How to take a screenshot on a pc computer

Take a snapshot to copy words or images from all or part of your PC screen. Use Snipping Tool to make changes or notes, then save, and share.

Capture any of the following types of snips:

When you capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the Snipping Tool window where you make changes, save, and share. 

Open Snipping Tool

Work with your screenshots

With your Snipping Tool open, select one of the following to create and work with your screenshots.

In Snipping Tool, select Mode. In earlier versions of Windows, select the arrow next to the New button. Next, when you choose the kind of snip you want, you’ll see the whole screen change slightly to gray. Then, choosing from anything currently displayed on the screen, select the area of your screen that you want to capture.

1. After you open Snipping Tool, open the menu that you want to capture. For Windows 7, press the Esc key before opening the menu.

2. Press Ctrl + PrtScn keys. The entire screen changes to gray including the open menu.

3. Select Mode, or in earlier versions of Windows, select the arrow next to the New button. Select the kind of snip you want, and then select the area of the screen capture that you want to capture.

After you capture a snip, you can write or draw on or around it by selecting the Pen or Highlighter buttons. Select Eraser to remove the lines you've drawn.

1. After you capture a snip, select the Save Snip button.

2. In the Save As box, type a file name, location, and type, and then select Save.

When you capture a snip from a browser window and save it as an HTML file, the URL appears below the snip. To prevent the URL from appearing:

1. In the Snipping Tool, select the Options button.

2. In the Snipping Tools Options box, clear the Include URL below snips (HTML only) check box, then select OK.

After you capture a snip, select the arrow next to the Send Snip button, and then select an option from the list.  

With your capture open in Snipping Tool, select Edit > Edit with Paint 3D to use features for sizing, color, text, and many other enhancements.

In the folder where you’ve saved your snip, right click on the snip. Select Print from the options and make choices for how you want to print your image.

In the search box on the taskbar, type snipping tool. You’ll see the Snipping Tool app and a list of actions you can take. Select Pin to taskbar.

First, identify the menu or other components you want to capture. In Snipping Tool, select Delay and then select, for example, 5 seconds. Select Mode to start the 5-second countdown. Within 5 seconds, open a menu or otherwise compose your image. At 5 seconds, when you see the screen turn gray, use the mouse to draw around the area you want.