This wikiHow teaches you several ways to take a full or partial screenshot on a Windows 10 computer. The easiest and most fully featured way to take a screenshot of any part of the screen is to use Snip & Sketch, Microsoft's new built-in screenshot tool. As long as you've updated Windows 10 after February 2019, you can find this tool by searching for it in the Windows search bar.
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Method 1 of 4: Using Snip & Sketch
Step 1. Arrange the objects on the screen the way you want them to look on the screenshot
Even if it's only a specific section you want to capture, you can easily do so using Snip & Sketch.
- Snip & Sketch is the latest version of the Snipping Tool program for Windows 10. As long as you have updated your operating system to (at least) version 1809 (February 2019), the Snip & Sketch tool or feature is already available on your computer.
- Read the article on how to update the Windows operating system to find out how to get the latest Windows updates.
Step 2. Open Snip & Sketch
You can open it by typing snip into the Windows search bar and clicking “ Snip & Sketch ” in the search results.
You can also open the tool by pressing the shortcut Win+⇧ Shift+S
Step 3. Click New
It's a blue button in the upper-left corner of the Snip & Sketch window. Four icons will be displayed at the top of the screen.
If you used keyboard shortcuts before, you can skip this step
Step 4. Select the type of screenshot you want to take
Hover over each icon to see what kind of screenshot it represents, then click the option to take a screenshot.
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“ Rectangular snip:
This option allows you to take a snapshot of a specific part of the screen by creating a rectangular frame around it. After creating the frame, a screenshot preview will be displayed in the program window.
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“ Freeform snip:
This option allows you to take screenshots of any part of the screen by drawing freeforms. After a frame (of any shape) is drawn, a preview of the snippet will be displayed in the program window.
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“ Window snaps:
Use this option if you want to take a screenshot of a single window. Once the button is clicked, select the window you want to take a snapshot of and preview it.
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“ Full screen snip:
This option takes a screenshot of the entire screen and displays it in the program window.
Step 5. Edit the screenshot (optional)
Snip & Sketch comes with several editing tools that you can use to modify or mark up screenshots before saving.
- Click on the finger wrapped in the rope to draw freely on the screenshot. After that, you can select the drawing/writing tools and colors at the top of the screen, then create text or shapes as needed.
- Click the eraser icon to remove any mistakes made while drawing.
- Click the ruler icon to display the ruler at the top of the screen.
- Click the cropping icon (the crossed-out square) to save the selected part of the image and delete the rest.
Step 6. Click the disc icon to save the screenshot
It's in the upper-right corner of the Snip & Sketch window.
Step 7. Select a save location and click Save
You can also select a custom folder and assign a specific name before clicking the “ Save The screenshot will be saved to the selected folder.
Method 2 of 4: Using the “PrtSc” Button to Take a Screenshot of the Entire Screen
Step 1. Arrange the objects on the screen the way you want them to look on the screenshot
If you want to take a screenshot of the entire screen, arrange the objects as desired.
Step 2. Press Win+⎙ PrtScr keys simultaneously
The “PrtSc” button is usually on the top row of buttons. A screenshot (or program window) will be taken and saved as a-p.webp
The labels on the keys may be different for each keyboard. For example, your button might be labeled " PrScr " or " PrtScrn"
Step 3. Open the screenshot that has been taken
Screenshots are saved in the folder “ Screenshots " which is in the folder " Pictures " Here are the steps to access the folder:
- Press Win+E key to open a File Explorer window.
- Click " Pictures ” on the left pane. If it's not available, click the arrow icon next to “ This PC ” to show more options.
- Double click the folder " Screenshots ” on the right pane.
- Double-click the most recent screenshot (with the largest number in the filename) to view it.
Method 3 of 4: Using the “PrtSc” Key to Take a Snippet of One Window
Step 1. Open the window you want to crop
When the program window is already open, click its title bar at the top to make sure the window is selected.
Step 2. Press Alt+⎙ PrtScr at the same time
A snapshot of the selected window will be copied to the computer's clipboard.
- The labels on the keys may be different for each keyboard. For example, your button might be labeled " PrScr " or " PrtScrn ".
- On some keyboards, you may need to press Alt+Fn+⎙ PrtScr simultaneously.
Step 3. Open Paint
You can search for it using the search bar or icon on the job bar.
Step 4. Press Ctrl+V keys to paste the image
A snapshot of the window will appear on the Paint canvas.
If you want to cut any part of the snippet, click the cutting tool (“ Crop ”) at the top of the Paint window, then select the portion you want to keep.
Step 5. Click the File menu and select Save.
The “Save As” dialog window will open after that.
Step 6. Select a save location
If you want to manage screenshots in one folder, go to the “ Pictures ” and double click the folder “ Screenshots ”.
Step 7. Enter a file name
If you want to change the file name, type a new name into the " File name " field at the bottom of the dialog window.
Step 8. Select a file type from the "Save As Type" menu
It's at the bottom of the window. The main file type selected is “PNG”, but you can choose another format if you want.
Step 9. Click Save
The screenshot will be saved to the selected directory.
Method 4 of 4: Using the Snipping Tool
Step 1. Open the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool app will not be brought back in the next version of Windows 10. You can still use this feature in July 2019, but it's a good idea to start switching to the Snip & Sketch feature. To access it, type Snipping Tool into the “Search” field and click “ Snipping Tool ”.
Read the method of using Snip & Sketch to identify new features
Step 2. Click the drop-down arrow next to the "Mode" button
You can see four options for taking screenshots: “Free-form Snip”, “Rectangular Snip”, “Window Snip “, and “Full-screen Snip”.
Step 3. Click the type of snapshot you want to capture
Here are the functions for each option:
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“ Free-form snip:
With this option, you can capture any part of the screen by drawing a freeform.
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“ Rectangular snip:
This option allows you to capture a specific part of the screen by drawing a rectangular frame around it.
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“ Window snaps:
” Use this option if you want to capture a single window. Once the button is clicked, you can see a list of available windows at the bottom of the screen. Click the desired window to take a snapshot and review it.
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“ Full-screen snip:
This option takes a screenshot of the entire screen and displays it in the application window.
Step 4. Click the New button
It's in the top-left corner of the tool. You may see different results, depending on the previously selected mode:
- If you choose " Free-form " or " Rectangle ”, the cursor will change to a sign “ +" Drag the cursor to select the part of the screen you want to capture. Once the finger is lifted from the mouse button, a preview of the snippet will be displayed.
- If you choose " Full-screen ”, the entire screen will be captured and the preview will be shown in the program window.
- If you choose " windows ”, click the desired window to take a snapshot and preview it.
Step 5. Edit the screenshot (optional)
There are several editing tools at the top of the screen:
- Click the down arrow next to the pen icon to select a pen color, then create the desired text or shape on the screen. Use the eraser tool to erase the mistakes made.
- Click the marker marker icon to use the yellow marker and mark specific text or areas.
- Click the rainbow balloon icon to open a screenshot in Paint 3D and do more advanced advanced editing.
Step 6. Click the disc icon to save the screenshot
It's in the icon bar at the top of the Snipping Tool window.
Step 7. Select a save location and click Save
You can select a specific folder and set a file name before clicking the “ Save The screenshot will be saved to the selected folder.
