How to Screen Capture

Learn how to screen capture on your computer screen! Snipping Tool comes already installed with Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10.

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How to screen capture video transcript:

Have you ever wanted to capture an image on your screen and immediately use it for a project, publication, or how about a message to IT support?

We’re going to learn how to do all this and more with the Microsoft Snipping Tool (an application that comes with Windows Vista and Windows 7, which I’m currently using)

First, let’s find the snipping tool. This can be done two ways. You can find it under Start, All Programs, Accessories, Snipping Tool
Or you can search for it.

To make it more easily accessible, we’re going to pin it to the taskbar. Currently, the pinning feature is only available in Windows 7.

Find the application and drag it to the bottom taskbar. Easy as that.

To launch the program, simply click.

You can pin pretty much any other application the same way. One of the great reasons to upgrade to Windows 7 if you haven’t done so already.

I’m also going to create a hotkey for quick access. This particular feature is not limited to Windows 7 AND you can also do this with any program. Do this by right-clicking the application. Click properties. Shortcut tab. Go to the shortcut key box and assign it a key. I’m giving it S for Snipping Tool. Windows automatically adds CONTROL + ALT. It’s going to run in a normal window. OK.

Now all you have to do to get to it is press: CONTROL + ALT + S and there’s the snipping tool.

Now that we’ve got our quick launch features in place, let’s use the Snipping tool to quickly capture any section of our screen.

Upon opening the Snipping tool application, the screen will freeze and become opaque.

Right next to the “New Snip” box is a drop down with the type of capture you want to make. Freeform, Rectangular, Window, or Screen.

We’re going to use rectangular for our snip, but feel free to explore the other options.

Simply click and drag the section you want to be copied.

Now, after you select your snip, the Snipping Tool allows you to alter it with the pen feature, highlighter feature … or you can erase if you don’t want to include markings.

You can also edit the presets under the options to make the snip have a border.

After you know what you want it to look like. You can save in PNG, GIFF, JPEG, or HTML.

Or copy it to use it in another document.

Or email it in the body of an email or as an attachment.

Now you are ready to capture at a moment’s notice.