How to do a screenshot on a computer

1 answer

Taking a screenshot on a computer depends on the operating system you're using. Here are the methods for the most common systems:

Windows

  1. Using the Print Screen key:

    • Fullscreen Screenshot: Press PrtScn. This copies the screenshot to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an application (e.g., Word, Paint) with Ctrl + V.
    • Active Window Screenshot: Press Alt + PrtScn. This captures only the currently active window and copies it to your clipboard.
    • Selected Area Screenshot: Press Windows + Shift + S. This opens the Snipping Tool, allowing you to select a specific area to capture. The screenshot is saved to your clipboard.
  2. Using Snipping Tool:

    • Search for "Snipping Tool" in the Start menu, open it, and choose the type of snip you want to make (freeform, rectangular, window, or full-screen).
  3. Using Snip & Sketch:

    • Press Windows + Shift + S, and select the area you want to capture. The screenshot will be copied to your clipboard, and a notification will appear, which you can click to annotate or save.

macOS

  1. Using keyboard shortcuts:

    • Fullscreen Screenshot: Press Command + Shift + 3. The screenshot is saved to your desktop.
    • Selected Area Screenshot: Press Command + Shift + 4. You can then click and drag to select the area you want to capture. The screenshot is saved to your desktop.
    • Window Screenshot: Press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar. Click the window you want to capture. The screenshot is saved to your desktop.
  2. Using Preview:

    • Open the Preview application, go to File > Take Screenshot, and choose between "From Selection," "From Window," or "From Entire Screen."

Linux

  1. Using keyboard shortcuts:

    • Fullscreen Screenshot: Press PrtScn. This captures the entire screen and usually saves it to the Pictures folder.
    • Active Window Screenshot: Press Alt + PrtScn to capture the current window.
    • Selected Area Screenshot: Press Shift + PrtScn or Ctrl + Shift + PrtScn (varies by distribution) to select a specific area.
  2. Using the screenshot tool:

    • Most Linux distributions come with screenshot applications like FlameShot, Shutter, or Gnome Screenshot, which you can find in your applications menu.

Save and Edit Screenshots

After taking a screenshot, you can open it in an image editor (like Paint on Windows, Preview on macOS, or GIMP on Linux) to crop, annotate, or edit further before saving in your preferred format.

Feel free to ask if you have any other questions or need more specific instructions!