How To Take Screenshots On PC

You probably know how to take a screenshot in Windows, but how do you make it perfect? How can you get the exact element that you wish to illustrate?

The process for taking a screenshot differs slightly from version to version. Here, we’re looking at how to take a screenshot in Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10.

How to Make Windows 7 Screenshots

In Windows 7, you can use the Print Screen key to capture the full screen or the ALT + Print Screen key combinations to capture only the active window. The latter will save you from cropping the image later.

In Windows 7 (and earlier) you can capture the entire desktop by pressing the Print Screen key. Understand that the image is stored in memory, specifically in the clipboard, and if you press Print Screen again, the original capture is overwritten. The best thing to do is open up an app, such as Word, or Microsoft Paint, and use the Paste function to copy it into the app before saving.

Making Screenshots in Windows 8 and 8.1

With Windows 8 and its immediate successor, Windows 8.1, a new system was put in place for capturing screenshots. Windows + Print Screen (or on some laptops, Windows + Fn + Print Screen) is a good option, and can often be better (and quicker) than using the Snipping Tool. With Windows + Print Screen, the image is immediately saved into a PNG file in the C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Pictures\Screenshots folder.

The same is largely true for Windows 10.

Note that the previously mentioned ALT + Print Screen keyboard shortcut by default also captures the area around the active window. It looks quite untidy, but can be fixed. In Windows 8, 8.1, or 10, click the Windows key, type advanced system settings, and open the respective option. Under Performance, click the Settings… button, disable the Show shadows under windows setting, and click OK to save your changes.

How to Take a Screenshot in Windows 10
With Windows 10, the Snipping Tool has been developed further, and is preferable to using the old ALT + Print Screen key combination for capturing sections of the desktop. (ALT + Print Screen is still limited to capturing the active window, and retaining a single image in the clipboard.)

In Windows 10, the Windows + Print Screen combination is still quicker for capturing an image on the fly, but the time taken to capture and edit a screenshot can be quicker with Snipping Tool.

You can find the Snipping Tool in Windows 10 and Windows 8 by pressing Start + Q and typing snip. The first option should be Snipping Tool. In Windows 7, Snipping Tool is in Start > All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool.