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MICROSOFT 365

By Peter Deegan • Comment about this article

We should all know how to capture screen images from our devices.

The ability to capture such images — screenshots — is built into nearly every computer, regardless of brand, size, or type. Screenshots are especially useful in support situations, in which one image of a problem or of a system’s error message is more helpful than a verbal description or a written explanation.

A picture is, quite literally, worth a thousand words.

In this brief primer, we’ll look at the mechanics of capturing screenshots from devices running Windows; Mac, Linux, Apple devices running iOS and iPadOS; and Android devices. Many people do not know how to snap screenshots on their phones!

Here are just a few reasons a screenshot can be helpful.

The default is often to take an image of the entire computer screen (Figure 1), but it’s rarely helpful.

Figure 1. A full-screen screenshot shows everything, including the taskbar.

It’s more effective to zoom in on a single program or part of a program (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Crop to show only the needed parts of a program.

It’s even more effective to zoom in on a specific area of the screen that contains the part of interest, such as an error message. Sometimes you can annotate it to make your point or ask a question.

Figure 3. Detailed screenshot with annotations

Protect your privacy before sharing any image. Even if you trust the receiver, the screenshot may accidentally reach a wider audience.

Use simple editing tools to hide or blur names, email, passwords, or other confidential info. This example shows three ways to obscure sensitive info: blur (email), line-through (passwords), overwrite with an object (bottom rows).

Figure 4. Three ways to hide private info in a screenshot

The modern Windows Snipping Tool editor — or even the humble Windows Paint — has the basic tools to hide personal info. iPhone and iPad screenshots will go to an image editor.

Depending upon the device and the capture feature, the screenshot will be placed on the clipboard, into a file, or directly into an image editor. The clipboard is the most common, but even then the system may save a file as well. On Windows, it often goes immediately to OneDrive. On phones, it is most often saved to a file, which makes it more convenient for attaching to an email or a text message. The option I prefer is the system clipboard, because then you can paste into any editor or document. It’s quick — snap the screenshot, switch to the desired app, and paste.

Saving to a file is common on portable devices because screenshots are usually added to the list of recently taken images (e.g., the Camera Roll). Cloud-storage apps with automatic image upload (e.g., Apple, OneDrive, or Dropbox) will automatically copy the screenshots to online storage, just as with photos taken with the device’s camera.

The modern Windows Snipping Tool and Snagit have options for dropping a screenshot directly into their own image editors.

An important option is Delay, which adds a pause between selecting the area for a screenshot and capturing the image. During that pause, you will have a few moments to set up a pull-down menu, tooltip, or other interactive elements that disappear as a result of launching the screenshot process.

Delay is available in most screenshot apps, including Windows Snipping Tool.

Modern Windows has keyboard shortcuts to take an image of the entire screen or part of it, then put that image onto the Windows clipboard or directly into the Snipping Tool app. From the clipboard, you can paste the image virtually anywhere, including an Office document, Outlook email, or image editor.

Windows 10 and Windows 11

The key combo most commonly used captures the screen region last specified. For example, if you last captured a rectangle, that’s the mode the snipping tool will be in when launched again.

Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11

Here’s the longer list of options:

Windows 7, Vista, XP

For occasional use, a device’s built-in tools are usually sufficient. If you want more capability, many other tools are available. Many are free, with extra features available in a paid version. And some, such as the popular, paid tool Snagit, are extremely rich and powerful.

Windows 11/10 comes with Snipping Tool (the app formerly known as “Snip & Sketch”). It has more selection options (freeform, window, rectangle, full screen) plus some annotation features.

While the basics are the same, the recent version of Snipping Tool in Windows 11 has more editing tools and works with video shots as well.

Figure 5. Snipping Tool in Windows 11 with optional Ruler

Word, PowerPoint, and other Office apps for Windows (Office 2010 and later) have a Screenshot option on the Insert tab (Figure 6). Click to display a gallery of the open program windows or choose “Screen clipping” at the bottom to select a screen region.

Figure 6. Insert | Screenshot in Office apps

Screen clipping in Office doesn’t cover all situations. It can grab only images of static windows; you can’t get an image of a right-click menu, a pull-down list, or a gallery from the Office ribbon. In other words, Office screenshot does the basics but is no replacement for more powerful tools.

OneNote for Windows and OneNote for Mac are a little different, because there is no gallery of open windows. The Insert tab has a Screen Clipping button (Figure 7). Clicking it allows selection of a screen region to be copied onto the OneNote page.

Figure 7. OneNote for Windows/Mac Screen Clipping

There are many, many free screenshot tools — too many to list here.

Greenshot is well regarded. It’s free and open-source, and it includes annotation and obfuscation tools.

WinSnap is another
option worth a look.

I’ve used Snagit for many years on both Windows and Mac. It’s a premium product for people like me who take screenshots all the time. See my recent review of Snagit (AskWoody, 2024-06-10).

Mac OS comes with a nice range of screenshot shortcuts. The full list:

In addition, you can hold down these keys to control the selection:

There are screenshot shortcuts built into iPhones and iPads.

Hold the Up Volume button (top left) then press the Sleep/Wake button (right). On older models, hold the Sleep/Wake button (on top or side), then press the Home button.

The image appears in an edit window before being saved to a folder, such as the Camera Roll. If your Camera Roll is linked to cloud storage (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox), the shot will appear in your folder on other devices within a few seconds.

It’s more complicated on Android devices. Each brand and even each model of the Android phone/tablet has its own screenshot options. The best approach is to search the Web for screenshot help specific to your device. For example, search for “Samsung Galaxy A55 screenshot.”

Android 11 and above should have a built-in shortcut. Press the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time. You must press both buttons at the same time, not in sequence. This takes some practice; too often, it doesn’t work at all.

In some cases, hold down the Power button until a Screenshot option appears.

Screen images are usually saved to the camera roll of recently taken images. An image editor may be available after taking a screenshot, depending on the Android release.

Another option is using a mirroring app that displays the device screen on a Windows or Mac PC. You can then take screenshots using the Windows/Mac tools.

Linux releases don’t have a global screenshot shortcut. The closest it gets is the PrtSC key (entire screen), optionally in combination with the Shift (select part of screen) or Alt (current window only) keys.

Just as with Android devices, it’s best to search for the shortcut or tool using the name of the Linux version plus the magic word “screenshot” (e.g., “Ubuntu Unity screenshot”).

With virtual machines, you have three options for taking a screenshot.

The latest Windows 11 Snipping Tool has a Text Action button that includes some Quick Redact options to hide email addresses and phone numbers. See Figure 8.

Figure 8. Win11 Snipping Tool with Text Actions

OneNote will add searchable text for any screenshot, though with varying degrees of accuracy. Snagit has a similar Grab text option. Excel 365 can transfer data from a picture into a worksheet; check it out at Data | Get & Transform Data | From Picture.

Extracting text doesn’t just save a lot of typing — the text can be found later when searching documents or emails.

Taking screenshots should be taught in all beginner computer classes. It’s that important and useful.

Contribute your thoughts in this article’s forum!

Peter Deegan is the author of Windows 11 for Microsoft Office Users, Microsoft 365 for Windows: Straight Talk, Eye-Catching Signs with Word, Christmas Cheer with Office, and others. He has been the co-founder and editor in chief of the Office Watch site and newsletters since they started in 1996.

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