Taking a screenshot is sometimes necessary or a convenient way to record and store information on a computer. As a result, I have included instructions to take a screenshot in Windows 10 below.
Take Screenshots in Windows 10
Most users encounter the need to take Screenshots in Windows 10 while attempting to troubleshoot a problem on their computer with the assistance of an online friend, who may require a screenshot of the error message on your computer.
Furthermore, taking screenshots on Windows 10 can come in handy when you need to take a photo of the list of Files/folders on your computer. Or want to capture an image to share with your family or friends, or for various other reasons. So, take a glance at some different ways to take screenshots in Windows 10.
Take a Screenshot of the Entire Screen
Windows 10 makes it extremely simple to capture your computer’s entire screen. Press the dedicated Print Screen button on your computer’s keyboard in conjunction with either the Windows or Function (FN) keys (depending on your computer).
The Print Screen button is located in the right side of the keyboard (near the F12 key) and is labeled as Print Scr, PrntScr, or PrntScrn.
1. Press the Windows key, then the Print Scr key, located in the upper-right corner of your keyboard.
Note: Depending on your keyboard, you may need to use the FN + Print Scr key combination or the Windows + FN + Print Scr key combination. To find the correct keyboard shortcut, try these combinations or consult your computer’s manual.
2. When you press the key combination, the screen will dim for a brief moment, indicating that the whole screen has been captured in a screenshot.
3. Go to This PC > Pictures > Screenshots Folder to locate the screenshot of the entire screen that you just took on your computer.
Take a Screenshot of Part of Screen
The Windows 10 Creators update added the ability to capture a screenshot of a portion of the screen.
1. On your computer’s keyboard, press Windows + Shift + S. The screen will become greyed out, and the cursor will change to a cross-hair pattern.
2. Click the left mouse button, then drag your mouse to select the area of the screen you want to capture. Once the area has been set, release the Mouse Key, and the chosen area’s screenshot will be copied to the Clipboard.
3. Now, open Paint and paste the screenshot by pressing Ctrl + V or selecting the Paste Icon > Paste option.
Would you please keep in mind that this method does not work in earlier versions of Windows 10?
Capture the Whole Screen to Clipboard in Windows 10
You can even copy your computer’s entire screen to the Clipboard rather than saving it to the Pictures Folder.
1. press the Prnt Scr key on your computer’s keyboard. It will take a screenshot of your computer’s entire screen and copy it to the Clipboard.
Remember that you may need to press FN + Prnt Scr or other key combinations on some keyboards.
2. After that, you can open Paint, Word, or any other program to Paste the Clipboard data.
3. In Paint, click on the Paste icon, then on the Paste option in the little drop-down that appears.
4. Next, select File > Save As to save the file in PNG, JPEG, or another format.
Take a Screenshot of Active Screen in Windows 10
If your computer is connected to multiple monitors, using the Prnt Scr or Win+Prnt Scr keyboard combination captures screenshots of both screens.
In this case, you can only take a screenshot of the active screen by pressing the Alt+Prnt Scr key combination. However, in this case, the screenshot will be copied to the Clipboard and will not be saved in the Screenshots folder automatically.
As a result, you will need to open a program like Paint, paste the screenshot, and save the file using the steps outlined above.
Note: On some computers, you probably need to press Alt + Fn + Prnt Scr to take a screenshot of the active screen. For the correct keyboard shortcut, consult your laptop’s or computer’s manual.
Take Screenshots Using Snipping Tool
If you were not aware, Windows 10 includes a built-in Snipping Tool that enables you to take screenshots of the entire screen as well as selected areas on your computer’s screen.
You can take screenshots with the Snipping tool by selecting a rectangular area, a free-form area, or the entire screen. You can also use colored pens or highlighters to annotate the screenshots.
The resulting screenshots or snips can be saved to any location on your computer or immediately emailed to friends or contacts.
1. Launch the Snipping Tool by going to Start > Windows Accessories > Snipping Tool.
2. Select the New option in the Snipping Tool pop-up window.
3. When you click on “New,” the screen fades, and the mouse cursor changes to a cross-hair pattern. Holding the Mouse key and dragging the cursor around the area will allow you to select the area you need to capture in a screenshot.
4. After selecting the desired area, release the Mouse Key, and the screenshot will be copied to the Clipboard.
5. Next, within the Snipping Tool, select File > Save As to save the screenshot to any location on your computer.
Take Screenshots in Windows 10 During Game Play
If Game Mode is enabled on your computer, you can also use the Xbox app to take screenshots while playing Windows 10. While playing video games on your computer, you can capture screenshots and record Game Play Footage using Windows 10’s Gaming Mode.
However, you must first enable the Game Bar and the option to take screenshots during gameplay in Windows 10’s settings.
1. Go to Settings and select Gaming from the drop-down menu.
2. On the next screen, click Game Bar in the side menu and turn ON the option to Record Game Clips, Screenshots, & Broadcast Using Game Bar.
After that, you will be able to use the Xbox app in Windows 10 to take screenshots and record gameplay clips while playing games on your computer.
3. During gameplay, you can launch the Game Bar at any time by pressing Windows + G keys, and you can take screenshots by clicking on the Camera icon in the Game Bar or by pressing Windows + Alt + Prnt Scr keys.
Note: Please remember that the keyboard shortcut will only work if you have previously selected the “Yes, this is a game” option.
4. After taking a screenshot, you will see a “Screenshot Saved” notification, indicating that the screenshot has been saved on your computer.
5. Navigate to the This PC > Videos > Captures folder on your computer to view the saved screenshot.
Final Words
Dear Visitors, this is how you can take a screenshot on Windows 10. If you have any queries related to this post, let us know in the comments section below!