How to Capture a Screenshot in Windows 7
- Taking a Basic Screenshot
- Capturing All or Part of the Screen with the Snipping Tool
- Using Third-Party Screen Capture Programs
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There may come a time when you need to take a picture of what you see on your computer screen. Maybe you’re having some sort of computer problem and the tech support guy wants to see what you’re seeing. Or maybe you want to show someone else how to do something on their computer, and the best way to do it is by showing them.
In either instance, you need to take what is called a screenshot – a shot of your computer screen. In Windows 7 there are a few ways to do this, including one that lets you capture only part of the screen, such as an active application window.
Read on to learn more.
Taking a Basic Screenshot
There are lots of options available when you want to capture a picture of your entire computer screen. Some of these options are costly (third-party screen capture programs), others are free and built into Windows, which means there’s no additional software to install.
The easiest way to take a screenshot is to use Windows’ print screen feature. This functionality is built into all versions of Windows, including older releases.
To capture a screenshot using the print screen function, follow these steps:
- Arrange the elements on your screen the way you want them,.
- Press the print Screen (or Prt Sc) key on your computer keyboard.
This places an image of the entire screen into Windows’ clipboard. You can then paste the image into any application, such as Microsoft Word. (To paste the captured image, press Ctrl+V).
You can also use this method to capture a shot of a single open window on your desktop. Just select the window to make it the active window, then press Alt+Print Screen. You can then paste the image of this window into another application.