Screenshots can be really useful. You can use them to show your grandparents how to use a new app. You can use them to send a snapshot of this strange error message to your company’s IT department. You can use them to capture tweets before they get lost in the erasure black hole. So, if you need to capture a screenshot or two, here is a quick and simple guide to take a screenshot on your computer.
Windows 10’s current screenshot tool is called Snip & Sketch; replaces the previous application Snipping Tool. (For some reason, Microsoft decided to call screenshots “snips” at some point.) There are several ways to access Snip & Sketch.
First, you can type “snip” in the Cortana search box; Click on “Snip & Sketch” when it comes up. You will now be looking at the main window of the application with various icons at the top. The top left blue button lets you take a screenshot immediately or set a delay of 3 or 10 seconds. Click on the app to go to the small command bar that will appear at the top of your screen.
The second (and faster) way is to press the Windows logo key + Shift + S, which will immediately take you to the same command bar.
From left to right, the buttons on the command bar allow you to mark a rectangular area for your screenshot, freeform area, specific window, or full screen view. As soon as you mark the area to capture or click a window or full-screen snip button, the screenshot will be taken. It will automatically be saved as a PNG file and placed in your Pictures/Screenshots folder.
A thumbnail of a thumbnail will appear in the lower right corner for a few seconds; You can click on it to bring it to the full Snip & Sketch app for editing like adding lines and text or trimming. (If the click disappears before you have a chance, just search for the Snip & Skitch app.) The app also lets you share the image or save it as a PNG, JPG or GIF file.
You can change some settings for Snip & Sketch, such as if the app should prompt before saving – if you go to the app, click the three dots in the top-right corner of the app and select “Settings”.
If you’re really in a hurry, you can take a full-screen screenshot by simultaneously pressing the Windows logo key with the PrtScrn (or PrtSc) key. The image will be saved as a PNG file in the Pictures / Screenshots folder.
You can also have it open Snip & Sketch when you press the PrtSc key.
- Go to your computer’s settings by clicking the Start button in the lower left corner and then the gear icon that appears on it.
- Type “prtscrn” in the search box just below the “Windows Settings” page name. Somewhere around the “t” the dropdown says “Use the Print Screen key to start snipping”. Click on it.
- You will find yourself on the “Keyboard” page. Search for “Print Screen shortcut” and open it.
