To save any detail going on the screen or store any instant information, point out bugs or show off new programs, screenshots are perfect for all. Screenshots in PC allow you to capture precisely what you see on the screen for later reference. Its beneficial nature has made it an integral part, and therefore, every operating system has a screenshot tool.

However, taking screenshots in some operating systems can be technical. Not every time taking a screenshot is enough, you might be required to make a video or GIF to store the complete information. To ensure the maximum benefit of screenshots, you must stay very careful as it can also expose some confidential information without your notice. The built-in screenshot features usually hide behind cryptic keyboard shortcuts.

Following is a guide to understanding the technicalities and methods of using screenshots efficiently without any harm.

What Help can Screenshots Offer:

In the increasingly digitized world, pictures speak much more and therefore, it is crucial and essential to take high-quality screenshots.

If we rewind to a few years back, no one imagined even to take pictures of their parking spot, taxi’s number plate or price tag for comparisons. Photography was considered to be an expensive, time-consuming task which was occasionally.   

With the birth of smartphones, this concept was totally changed. Everyone was able to carry a camera and capture any moment with such a click. These smartphones also provided different resolution and quality for high-quality pictures from sunsets to babies to receipts or sea. Gradually, people realized the need to capture what is going on screens. Screenshots were then invented as a perfect way to store any moment happening on the screen. 

Visual communication has taken over and therefore, the need to communicate pictures has increased. And, similar to any other form of communication, this too needs to be clear, concise and informative. A screenshot is a tool which enables you to do so. You might need to capture something to remember or later reference. Screenshots have proven to be the simplest way to share your screen with anyone, anywhere.

Screenshots enable you to take any cute picture, tricky bug quickly removed status or tweet from a public figure. All these have valid reasons to be screenshotted and stored for later reference or use.

However, to deliver data, it must be in good quality to avoid confusion and especially to add a professional look if you are using them for work or presentations. Following are quick tips to help you take high-quality screenshots. Further, we will talk about other details.  

Tips for High-Quality Screenshots: 

Screenshot in PC is much more than simple images for delivering information. They include every little detail or information being displayed on the screen. Therefore, you should be extremely careful with screenshots and not randomly share screenshots. 

To ensure that your purpose of the screenshot is fulfilled with high resolution and no confidential information being leaked, few points must be noted, which are as follows:

• Make sure not to take random screenshots. It might leak your private information. The screen might have a password, bank details, ID and other confidential information. Therefore, be extra careful with such information. In case, you have captured the screen then make sure to crop it or blur that part. 
• Don’t expose too much. If you want to point out any mistake or bug in application or program, do not share a full screenshot. The hackers and data miners are after crucial sensitive information which might cause harm later. 
• Avoid randomly taking screenshots in PC and make sure to know the purpose beforehand. For presentations or bug identification, you can crop the needed part, and for teaching or usage, you can take complete screenshots. 
• Some of the devices have built-in features of auto-uploading on various places. Therefore, make sure to remove the screenshots when work is done or share only required detail instead of complete screenshots. 
• If you want to take the screenshot in PC from a video, make sure to pause it to have a clear image. 
• In the case of screen recording, make sure to share the required detail because it increases the risk of leaking sensitive information. 

Due to the requirements of presentation from the teaching purposes and other reasons everyone takes screenshots today. Therefore, this tool is a necessary part of every device. Following are the steps for taking screenshots on most modern computer systems to smartphones etc.  

Methods and Techniques of taking Screenshots:

1. Snip & Sketch

The Snip and Sketch is a screenshot tool which makes it simple to access and easier to share the screenshots. On the snip and sketch window, click on the recently added button in the upper left to capture the screenshot.

Once you have taken a screenshot, it gets loaded to Snip & Sketch which allows users to edit it with various tools present at the top of the window. This screenshot is also copied to the clipboard and contains every change you make through the tool.

The snip and sketch window will be minimized and will appear at the top corner of the screen which will help you choose the type of screenshot you want to take. It allows you to take rectangular, free-form or other shapes of the screenshot. You may also select the down-arrow button next to the new button in the snip and sketch window to prolong the snip from 3 to 10 seconds. 

2. Snipping Tool

Although quite a popular tool for screenshots, Snipping Tools does not support auto saving. In fact, you have to save screenshots within the tool before exiting manually. It, however, does automatically copy them down to the clipboard.

The Snipping Tool is old in the market since Windows Vista. By selecting the New button, the screenshot process will be initiated. The default snip type is a rectangular snip, but you can also take other shapes like free-form and full-screen snips along with a window snip.

3. Print Screen

To take the picture of your entire screen, press the print screen which is also denoted as PrtScn, a screenshot will be taken. But this screenshot will not be saved as an image but will be stored on the clipboard. You will be required to open a picture editing tool like Paint and paste the screenshot in the editor and store the file from there. 

4.Windows Key + Print Screen

To take the screenshot and store it automatically, select the Windows key along with Print Screen key. The screen will go dim for a few seconds to indicate that the screenshot has been successfully taken. The image can be accessed from the screenshot folder in the Pictures folder. 

5. Windows Key + Shift + S 

Keyboard also has several shortcuts for screenshots. Windows key along with shift+S can be used to take a screenshot with Snip and Sketch. The screen will dim for a few seconds and a small menu icon will appear on the top of your screen which will allow you to select the type of screenshot you want to take.

6. Alt + Print Screen

For capturing a quick screenshot of the active window, use keyboard and press ‘Alt’ along with Print Screen button. This will take capture of the active window and copy the screenshot to the clipboard. Here, you will need to open the shot in any image editor application to save it as an image in a folder. 

7. Game bar

If you are playing a game or not, you can use the Game bar to capture a screenshot. Press the Windows Key along G key to call up the game bar. Here you will find a screenshot button in the game bar or use default shortcut of Windows key along Alt and PrtScn to take a screenshot of a full screen. You must ensure that the game bar is enabled on the setting page so that you can access the recorded clips, screenshot and broadcasts using the game bar. 

8. Windows Logo + Volume Down

If you are using a Microsoft Surface Device, you can use a sort of physical button to take a screenshot of your entire screen in the PC. It is very much similar to how you take a screenshot in any mobile or pad. For taking the screenshot, press the Windows logo touch button at the button of your surface screen and press the volume down button on either right or left side of the tablet. The screen will go dim for a few seconds and the screenshot will be automatically saved in the Screenshots folder in the picture folder.