Taking a Screenshot

There are several ways of taking a screenshot, this article will show you some of the most common/easiest ways to do so.

 

Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool is one of the easiest ways to take a screenshot. To open it, press the Windows button on your keyboard or click on the Windows icon at the bottom left of your computer, then type out “Snipping Tool” and press enter (or click on the "Desktop app" that pops up).

 

 

Once the program is opened press “New” and that will start the screenshot taking process.

 

 

It will grey out the screen, click the left click button and drag it over what you want to take a screenshot of. 

Once the screen area is selected, let go of the left click. What you selected will show up in this new window.

If you are happy with the screenshot, left click “File” then “Save As”

This will bring up a window to save your screenshot to a specific location. Name your file and then make a note of where it is being saved so that you can find it later.

A VERY useful option in Snipping tool is the "Delay" option. This lets you add 1-5 seconds before it will take a screenshot (this is helpful if you want to show something that's only available when you are directly interacting with it.) Click on the "Delay" button and then select the delay amount. The next time you press "New" it will delay how long the screen goes to grey for you to select what you want to take a screenshot. 

 

Snip & Sketch

Windows recently added a new version of the Snipping Tool called "Snip & Sketch." This is very similar to the Snipping Tool but has a slightly different functions. The easiest way to access Snip & Sketch is via the shortcut "Windows Key + Shift + S." This will grey out the screen and a little window at the top will pop up.

Click and drag the area that you would like to take a screenshot of with the left click button. When you are happy with the positioning release the left click and it will take a screenshot.

When the screenshot is taken, a notification will pop up in the bottom right. Click on it to save it permanently.

If you miss the notification, you can click the notification button at the bottom right of the screen and it should pop up.

(If no notifications are showing up, you may need adjust your notification settings.  Windows Settings > System > Notifications & Actions , make sure Notifications are turned on.

Scroll down and ensure Snip & Sketch is enabled under "Get notifications from these senders.

That should allow the notifications to work with Snip & Sketch)

When you click on the notification, it will open up this new window. (You can use the tools at the top of the screen to make minor additions/notes/crop the picture)

To save the image, click on the save icon at the top right (or press "Control + S" on your keyboard).

This will open up the file saving interface. Name the file and make a note of the location before pressing "Save."

 

Print Screen Keyboard Key

"Print Screen" / "prt scr" button is a useful key to take unedited/cropped screenshots. If you press "Windows key + Print Screen" it will take a screenshot of your entire screen and automatically save it to your "Screenshots" folder inside of the "Pictures" folder.

Alternatively, you can press “Alt + Print Screen” at the same time. This will copy your current window to the "clipboard". (Just pressing the Print Screen button by itself will copy the entire screen) This will need to be "pasted" into another program to save it. Press the Start / Windows icon and type “paint” and open either “Paint” or “Paint 3D”

Paint - When you open up Paint, click the paste button at the top left corner. (Or you can press “Ctrl + V” to paste as well)

Then you click “File,” then “Save As” and save the file where you want to/can find it.

Paint 3D - When you open up Paint 3D, click "paste" to paste from the clipboard.

Then you left click on “Menu”

Then click "Save as" under “Save as Copy,” press “Image” and save the file where you want to/can find it.

 

 

Now that you’ve got your screenshot you can send it to whomever you desire!

 

 

Keywords: Screen shot, screen cap, screencap, picture, capture, snap, snapshot, snip