with shareable links.

You lot can easily install information technology by visiting the Loom Chrome extension folio.

Brand capturing a screenshot in Windows equally easy as 1, 2, 3, thanks to this quick guide ✅ Click to Tweet

Summary

Whether y'all're working with an sometime version of Windows 7, or the newest version of Windows ten on a make-new Surface laptop, yous lot have tons of options for taking screenshots.

Yous tin can use the built-in keyboard fundamental shortcuts, Windows tools like Snip & Sketch, or a 3rd-party app in Chrome. Even PowerPoint has a born office for taking screenshots and including them in your presentation.

Like with Windows, the aforementioned holds for taking a screenshot on your Mac.

Static screenshots are but the beginning. Yous tin even capture videos showing what you're doing step-by-step and instantly sharing information technology online, including commentary.


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