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Which Keys Do I Need to Press to Capture My Screen?

    "Print Screen" Key

    • The "Print Screen" key allows you to take a screenshot. The key is sometimes labeled "PrtScr" or "PrtScn," and pressing it in many versions of Windows copies your entire screen to Windows' clipboard. You can then open an image-editing program or Microsoft Paint and paste the screenshot. Pressing your keyboard's "Alt" key while you press "Print Screen" captures your active window. This proves useful if you have different windows open or don't want your Windows task bar in the image.

    Windows' Snipping Tool

    • Introduced in Windows 7, the snipping tool expands on the usefulness of the "Print Screen" method of taking a screenshot. While Windows 7 users still have access to the "Print Screen" commands, the snipping tool introduces "Free-form Snip" and "Rectangular Snip" options. "Free-form Snip" lets you drag your mouse in a free-form shape, capturing anything inside. "Rectangular Snip" gives you a rectangle to resize, capturing the interior. After taking your screen capture, the snipping tool opens your screenshot in a new window, allowing you to quickly edit and save the image. To open the snipping tool, click the task bar's "Start" orb, type "Snipping Tool" in the "Search Programs and Files" bar, and click "Enter."

    Mac OS X

    • Similar to Windows, the Mac OS X operating system has keyboard combinations to take screenshots. Pressing "Shift" + "Command" + "3" simultaneously captures your entire screen, saving it automatically in a file. Pressing "Shift" + "Command" + "Control" + "3" copies the screenshot to your clipboard, where you can later paste it into a document or image. Pressing "Shift" + "Command" + "4" lets you select a section to save as a file, and pressing "Shift" + "Command" + "Control" + "4" copies the selection to your clipboard.

    Third-Party Software

    • If you're unsatisfied with the default options available within your operating system, try third-party software (see Resources). While some of the more advanced programs come with a price tag, there are plenty of free programs for both Mac OS X and Windows operating systems. Some PC games even offer an in-game key to press for taking a screenshot.



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