This post tells you how to take a screenshot using one of several methods available under Windows 10.
The first thing to check is what kind of Print Screen key you have on your laptop’s keyboard.
In some cases the Print Screen key says exactly that, “Print Screen” as below:
In most cases, however, the key will have “Print Screen” or “Prt Scr” or “Print Scr” shared with another title such as “Home” or “Sys Req”, as below:
In the above image, note three important keys:
The Print Screen Key on the top right hand side
The Function (Fn) key bottom left, and
The Windows key next to the Fn key
Now let’s look at how to use the Print Screen key to take a screenshot:
A. To take a screenshot and save it automatically to your laptop
To take a screenshot and have Windows 10 save it automatically to your laptop’s hard disk, simply press Fn+Windows key+Print Screen key as in the image below:
Press the Fn key with the middle finger of your left hand. Without releasing it, press the Windows key with the index finger of your left hand. Without releasing either key, tap the Print Screen key (Prt Scr or Print Scr, as the case may be) with the index finger of your right hand.
Your screen will dim for a second or two to let you know that the screenshot is being taken.
The screenshot will be automatically saved to the Screenshots folder within the Pictures folder on your Computer, as in the image below:
You can then import the screenshot from the Screenshots folder into any image editing software of your choice to edit or manipulate it.
B. To take a screenshot and paste it directly into image editing software (GIMP, Inkscape, CorelDraw, Photoshop, Windows Paint, etc.)
If you don’t want to save the screenshot to your hard disk (laptop) but want to paste it directly into image editing software of your choice, simply hit the Fn+Print Screen keys.
Press the Fn key with any finger of your left hand and, keeping it pressed, tap the Print Screen (Prt Scr or Print Scr) key with any finger of your right hand.
This will capture the screen and hold it on the clipboard for you.
Next, open the image editing software into which you wish to paste the screenshot.
Make sure the page size (or canvas size) is large enough and in landscape orientation in order to fit the screenshot.
Press Ctrl+V (Press the Ctrl key and, keeping it pressed, hit the V key).
The screenshot will be pasted from the clipboard onto your page / canvas. You may then edit it and save it in one of the image formats (PNG, JPEG, BMP, etc.).
C. To capture just a part of the screen
Sometimes you may wish to capture just a part of the screen, such as a window or part of a window or windows that show on your laptop’s screen.
In such a case, you’ll need to use the Snip and Sketch app that comes along with Windows 10. To access the app, click the windows icon and then scroll down to Snip and Sketch, as in the image below:
Alternatively, you can simply type Snip & Sketch into the search window on your screen (next to the windows icon bottom left) and click Snip & Sketch when it shows as follows:
Click New. A smaller window will open, as below:
The first is the rectangular snip button. You can select this button, then draw a rectangular mask around the area you wish to capture. When you release the left mouse button, the area selected will open in the app.
The next is the freehand snip button. You can draw a freehand shape around the area you wish to capture, which will then open just that area in the app.
The third is the window capture button. Clicking this will allow you to click on any open window, and then just that window will open in the app.
The last is the full screen capture button. This works just like as in methods A and B above, except that the full screen will open in the Snip and Sketch app instead of being saved to your hard disk or being placed on the clipboard.
You may then save the captured (snipped) image in a format of your choice.
