Need to take a screenshot on your Laptop or PC?
Whether it is to keep track of a visit to a website, to report a bug in the software, or immortalize a scene in a video game, knowing how to take a screen capture on a computer can prove useful in many situations.
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Follow the guide, and find out how to take screenshot on a Laptop/PC Easily. In this article, we offer you 3 tried and tested methods to take a screenshot, from the simplest to the most complete.
How to take screenshot on a Laptop/PC using the Print Screen Key?
The easiest way to take a screenshot on a Laptop or PC is undeniably the Print key screen (PrtScn if you have an English keyboard).
Here’s how to capture your entire screen:
- Press the Print key. screen at the top right of your keyboard.
- The screenshot will automatically be copied to your clipboard.
- To save the file, you will then only have to paste the screenshot into any program that allows you to insert images, such as Microsoft Word, Paint, or Photoshop.
- You can then crop or edit it easily, save it in another format, and rename it so you can find it easily.
How to take a screenshot on a Laptop/PC, and save the file automatically?
- All you have to do is press the Windows key + Print simultaneously. screen.
- Your screen dims and a screenshot of your entire screen is saved in the Pictures > Screenshots folder.
How to capture only the active window you’re working in?
- In this case, just press the Alt + Print. screen.
- The screenshot will automatically be copied to your clipboard.
- You will then need to paste it into another program to save it.
How to Take Screenshot on a Laptop/PC using Windows Snipping Tool?
Many don’t know this, but Windows has a built-in screenshot tool that’s great if you want to customize, annotate, or share your screenshots.
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It is less sophisticated than other similar tools but has the advantage of being installed by default in Windows (from Vista versions), so you don’t have to download anything more.
Here is how to use the snipping tool:
- To access the tool, browse your PC’s “Start” menu, or type “snipping” in the search bar, then select Snipping Tool.
- You then have access to 4 different screen capture modes:
- Full-Screen Capture: This allows you to capture the entire screen.
- Rectangular capture: this allows you to select a specific area of your screen.
- Capture Window: this allows you to capture the software window displayed on the screen.
- Freeform capture: this allows you to manually select the area to be captured using your mouse.
- Once you’ve decided which screen capture mode is right for you, just click “New” and then select the area of the screen you want to capture.
- Your capture then appears in the tool. You are then free to modify it using the different editing options available to you (eraser, pencil, etc.)
- Finally, all you have to do is save your screenshot, or insert it directly into a Word file or an email via a simple copy and paste.
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How to take screenshot on a Windows 10 Laptop/PC using Capture and Sketch Software?
Do you need a screen capture solution that allows you to make annotations?
The Capture and Sketch PC software should work for you. It is installed by default on most Windows 10 computers and has more options than just the Snipping tool.
Here’s how to use it:
- Access the Snipping and Sketching software via the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Shift + S, or via the Start menu by typing the term “Snip & Sketch”.
- Click on the “New” button, then select the area you wish to save.
- Your screenshot is then displayed in the software. You can then modify it as you see fit: annotate it with your remarks, highlight important areas, or even draw on it.
- Finish by saving your screenshot via the dedicated button, or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + S.
Extra tip: The PC Capture and Sketch software have a self-timer mode, ideal if you need a delay before you capture, for example, to perform a certain manipulation.
To turn it on, click the little arrow on the New button, then choose either “Crop Delayed 3 Seconds” or “Crop Delayed 10 Seconds” depending on how much time you want to have.
Also Read: How to Take a Screenshot on iPhone? (FULL GUIDE)
We have seen it: there is a multitude of ways to take a screenshot on a computer. To make your choice, ask yourself about your needs. If you want to take a basic screenshot, Windows built-in tools should suffice.
On the other hand, for more specific needs, we advise you to install specialized software.
