How to Take Selected Screenshot on Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide
Do you need to take a screenshot of a specific area on your Windows computer screen but don’t know how? Well, you’re in the right place! In this article, we will guide you through the steps of taking a selected screenshot on Windows. Whether you need to capture an image for work or personal use, taking a screenshot is an easy and convenient way of preserving information. Follow our simple guide below to capture your desired content accurately and clearly.
Steps
Step 1: Identify the Content
Before you start taking a screenshot, it’s important to identify the content you want to capture on your screen. Is it an image, a website, a document, or a program? By determining the content type, you’ll be able to choose the right method of taking a screenshot.
Step 2: Open Snipping Tool
Windows provides a tool called Snipping Tool that allows you to capture any selection on your screen. To open Snipping Tool, press the Windows key on your keyboard and type ‘Snipping Tool.’ When it appears in the search results, click on it.
Step 3: Choose Your Snipping Type
In the Snipping Tool, select the mode of snipping you want to use. You can either choose ‘Rectangular snip,’ ‘Free-form snip,’ ‘Window snip’ or ‘Full-screen snip.’
Step 4: Mark Off the Area You Want to Capture
Using your cursor, mark off the area you want to capture. If you’re using Rectangular snip, drag the cursor around the edges of the content you want to capture. For Free-form snip, use your cursor to draw around the area you want to capture. With Window snip, click on the window you want to capture, and with Full-screen snip, capture the entire screen.
Step 5: Save Your Snip
Once you’ve selected the area, click on the ‘Save Snip’ button in the Snipping Tool toolbar. You can also name your snip so that it’s easier to find in the future.
Step 6: Use the Print Screen Button
Another method of taking a selected screenshot is by using the Print Screen button on your keyboard. Pressing the ‘Prt Scr’ or ‘Print Screen’ key copies an image of your entire screen to your clipboard.
Step 7: Crop Your Screenshot
Open Paint or another image editing software, paste your snip or image file using ‘Ctrl + V’, and then crop the image to the desired selection using the crop tool.
Step 8: Save Your Edited Screenshot
After cropping your screenshot, click on ‘Save As’ in the File menu and choose the format you want to save your file as.
Step 9: Use Screen Capture Software
You can also use third-party software such as Lightshot or Snagit to take a selected screenshot on your Windows computer. These tools offer more advanced features such as editing functions and cloud storage.
Step 10: Set up a Hotkey
If you take screenshots frequently, you can set up a keyboard shortcut that will automatically save your selection to a specific folder on your computer.
Step 11: Use Web Browser Extensions
If you need to capture a screenshot of a website, you can use browser extensions such as FireShot or Nimbus Screenshot that integrate into your web browser.
Step 12: Take a Video Recording
If you need to capture a video of your screen, you can use the Xbox Game Bar feature in Windows 10 or third-party tools like OBS Studio or Camtasia.
Explanation
Taking a selected screenshot is a useful skill to have, whether you’re working on a project or simply gathering information. With the methods above, you can easily capture and edit your desired content accurately and effectively. Snipping Tool is a built-in feature that comes with Windows that makes taking screenshots a breeze. However, if you prefer more advanced features, you can also use third-party software such as Lightshot or Snagit. Hotkeys can be set up for quick and easy screenshots, and web browser extensions can be utilized to easily capture website screenshots. With countless screenshot options available, you can be sure to find the method that best suits your needs.
Tips and Tricks
1. Before taking a screenshot, clean up your desktop or screen to prevent any distractions in your image.
2. Use the print screen button and paste into Paint to quickly capture a screenshot without using Snipping Tool or other third-party software.
3. If you need to blur or hide sensitive information in your screenshot, use the blur tool in Paint or Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
4. If you need to share your screenshots with a team or group, use cloud storage services such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
5. Use snipping tools to capture pop-up menus and other content that may disappear quickly.
6. When taking screenshots of videos, make sure the video is paused to capture a clear image.
7. Experiment with different snipping tools to find the one that works best for you and your needs.
8. Use third-party editing software such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP to further enhance and refine your screenshots.
9. Remove any personal or confidential information from your screenshots before sharing them with others.
10. Practice taking screenshots regularly to improve your skills and speed.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Taking Selected Screenshots on Windows
Advantages
1. Enhanced communication: With selected screenshots, you can accurately convey your message to others. This is especially useful in tutorials or when giving instructions.
2. Saves time: Selecting a specific part of the screen saves you time by eliminating the need to crop the image later.
3. Reduces file size: Taking selected screenshots reduces the size of the image file, making it easier to share and store.
4. Increased accuracy: Selecting a specific area of the screen ensures that only the necessary information is captured, making the image more accurate.
5. Professional-looking: By selecting particular elements of the screen, your screenshot will appear more professional and polished.
6. Easier to edit: Selecting specific areas of the screen makes it easier to edit the image later on, as only certain elements need to be modified.
