How to screenshot one screen
Being able to capture what’s on your screen can be incredibly useful, whether you’re trying to share important information with others or save something for your personal records. However, with multiple screens becoming more common, it can sometimes be tricky to capture just one screen. Don’t worry, though – in this article, we’ll show you how to easily screenshot one screen.
Firstly, it’s important to note that the process may vary slightly depending on whether you’re using a Windows or Mac computer. In most cases, though, the steps are quite similar.
If you’re using a Windows computer, start by pressing the “Print Screen” key. This key is usually located in the top-right area of your keyboard, labeled as “PrtScn”, “PrtSc”, or something similar. However, on some laptops, you may need to press the “Fn” key along with the “Print Screen” key.
If you’re using a Mac computer, the process is slightly different. Press the “Command”, “Shift”, and “3” keys simultaneously to capture the entire screen. To screenshot just one screen, press the “Command”, “Shift”, and “4” keys together. Then, move the crosshair cursor to the screen you want to capture and click and drag to select the area.
Once you’ve captured the screenshot, it will usually be saved on your desktop with a default name, such as “Screen Shot [date] at [time]”. You can open the screenshot to view it or make any necessary edits. If you want to take multiple screenshots, simply repeat the process as needed.
Now that you know how to easily screenshot one screen, you can quickly capture and share important information with others or keep records for yourself. Whether you’re using a Windows or Mac computer, the process is straightforward and only takes a few simple steps. With this knowledge, you can enhance your productivity and effectively communicate your ideas.
What is a screenshot?
A screenshot, also known as a screen capture or screen grab, is an image that captures the contents displayed on a computer screen or electronic device. It is a convenient way to save, share, and document information or visual content that appears on your screen. Screenshots can be useful for a variety of purposes, including capturing error messages, recording information for reference, illustrating tutorials or presentations, and communicating visual information.
To take a screenshot, you can use built-in shortcuts or tools provided by your operating system, such as “Print Screen” (PrtScn) on Windows or Command-Shift-3 on macOS. Additionally, there are numerous third-party applications and online tools available for capturing and editing screenshots, offering more advanced features like scrolling capture, annotation, and sharing options.
Screenshots are commonly saved as image files, such as PNG, JPG, or GIF format, which can be easily viewed and shared across different platforms and devices. They can be inserted into documents, presentations, or emails, or shared through social media, messaging apps, or cloud storage services.
Why use screenshots?
- Save information: Taking screenshots allows you to capture important or transient information that may not be easily saved or accessed later.
- Document or report issues: Screenshots can be helpful for documenting technical issues, error messages, or other problems encountered on your device or a specific application.
- Create tutorials or guides: Screenshots can be used to create step-by-step tutorials, instructions, or guides for various tasks or processes, making it easier to explain complex procedures visually.
- Visual communication: Screenshots can effectively communicate visual information that may be difficult to explain with words alone or when visual examples are necessary.
- Provide visual evidence or proof: Screenshots can serve as visual evidence or proof of a particular conversation, transaction, or digital content that may be needed for legal or personal purposes.
Why would you want to screenshot one screen?
There are several reasons why you might want to take a screenshot of just one screen. Whether you’re working on a project and want to capture a specific window for reference, or you need to document a particular section of your screen for troubleshooting purposes, capturing one screen can be a useful tool.
1. Focus on specific content
When you only need to capture a single screen, taking a screenshot allows you to focus on specific content without any distractions from other open windows or applications. This can be especially helpful when you need to share a specific part of your screen with others, such as during a presentation or when seeking tech support.
2. Enhance clarity and detail
By isolating one screen, you can enhance clarity and detail in your screenshot. This can be beneficial when you need to capture text, images, or other visual content on your screen and want to ensure that every detail is clear and visible. Removing unnecessary elements from the screenshot helps to make it more concise and easier to understand for both yourself and others.
Advantages of screenshotting one screen: |
Disadvantages of capturing multiple screens: |
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Overall, taking a screenshot of just one screen can help you communicate information more effectively, minimize distractions, and save time by eliminating unnecessary editing and cropping. By focusing on specific content, you can ensure that your intended message is clear and easily understood by others.
Methods
There are several methods to screenshot one screen on different operating systems:
1. Windows
- Press the PrtScn or PrintScreen key on your keyboard. This will take a screenshot of the entire screen.
- To capture only the active window, press Alt + PrtScn or Alt + PrintScreen.
- Open a program like Paint or Microsoft Word and press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot.
- Alternatively, you can use the Snipping Tool or the Snip & Sketch application, both of which allow you to capture a specific area of the screen.
2. macOS
- Press Command + Shift + 3 to capture the entire screen.
- Press Command + Shift + 4 to capture a selected area of the screen. Use the crosshair cursor to select the desired area.
- Press Command + Shift + 4, then press the Spacebar to capture a specific window. Click on the desired window after pressing the Spacebar.
