Screenshots and Screen Captures

In this guide, we learn how to take screenshots or screen capture and save what you exactly see on the computer screen into an image file. You can edit the screenshot image using image editors like MS Paint. For those who need to take screenshots often, have a look at the list of free screen capture softwares towards the end of this article.

For those who are not familiar with this term “screenshot”, imagine that you are playing a game and have just defeated the top level monster. You are elated and want to share this moment of glory with your friends. How do you take a photograph of your screen without having to use a camera or webcam? The answer lies in capturing it as a screenshot, saving the image file, editing it if you have to, and emailing it to your friends.

Screenshots are also handy when you are reporting problems and error messages to software companies or internet service providers. This will help them to better understand the problem. Our readers had also referred us to their screen captures when raising queries relating to their template customization. As well, when submitting your blog to blog directories, you may be required to upload an image, which can be a screenshot of your site, to go with the listing.

Screenshot in MS Windows

In the standard keyboards, there is a button key that reads “Print Screen”, “PrntScrn” or “PrtScn”. To capture a screenshot of the entire screen, press this key. To take a screenshot of the active window or program, press “Alt” together with this “Print Screen” key.

(Note that in some programs and online games, there are inbuilt commands for screen captures. For instance, in Maplestory, players can press “Scroll Lock” key to take a screenshot. Where there are no special keys, press “Print Screen”. For Windows Vista Premium edition users, there is a Snipping Tool which allows users to take screenshots of windows or free-form area.)

If your computer is connected to a printer, the image would be printed onto paper. Since this image remains on your computer clipboard, it can also be transferred to an image editor program.

Save and Edit Screenshot

To save the screenshot, after pressing the “Print Screen” key, open an image editor program. Users of Microsoft Windows can use Microsoft “Paint” found in Start Menu -