7. Better for privacy: Selecting areas of the screen increases privacy by only sharing necessary information, without revealing extraneous details.
8. Increases productivity: Selected screenshots save time and reduce file size, ultimately leading to increased productivity.
9. More effective communication: By taking selected screenshots, you can ensure that your message is communicated in a more effective manner.
10. Easier to understand: Selected screenshots are easier to understand as they only show pertinent information, making them more effective for communication and instruction.
Disadvantages
1. Limited information: Selecting specific areas of the screen means that you may leave out important information, which can hinder communication.
2. Need to retake: If the selection is not correct, you may need to retake the screenshot, wasting time and impacting productivity.
3. Need to be precise: Selections need to be precise, otherwise important information may be excluded or the image may appear unprofessional.
4. Can be difficult to select: Some areas of the screen may be difficult to select, which can result in frustration and wasted time.
5. May require additional software: Depending on the Windows version and features, taking selected screenshots may require additional software.
6. Cannot see the full screen: Selecting a specific area of the screen means that you cannot see the entire screen, which may be necessary for certain types of work.
7. Requires knowledge: You need to have knowledge of how to take selected screenshots, which may not be widely known to all users.
8. Limited accessibility: If you are not able to use the mouse correctly, or are visually impaired, taking selected screenshots may be difficult.
9. May appear unprofessional: If you do not take the time to select the screenshot correctly, it may appear unprofessional or of poor quality.
10. Limitations of resizing: If the selection is too small, resizing the image may result in distorted or pixelated images.
FAQ
1. What is a screenshot?
A screenshot is essentially a picture of what is currently showing on your computer screen at a particular moment in time.
2. Why do I need to take a screenshot?
There are many reasons why you might need to take a screenshot – perhaps you want to show someone an error message, or demonstrate how to use a particular part of a program.
3. How do I take a screenshot on Windows?
The easiest way to take a screenshot on Windows is to press the “Print Screen” button on your keyboard, often abbreviated to “PrtScn”.
4. Where do the screenshots get saved?
By default, your screenshots will be saved to your clipboard, which you can then paste into another program such as Paint or Word. If you want to save the screenshot as a file, you can use the Snipping Tool or other third-party software.
5. How do I paste a screenshot into another program?
After taking a screenshot, go into the program you want to paste it into and press “Ctrl” + “V” on your keyboard. The screenshot image should then appear in the program.
6. Can I edit my screenshots?
Yes, you can use an image editing program such as Paint or Photoshop to edit your screenshots. This can be useful if you want to add text or annotations to the image.
7. How do I use the Snipping Tool?
The Snipping Tool is a program in Windows that allows you to take screenshots of only selected parts of the screen. To access the Snipping Tool, type “Snipping Tool” into the Start Menu search bar.
8. How do I take a screenshot of only one window?
To take a screenshot of only one window, click on the window you want to capture so it is in focus and press “Alt” + “Print Screen” on your keyboard. This will capture only the active window, rather than the entire screen.
9. Can I take a screenshot of a video or game?
Yes, you can take a screenshot of a video or game, but it may not work with some programs or games. It depends on whether the program allows the print screen button to work while the video or game is running.
10. How do I take a screenshot on a laptop without a print screen button?
If your laptop doesn’t have a print screen button, you can still take a screenshot by pressing “Fn” + “Windows” + “Space”.
11. How do I take a screenshot of a menu or dropdown list?
To take a screenshot of a menu or dropdown list, open the menu or list and press “Alt” + “Print Screen”. This will capture only the menu or list.
12. How do I take a screenshot of a scrolling page?
There are several third-party programs that allow you to take a screenshot of a scrolling page, such as Lightshot or PicPick. Alternatively, you can take multiple screenshots and stitch them together using an image editing program.
13. Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen if I have multiple monitors?
Yes, you can take a screenshot of your entire screen if you have multiple monitors by pressing “Win” + “Shift” + “S” and selecting “Full-screen snip”.
How to Take Selected Screenshot on Windows
Windows users often need to take screenshots for various reasons, such as capturing an error message, saving a picture, or sharing a quick snapshot of their screen with someone else. While many people know how to take a full-screen screenshot, taking a selected screenshot is a lesser-known feature. In this article, we will teach you how to take a selected screenshot on Windows.
Conclusion and Closing
Overall, taking a selected screenshot on Windows is a useful and convenient function that can help you capture exactly what you need. By using the Snipping Tool or the Windows + Shift + S shortcut, you can quickly take a selected screenshot and save it to your desired location. With this knowledge, you can easily share important information with others or keep a record of critical events on your computer.
Thank you for reading this article on how to take a selected screenshot on Windows. We hope that these tips were helpful and that you can now take screenshots more efficiently and effectively. If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to leave a comment below. We wish you the best of luck in all your future screenshot-taking endeavors!