- The screenshots will be saved as files on your desktop, by default.
3. Linux
- Press the PrintScreen key on your keyboard to capture the entire screen.
- Press Alt + PrintScreen to capture only the active window.
- The screenshots can be accessed in the Pictures folder or the folder specified in your system preferences.
These methods are the most commonly used ones, but there may be additional methods depending on your specific operating system and settings.
Method 1: Using the Print Screen key
The Print Screen key, commonly abbreviated as PrtScn, is a simple yet useful way to capture your screen. This method allows you to take a screenshot of the entire screen and save it as an image file that you can later modify or share. Here’s how to use the Print Screen key:
| Step 1: | Locate the Print Screen key on your keyboard. It is often labeled as PrtScn or PrtSc. |
| Step 2: | Ensure that the screen you want to capture is in focus. If you have multiple monitors, make sure the desired screen is the active one. |
| Step 3: | Press the Print Screen key. Depending on your keyboard layout, you may need to press it in combination with another key, such as the Fn key. |
| Step 4: | The screenshot is now saved to your clipboard. Open an image-editing program or a word processor, and paste the screenshot using the Ctrl + V key combination. If you prefer, you can also open the Paint app that comes pre-installed on most Windows systems and paste the screenshot directly onto a new canvas. |
| Step 5: | Once you have pasted the screenshot, you can save it as an image file by clicking on the program’s “Save” or “Export” option. Choose a location that is easily accessible for future use. |
Using the Print Screen key is a convenient solution for quickly capturing your screen without the need for additional software. It is a basic method that works on most Windows systems. However, keep in mind that this method captures the entire screen. If you only want to screenshot a specific area, you may need to explore other methods or additional software options.
Method 2: Using the Snipping Tool
If you are looking for a more advanced way to take a screenshot on your computer, you can try using the Snipping Tool. This tool allows you to capture a portion or the whole screen and save it as an image file.
- Press the Windows Key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
- Type “Snipping Tool” in the search bar and click on the application when it appears.
- Once the Snipping Tool is open, click on the “New” button to start a new snip.
- Choose the kind of snip you want to take: “Rectangular Snip“, “Free-Form Snip“, “Window Snip“, or “Full-Screen Snip“.
- After selecting the desired snip option, your screen will become opaque and you can use your mouse to select the area you want to capture.
- Release the mouse button to capture the snip.
- The captured snip will then open up in the Snipping Tool where you can highlight, save, or share the image as needed.
Note that the Snipping Tool may be available only on specific versions of Windows operating systems, such as Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Shortcut keys
To quickly capture a screenshot of the active window or the entire screen, you can use shortcut keys on your keyboard. These keys allow you to take a screenshot without the need to navigate through menus and settings.
Windows:
To capture the entire screen:
Press the PrtScn key: This copies the screenshot to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an image editing program or document as needed.
Press the Windows key + PrtScn: This captures the screen and automatically saves it as an image file in the Screenshots folder on your computer.
To capture the active window:
Press Alt + PrtScn: This copies the screenshot of the active window to your clipboard.
Mac:
To capture the entire screen:
Press Command + Shift + 3: This saves the screenshot as a file on your desktop.
To capture a part of the screen:
Press Command + Shift + 4: This changes the cursor to a crosshair, allowing you to select the area you want to capture.
To capture the active window:
Press Command + Shift + 4 and then Space: This changes the cursor to a camera, allowing you to click on the window you want to capture.
Shortcut key 1: Windows key + Shift + S
The first shortcut key combination to quickly take a screenshot of one screen in Windows is Windows key + Shift + S. This keyboard shortcut allows you to capture a specific region of your screen and copy it to the clipboard for further use. Here’s how you can use this shortcut:
- Press the Windows key and the Shift key at the same time on your keyboard.
- A semi-transparent overlay will appear over your screen, indicating that you are in the screenshot mode.
- Click and drag your mouse cursor to select the desired region that you want to capture.
- Release the mouse button to capture the selected region.
- The captured screenshot will be automatically copied to your clipboard.
Once you have captured the screenshot using this shortcut, you can paste it into an image editing tool, word processor, or any other application that supports images.
This shortcut is particularly useful when you want to quickly capture a specific area of your screen without needing to capture the entire screen. It provides you with more flexibility and control over the content you want to capture.
Shortcut key 2: Alt + Print Screen
Another shortcut key combination you can use to take a screenshot of just one screen is Alt + Print Screen. This combination allows you to capture only the active window instead of the entire desktop.
Here’s how you can use this shortcut:
Step 1:
Bring the window you want to capture to the front by clicking on it.
Step 2:
Press the Alt key on your keyboard.
Step 3:
While still holding the Alt key, press the Print Screen key.
The captured screenshot will be saved to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an image editor or a document by pressing Ctrl + V.
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