Print Screen Captures Desktop Screenshots in One Click
March 9th, 2005Have you used the Print Screen feature ever? Print Screen key lies on the top right part of most keyboards along with the Scroll Lock and Pause Break Key and can easily capture desktop screenshots.
If you use Windows, then just by clicking on print screen key will capture or take a photo of all content of your current desktop screen. This image is attached to the clipboard.
Then just paste this to any image editing software. Microsoft Paint is freely available on all Windows Software. Windows Paint is located at Start>All Programs>Accessories>Paint. The whole screen image will be pasted. Just select your area of interest and ‘crop’ it. Then save the image. (This image on the right side showing how to locate the Paint is taken by this technique).
My personal favourite free image editing software is Irfan View. Just open it, CTRL+V pastes the image, drag to select the area of interest, ‘CTRL+Y’ crops the image as desired, ‘S’ saves as the images to where you want it.
There are several professional screenshot capture shareware software like Snagit- that will do the job for you too. They have an a table about Snagit vs. Print Screen Key, which elaborates how such softwares are better. But many such image capturing software have ads, embedded text, limited trial period or disabled features.
But for most routine jobs, The Print Screen Key works just great. Give it a try. Just vary the area of cropping and you can create great effects with multiple windows or just flaunt your weird desktop for all to see!
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You’re going to kick yourself when you hear this. I did. ;-)
Even more useful than plain old Print Screen is Ctrl-Alt-Print Screen. It takes a snapshot of only the currently active window. No more cropping!
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A great screen capture program is FastStone, at http://www.faststone.org
MP
I don’t remember where I found it, but a program called “GrabClipSave” works great. Minimizes to the tray, then just hit PrtScrn and it automatically takes the screenshot and saves it (.jpg, .bmp, or .png) to the folder of your choice. You can also choose to have it make a sound once the screenshot is captured, but the sound will be delayed a second or two (but the picture will be taken when you hit the Prt Scrn button). Works with Zoo Tycoon running in full screen, so I’d assume it works in other games too.
Good info… I can use this page to help others figure out how to take a screenshot :). I think alt + print screen does the same as described by Lee Grey.
–jdjs
Thanks to all who posted, and therefore helped a beginner like myself out, LoL.
-W
I paste it on paint and save the captured image but when I look at it again and open it, I only see blank space
I just want to say “Thank you sooooooooo much” :) I had tried everything to capture a photo from media player and real player and nothing worked.. Thank you so much.. This is exactly what I needed.. If I ever get my website back up and running, I am definitly gonna put a link to this trick.. Awesome!
Hmm.. I often wondered why there is still that “PrtScr/SysRq” button on my keyboard.
I’ve been using the Screen Capture Utility from http://www.screen-capture.net/ .. I still think it’s worth it, for $19.95usd .. as it creates it’s own .jpg on the fly .. but, had I seen your tip before I shelled out the moolah, I’d probably just use that Print Screen button and Adobe Photoshop.
I found another program that is similar to the two mentioned called Desktility, http://www.desktility.com which uses the print screen key as the hotkey. It is $17.95 and I’m using the 30-use trial version to see how it goes. It creates a jpg (default) and stores it in the directory of your choice. Pretty cool.
Your entry was such a great help. Thanks!
Thanks … that was really helpful.
I have the same question as Poster number 7, August 18th, 2005.
I paste it on paint and save the captured image but when I look at it again and open it, I only see blank space.
Can someone please tell me what’s wrong? I unchecked ‘use overlays’, and put the slider to ‘none’ – but I have the same problem!! HELP!
i found a freeware prog called Gadwin Print Screen you can basically take a picture of your desktop and you can set the prog to save directly or you can control every step of the save process
i just used this program and my photo editor to grab stills of musician Billy Joel from a video of him that i had, i have the prog set up so i just need to hit 1 button, Print Screen (Pnt Scrn)and it saves as a jpeg file or the format of your choice then i can crop it in my photo editor, Gadwin Printscreen as far as i know is freeware and it doesnt have any adware or anything bad but please scan it just to be safe as always, Google “Gadwin Print Screen”
Thank you soooooooooo much! I have been trying to figure this out for years. I could not find a website that could help. Your instructions were easy and clear. You’re awesome!
Thanks for see me way “ALT + PINT + SCREEN” work.
This didn’t work for me either, but using Windows Media Player Classic, I simply pressed
File > Save Image
Windows Media Player Classic – What a great program
OK Check it out..
There’s a small program called VuePrint Pro (http://www.hamrick.com). Download it and install.
On the menu bar click on Slideshow scroll down to Clipboard event and select Save as JPG, then hit F5 or go to Options Save Options.
If you dont save in Options you’ll have to repete the steps above.
Now you can adjust the window size of VuePrint perferably make it small and out of the way.. Now everytime you Alt + Printscreen your image will automatically be pasted in ViewPrint not only that it will also automatically save your JPG with a random name(4321432.jpg). You can find your pict in the \windows directory.
Im guessing it defaults to the Windows directory seeing how thats where the .exe file is.. You can change where your pictures get saved by simply going to the File > Save as on the File menu.
TIP: (dont minimize ViewPrint to your taskbar when printscreening it will crop retarded).
Another cool feature in VuePrint is the Utilities Menu… at the bottom of the menu there’s a Configure Options. You can resize the Open & Save Window by adjusting the WOpen & HOpen / WSave & HSave changing the value on each from 1000 (1000 being full screen) to Width 400 / Height 350
Width of File|Open… dialog box
(units are 0 to 1000) <– change the Value to 350
Height of File|Open… dialog box
(units are 0 to 1000) <– change the Value to 400
I hope this doesnt confuse anyone.. because its really easy.. :)
When I clicked Print Screen, nothing happened. =(
Thanks so much! This was extremely helpful. I appreciate this!
Lala,
Yeah, it looks like nothing happened–which drove me crazy at first–but for me it actually is there on the clipboard when I try to paste into another program. I am an academic working on presentation about a particular film and just hit “print screen” and then paste into word. It’s magically there.
Good luck and thanks for the tips!