If you’re a Windows user and you’ve got something important on your screen that you want to capture, in this guide, we’ll show you a few different ways you can take a screenshot of it.
Oct 12, 2021 6 6. Snip Capture Tool. Windows + PrtScr shortcut. This is the most common method we use to capture the entire screen. Make sure that you are in the right window for which you want to take the screenshot. Press Windows + PrtScr buttons together on your keyboard to record the screen. The screen will dim for a moment and save the output in. How To Take A Screenshot Of Your Desktop In Windows 10 Video Description -Getting a screenshot of your work area is simple to do. This video will show you t. Briefly speaking, it is the best way to take a screenshot for specific area on PCs. How to Screenshot Specific Area on PC. Step 1: Install screenshot utility. When you want to screenshot a specific area on PC, install the best screenshot utility. There is another version for Mac. Click the Menu icon at the upper right side and choose Preferences. The easiest way to take a screenshot on Windows 10 is the Print Screen (PrtScn) key. To capture your entire screen, simply press PrtScn on the upper-right side of your keyboard.
While there are many different ways that you can take a screenshot on Windows 10, in this post, we’ll focus on three of the easiest ways to capture your screen.
Table of Contents
1. Using the Snipping Tool
2. Using Print Screen
3. Using Game Bar
How to Use the Snipping Tool to Take A Screenshot
Microsoft has included the Snipping Tool since Windows Vista and it is one of the easiest ways to take a screenshot in Windows.
There are a couple of different ways that you can capture a screenshot using the Snipping Tool. We’ll outline those methods below.
*In an upcoming update, the Snipping Tool will be taken over by a new feature called “Snip & Sketch” which will provide the same functionality.
Opening the Snipping Tool and Using It
- Type ‘snipping tool’ into the search bar and hit enter
- From the Snipping Tool menu, hit ‘New’
- This will give you a cursor that you can click and drag to select the area you want a screenshot of
- After you’ve selected your area, the tool will give you a preview of your screenshot
- If the screenshot looks good, you can save the screenshot as an image file, using ‘File > Save As…’
Using Snip & Sketch Hotkeys to Take A Screenshot
Windows 10 Screenshot Keys
- Press ‘Windows logo key + Shift + S’
- Click and drag the cursor to select the area you want a screenshot of
- Open the prompt in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen to preview the screenshot
- In the top right corner, click the save icon to save your screenshot
*Using this method, before you save your screenshot, you can markup the image using the available writing tools.
Using Print Screen to Take A Screenshot
The Print Screen button is another easy way to take a screenshot in Windows 10.
There are a few different ways that you can use the Print Screen button to take a screenshot.
Use the Print Screen Button to Capture Your Entire Screen
- Hit the ‘Print Screen’ or ‘PRT SC’ button
- This will send a screenshot of your entire screen to your clipboard
- You can paste this image into any image editing program and edit it to your liking
*Just note that, if you have multiple monitors, this method will take a screenshot of all of your monitors in one extra wide image.
Using Print Screen to Capture and Immediately Save A Screenshot
- Press ‘Windows logo key + Print Screen’ to capture your entire screen
- This will not only capture your entire screen, but it will also automatically save it
- You can find the saved screenshot in your Pictures > Screenshots folder
*As with above, if you have multiple monitors, this method will take a screenshot of all of your monitors in one extra wide image.
Using Print Screen to Take A Screenshot of the Active Window
- Press ‘Alt + Print Screen’ to screenshot the active window
- This will send a screenshot of your active window to your clipboard
- You can paste this image into any image editing program and edit it to your liking
![Windows laptop how to screenshot Windows laptop how to screenshot](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8CvmnjAFeCrbRuLFurkWCG.jpg)
*With this method, the active window can be a single monitor in a multi-monitor setup, or the active window can be a program you are currently using.
Using Game Bar to Take A Screenshot
Windows Game Bar app will also allow you to take screenshots. It will also allow you to record your screen if you want to create a video.
To take a screenshot using Game Bar, do the following:
- Press ‘Windows logo key + G’ to open the Game Bar
- Find the Capture menu and hit the camera icon
- You screenshot will save to your ‘Videos > Captures’ folder
Conclusion
Taking a screenshot on Windows 10 is incredibly easy. In this post, we’ve provided you with three easy ways that you can take a screenshot of your screen. Whether you want to take a screenshot that you can edit in an image editing program, or you want to take a screenshot that will instantly be saved as an image file, one of the methods outlined above will help you achieve your goal.
