Capturing the content of your entire computer screen as a “picture” and then being able to use for other purposes is one of the most convenient features of Windows based computers. There are many things that you may want to use a screenshot for – you may want to capture a picture of something on a website that you are unable to “copy” due to the settings on the page, you may want to use screenshots as part of a classroom presentation, or you may simply want to be able to keep a copy of instant messages or other pieces of information you can’t otherwise copy. The good news is that learning how to take a screenshot is easy – you may be surprised at just how quickly you’ll be able to use screenshots.
If you are using Windows, you have two options for capturing screenshots. The simplest is to press the “Print Scrn” key on your keyboard, which will instantly copy a “picture” of your screen onto your clipboard. If you want to copy only the active window (meaning the program you are currently working in, without the toolbar or any other parts of the screen), press “Alt” and “Print Scrn” at the same time.
Once you have figured out how to take a screenshot, the next step is to figure out what to do with it. You will need to transfer your screenshot into a program that will allow you to save it. The simplest option, if you don’t plan to do much editing, is to use the “Paint” program that comes with your computer. Simply select “Paste” (or use “Ctrl” + “V”), and you will see your screenshot. You can do some editing within “Paint”, such as adding circles, lines, or text. When you are done, save the file.
For those who want to learn how to take a screenshot for use as part of a lecture or demonstration presentation, Microsoft Office PowerPoint and Microsoft Word are both good choices for working with screenshots. In either program, you can simply use “Paste” to drop in your screenshot after you have created it. You may need to edit the screenshot in order to make it work with your presentation. Remember that using “Alt” and “Print Scrn” will copy only the active window, meaning that you won’t have to worry about trimming off portions of your desktop that you don’t want to show. If you want to use only a small portion of the screenshot, you can use the built-in picture editing tools in Microsoft Office or Microsoft Power Point to trim portions of the screenshot, convert it to black and white, or add items such as lines, text, or boxes.
Learning how to take a screenshot is easy, and you will be surprised at the number of uses you find for screenshots. Whether you plan to use a screenshot as part of a report, save important information, or just to capture favorite web images, learning how to take a screenshot is easier than you may have thought.