How to take screenshots on Windows laptop

Capturing screenshots on Windows proves highly advantageous for various work-related activities, record-keeping, and effectively illustrating software issues during technical support inquiries. Windows offers a range of methods to achieve this, and below are some of the available options that work seamlessly on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Ways to take screenshots on windows laptop:

1. The Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool stands as the main built-in choice for capturing screenshots. While it may not possess an extensive array of features, it enables users to precisely select and capture specific sections of their desktop display. Here is a guide on how to use Snipping Tool.

1. Type "snipping tool" into the taskbar's search box and select the app. In Windows 11, Microsoft recommends using Snip & Sketch or the Win + Shift + S shortcut, but the Snipping Tool is still available.
2. Once opened, the Snipping Tool provides four capturing options: Free-form snip, Rectangular snip, Window snip, and Full-screen snip.
3. Select the desired capturing mode; the screen will adjust accordingly.
4. The Snipping Tool also offers a delay feature for capturing precise moments.
5. After capturing a screenshot, the Snipping Tool allows light editing before saving. In Windows 11, the editing screen may appear automatically or require selecting a notification.

2. Snip & Sketch

Snip & Sketch is Microsoft's newer snipping utility and can be accessed through the Start menu or the Win + Shift + S shortcut. Here's how to utilise it:

1. When employing the keyboard shortcut, a toolbar will emerge at the upper part of the screen.
2. Snip & Sketch save screenshots to the clipboard initially, providing options to edit within the app.
3. Users can crop the image and apply various annotations using the available tools.
4. To save the edited image, choose the disk icon or use the "Open with" option to utilise an external image editor.

3. Keyboard Shortcuts (PrintScreen)

Windows offers six keyboard shortcuts for capturing screenshots. Three utilise the Print Screen (PrtScn) key, while the others involve the Windows (Win) key. Here's an overview:

1. Print Screen (PrtScn): Captures the entire screen, sending the image to the clipboard. If the button does not work on its own, try pressing Fn along with PrtScn.
2. Win + Shift + S: Opens the Snip & Sketch or the new Snipping Tool app in Windows 11, allowing various capturing modes without saving as a file.
3. Alt + Print Screen: Captures the active window, sending the image to the clipboard.
4. Win + Alt + Print Screen: Captures only the active window and saves the image as a file.
5. Win + Print Screen: Captures the entire screen and saves the image as a file.
6. Win + G: Opens the Xbox Game Bar for capturing screenshots within games.

Taking screenshots on Windows is a flexible and uncomplicated procedure, enabling users to easily record information or request support when necessary.