Taking a Screenshot in Windows

Written by: Samir

July 3rd, 2011 7:00 am - 15 Comments

Here we shall see how to take, edit and save screenshots in Windows without installing any other third party software applications. All it needs is a simple key-combination and Microsoft Paint, which is installed in all Windows operating systems by default.

WHAT IS A SCREENSHOT?

Photo Jun 12 6 39 09 PM thumb1 350x262 Taking a Screenshot in Windows

A screenshot is a electronic capture of what you are seeing on your computer monitor, which can be used for many purposes, like reporting an error message, demonstrating to someone else how to do something on a computer, saving a particular scene of a movie or any other video, as well as capturing an image of some information, such as in the form of a graph plot to be edited later.

HOW TO TAKE A SCREENSHOT?

This is really simple. Your keyboard must be having a button “PrtSc” or “Print Screen” or something similar which you need to press. In laptops, for example in HP and HP Compaq laptops, the keyboard has a button second from top-right with “prtsc” enclosed in a box. The box means that you need to press the Function key “fn” at the same time, when you press “prt sc”, in order to take the screenshot. Now your screenshot has been saved in the clipboard. You can now open Microsoft Paint and use the key combination “Ctrl+V” or use Paste option to paste the screenshot. Then you may edit and save the screenshot as you like.

Likewise if you want to take a screen print of just the open application hold Cntrl + PrtSc button and it will only take a screenshot of the “foreground application” this way you won’t have to edit or trim out your entire desktop from the image. If you are using Windows 7 you can also use the built in Windows Snippet tool to cut images from any section of the screen which can be copied into a paint program with ease as well.

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Article Written by Samir (92 Articles Published)

Samir is a Technology Blogger with over 3 years of blogging experience in the areas of Computer Software, Web Browsing Tips, Windows 7, Blogging and Freelance Writing Tips in addition to occasional poetry and philosophical prose. You can connect with him on Facebook : @facebook.com/samirsm

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Yea and it's a great tool. But google has this screen capture which is even way cooler

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Justin Germino

Which Google tool are you referencing?

Jamal@broccoli soup

In Windows 7 Snipping tool is also very useful to take the screen shot.

Khan@supercuts

I am using Windows XP and take screen shot by pressing Print Screen button and paste it on paint Editor.I think it is the best way.

Martin@CDL Practice Test

I've been using the print screen function since forever. I can't believe there are still people that don't know how to do a print screen. I used Paint for a long time, but then i got to Photoshop because it saves a pic a lot smaller than Paint, and if you have a crappy internet connection like i do, you'll need small pics.

Nawaz@fred loya insurance

To send a screen shot of ranking of site to my client I use the same technique.It is very essential and basic in windows learning.

Samir

I have often used screenshots for sharing my sites' stats too!

Andy Duong

I'm use Window7 on Macbook Pro ( MC 373 ). What is hot key to take a sreenshot ???

Try these key combinations:

For taking a normal screen shot:

SHIFT+F11
SHIFT+FN+F11

For taking a shot of the active window only:

SHIFT+ALT+F11
SHIFT+ALT+FN+F11

In case your Macbook doesn't have a FN key:

SHIFT+3
SHIFT+4

Thanks you!
I use Shift + FN + F11 and it OK.

Glad to solve your problem :)

Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing

Very handy as I keep forgetting the key combination, thanks!

Always glad to help :)

Amanda Gordon@Vacuum Cleaners

Whenever I install software and enter license key, just before I hit the accept or next button, I always use the print screen functionality to capture the image and store the license information.

There are also software for printing the screen for a website even if the length of the web page is more than the height of the screen. I use this often as well.