Imagine that there is some problem with your PC. You see it on the display, but you do not know how to explain it to the technical support. That is a general case when the capture of the display is more than helpful.
This tool is also inevitable for those who are constantly working on their PCs and use different sources of information. Various personal and gaming data or some funny pieces can be shared using this tool. It is often much more convenient to capture the display and instantly send it to some person than share the same information via the link. Who knows, maybe, the other person will not open this link at all?
Luckily enough, there are different methods for capturing the display, starting from the simplest built-in tools and ending with special third-party services. Here, we are going to introduce the existing variety for the PC, their main opportunities, as well as their advantages and drawbacks.
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Basic Methods
If you do not have any special purpose or need for editing the obtained image, standard OS instruments are more than enough. The developers thought well ahead of your needs and created several buttons and their combinations for quick capture of the display.
Print Screen
This useful button instantly copies the picture that you see on the display to the clipboard. It is quite easy to find it on any keyboard, and it always has the same functionality no matter who your PC manufacturer is.
After you press on it, there will be no visual changes. Nevertheless, the result is already obtained, and you just need to do a few more steps to see it:
- Open a utility for viewing pictures. Paint can be utilized.
- Insert the image via the Ctrl+V combination or the menu bar of the app.
- After the image appears, you may apply some basic editing tools that are available or just save it to a suitable folder selecting the format and the name of the file.
This is a totally universal option and quite easy to keep in mind.
Moreover, many social networks and messengers can serve you instead of PC programs. You can insert the picture there and instantly share it with your friends or colleagues. That is a good solution when editing is not needed.
Windows + PrntScr
When there is no need for editing, another simple method gives the opportunity to create images and save them:
- Open the information of interest.
- Press simultaneously the Win+PrntScr combination.
- Find your images later in the special folder. It can be quickly found among your personal folders on your PC.
In this case, there is not so much manual work. Therefore, this convenient option saves your time and provides you with the possibility to create numerous pictures of your display in a very short time.
It is worth mentioning that both methods can create pictures from more than one display. For example, if you utilize two monitors at once, they will be captured together in one big picture.
Win+S+Shift
Another combination exists for the situation when you are interested only in a particular part of the display. It will be captured when you press on Win+S+Shift simultaneously.
However, in this case, you will need to insert the obtained image somewhere and save it as it was explained for the Print Screen option.
Images are not saved automatically, so you can use this method to send pics instantly without further saving and editing.
Scissors
This tool was developed a bit later to make the lives of users easier. It can be used instead of the editor and has gained popularity due to its flexibility. With its help, you can select the desired area for capturing, make any required changes, and then save the obtained picture in some of the presented formats.
The working process looks like that:
- Enter the word Scissors in the search bar. Then, you can add it to the taskbar to open it with one click.
- When the program opens, press the Create button.
- Choose the needed area and save the result.
In addition, carefully study the Mode menu. It gives you the opportunity to change the frame of your capture, so you can utilize any form suitable for you and cut even a small unusual piece.
There are also some useful editing tools like pens, markers, and erasers. Therefore, basic editing is possible, which makes the tool even more convenient.
Third-party Services
As sometimes people need to make drastic changes to the captured images, numerous third-party services and applications appear to satisfy this need. There are paid and free versions, but they generally provide a huge variety of options for editing.
These programs operate in a very similar way. One needs to install them and launch them on the PC, choose the area for capturing, make editing, and then save or share the obtained picture. In most cases, third-party services provide their users with the advanced functionality, for example:
- Uploading pictures to the cloud and storing them there for free.
- Marking the needed fragments.
- Printing the captured images without saving them on a PC.
- Finding the same pictures on the World Wide Web.
Moreover, some programs are compatible with web browsers and can work there if it is suitable.
In a nutshell, you need to understand your aims to select the best instrument. Think about how many times a day you need to capture the images of your display, what kind of editing is important, and how you plan to save and share these files. All these points will influence your choice and help you to make the right choice.
While searching for third-party apps, read the reviews and advice of other users. They can also be quite helpful and informative. At last, try different tools and then make a choice according to your own preferences.