How To Take a Screenshot

  • January 15, 2010
  • 196,480 Views
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Your boss has just asked to see a sample of your work. Take a screenshot to impress them with how tech savvy you are.

You Will Need

  • A computer
  • An open computer window or file
How To Take a Screenshot: Open the window or file on a PC

Step 1: Open the window or file on a PC

On a Windows PC, open the window or file you want to capture and make sure it is the “active” window on your monitor.

The “active” window is the window that is in the foreground on your computer screen.

How To Take a Screenshot: Press the Print Screen button

Step 2: Press the Print Screen button

Press the Print Screen button on the top right corner of your keyboard to take a picture of your entire screen.

If you want a screenshot of only the active window, hold down the Alt key while pressing the Print Screen button.

How To Take a Screenshot: Open a graphics program

Step 3: Open a graphics program

Open a graphics or word processing program. Hold down the Control key and press the V key to paste the screenshot into your chosen program.

You can also paste screenshots directly into the body of an e-mail and send as an inserted graphic.

How To Take a Screenshot: Save the file

Step 4: Save the file

Choose File on the top menu bar and click on Save As. Locate the file where you would like to save the screenshot in the Save As window, name the file, and save it.

How To Take a Screenshot: Take a screenshot on a Mac

Step 5: Take a screenshot on a Mac

On a Mac, hold down Shift, Command and the number 3 to take a picture of your entire screen. A file will automatically save to your desktop.

How To Take a Screenshot: Take a shot of part of the screen

Step 6: Take a shot of part of the screen

Hold down Shift, Command, 4 to take a picture of an area of the screen. Hold down the mouse button, run the select tool over the area you’d like to shoot, and let go. A file will save to your desktop. Find the screenshot file on your desktop, and change its name and location if you wish.

How To Take a Screenshot: Send

Step 7: Send

Attach screenshots to e-mail, print them out, or insert them into documents, just as you would with any other digital file.

Did you know? The first consumer computer to use movable “windows” with mouse-clicking capabilities was the Xerox Star that debuted in 1981.

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Comments (2)

romen

Just Press (PrtSc) And Open Paint And Ctrl+V... It's Really Easy :-P...

11 months ago by romen

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peachy

Thanks a million for this posting. I am going back to school after 30 years and this is my first assignment. Yikes. Did not know who I was going to get through it and these instructions really helped. Thanks again...

3 months ago by peachy

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