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How to Take a Screenshot in Microsoft Windows

September 26, 2012

A "screenshot" is a snapshot of what's on your computer's monitor. If you ever have a question or issue with your website, it’s great to include a screenshot so we can see the problem you’re experiencing.

There are two different types of screenshots. The first is to take an image of your entire monitor and the second is to capture only the “active” or foremost window.

Taking a screenshot of your entire computer screen

  • Press the "Print Screen" button on your keyboard (on most keyboards it’s found right next to the F12 button). On laptop keyboards, you may have to press the "Fn" or "Function" key to access "Print Screen”.


Taking a screenshot of the active/foremost window

  • Make sure the window you want to capture is the active window by clicking on it so it’s in front of all the other open windows.

  • Hold down the "Alt" key and press "Print Screen". If you’re on a laptop you may have to hold down the “Alt” and "Function" keys then press “Print Screen”.

Pasting your screenshot

  • Paste the screenshot into a program of your choosing (I typically paste screenshots into Outlook, Word, or PowerPoint). A quick way to paste is to hold down “Ctrl” and press “V”.