- To take a screenshot on Windows 10, you can use the PrtScn button on your keyboard or tools like Snip & Sketch.
- If you want to take a screen recording, you can use the Game Bar by pressing Windows Key + G.
- Third-party apps offer even more features, like automatically uploading screenshots to the internet.
- Visit Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.
If you need to capture a screenshot of something on your computer screen, Windows 10 offers a variety of methods for doing just that.
Whether you want to save the entire screen, or just a piece of it, we've rounded up all the most common techniques for taking a Windows 10 screenshot.
Print Screen
The easiest way to take a screenshot on Windows 10 is the Print Screen (PrtScn) key. To capture your entire screen, simply press PrtScn on the upper-right side of your keyboard.
The screenshot will be saved to your Clipboard. To save the file, paste the screenshot into any program that allows you to insert images, like Microsoft Word or Paint.
Windows + Print Screen
To take a screenshot on Windows 10 and automatically save the file, press the Windows key + PrtScn.
Your screen will go dim and a screenshot of your entire screen will save to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
Alt + Print Screen
To capture only the active window you're working in and copy it to your Clipboard, press Alt + PrtScn. You'll need to paste it into another program to save it.
Snip & Sketch tool
Snip & Sketch is the best way to screenshot on Windows if you're looking to customize, annotate, or share your screen captures.
To activate Snip & Sketch, use the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + Shift + S. Your screen will dim and a mini menu will appear at the top of your screen, giving you the option to take a rectangular, free-form, window, or full-screen capture.
With these Snip & Skitch options, you can choose how you'd like to take a screenshot:
![How To Take Screenshot Windows 10 Pc How To Take Screenshot Windows 10 Pc](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/Gqk-nvVxlm-wZnfCpNCXqXvQuEM=/940x0/2018/10/04/c737c785-3edf-47c0-86f9-942a0bf47e75/pnt-scn-shortcut.jpg)
Mode | Function |
Rectangular | Size a rectangle for your screenshot. |
Free-form | Draw free-hand with your cursor. |
Window | Choose a specific window to capture. |
Full-screen | Grab an image of your entire screen. |
After you capture the screenshot, it will be saved to your clipboard and a preview notification will appear in the lower-right corner of your screen.
Click on the preview notification to open the Snip & Sketch app and edit the screenshot with the available drawing tools before saving or sharing.
Snipping Tool
Though Snip & Sketch will eventually replace the Snipping Tool on Windows, it's still possible to use the old tool to take screenshots in Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista.
To start the Snipping Tool, you'll have to find it through the search bar. Use the 'Mode' button to customize your screenshot and then click the 'New' button to capture your screen.
How To Take Screenshot With Windows 10 Pc
You can also time your capture up to five seconds via the 'Delay' dropdown menu. After you take your screenshot, it'll open in a new window, where you can annotate it, save it, or share it with Microsoft Outlook.
Game Bar
The Game Bar is an overlay you can use within most Windows 10 apps and games to take screenshots and record video. To open the Game Bar, press Windows Key + G.
How To Take A Screenshot Windows 10 Pc
Quick tip: If the Game Bar doesn't open, make sure it's enabled. To enable the Game Bar, search 'Game bar settings' and in the menu, toggle on 'Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar.'
On the overlay menu, click the camera icon to capture a full-screen screenshot. You can also record a video clip by pressing the record button, with the option to include audio by clicking the microphone icon.
Screenshots and video clips captured by the Game Bar are saved in PNG format to the Videos > Captures folder. You can also find it through the Game Bar, by clicking 'Show all captures' underneath the screenshot and recording buttons.
Power + Volume Up
To take a screenshot on Windows 10 with a Microsoft Surface device, press the Power Button + Volume Up Button. The screen will dim, and your screenshot will save to the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
Important: To take a screenshot on a Surface 3 or earlier, you'll need to press the Windows Logo + Volume Down Button.
Third-party screenshot apps for Windows
If you're unsatisfied with any of the built-in Windows methods, there are third-party screenshot tools worth considering, each with their own extra offerings.
- Snagit is a screenshot tool that allows you to create animated GIFs, take full-page screenshots, and more. The downside? The premium version costs $50. There's also a 30-day free trial, although any picture you capture during this trial will be watermarked.
- Lightshot is a free screenshot tool designed for quick social sharing. When you download and install Lightshot on Windows 10, it replaces the Print Screen function and offers more editing capabilities.
- Greenshot is another free tool that allows you to edit and customize screenshots, as well as the option to capture a complete scrolling web page.