Windows 10 Tricks: What is Screenshot? How to take a screenshot in Windows?

What is Screenshot?

A screenshot in Windows OS is an image of whatever is showing on your computer, smartphone, or other device at a certain moment. People often use screenshots to quickly share or save what’s on their screen, like an error message, a meme, a webpage, or other visual content.

Screenshots are often taken by pressing specific key combinations or using built-in tools on the device. Once a screenshot is captured, it can be saved as an image file and easily shared or used for reference.

How do you take a screenshot on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC?

There are a few ways to take a screenshot on a Windows 10 or 11 PC. If you have more than one monitor, make sure your cursor is on the screen you want to capture.

Here are four common methods you can use:

First Method to Screenshot – Print Screen (PrtScn) Key

1. Open the program or window you want to capture.

2. Press the Print Screen key on your keyboard to take a screenshot of your whole screen.

3. Open “Paint” or your preferred editing program or a document.

4. Paste the screenshot into the program or document.

5. Use the Save or Save As command to save the file with the name and location you want.

Second Method: Windows Key + Print Screen

1. Press the Windows key and the Print Screen key at the same time to take a screenshot of your whole screen.

2. This will not only take the screenshot, but will automatically save it in the Screenshots folder in your Pictures library.

Third Method: Alt + Print Screen

1. Press the Alt key and the Print Screen key together to capture only the active window.

2. Then, paste the screenshot into an image editing program or document.

Fourth Method: Using the Snipping Tool

Windows OS has a built-in Snipping Tool that lets you take screenshots in different ways. You can open it from the Start menu and use it to capture a specific area, a window, or the whole screen.

1. To open the Snipping Tool, click the Start button, type Snipping Tool in the search bar, and select it from the results.

2. Choose the type of snip: In the Snipping Tool window, click on the “New” button. A dropdown menu will appear with four options: Free-form snip, Rectangular snip, Window snip, and Full-screen snip. Select the option that best suits your needs:

3. Free-form snip: Lets you draw any shape around the area you want to capture.

4. Rectangular snip: Lets you select a rectangular area by dragging your cursor across the screen.

5. Window snip: Allows you to capture a specific window or dialog box.

6. Full-screen snip: Captures your whole screen.

7. Capture the screenshot: After you pick the snip type, your screen will dim and your cursor will turn into a crosshair. Use it to select the area you want to capture.

8. Save the screenshot: After capturing the screenshot, it will automatically open in the Snipping Tool window. You can make annotations or highlight areas if needed. To save the screenshot, click on the “File” menu and select “Save As.” Choose the location on your computer to save the file.

9. Exit the Snipping Tool: After saving your screenshot, you can close the Snipping Tool window.

10. That’s it! You’ve successfully taken a screenshot using the Snipping Tool in Windows.

These methods provide different options for capturing screenshots in Windows 10, depending on your specific needs.

Master Essential Computer Skills with Ayvant

Want to improve your computer skills? Ayvant can help you learn how to capture, save, and share screen images easily on Windows. Schedule a call with us to build your tech confidence and pick up helpful tips for using your computer more efficiently. Let’s make tech simple together!