Capture a "screen-shot" to paste into a word processing document or graphics program
On a PC with Windows
(Windows comes with Paint which is found under Accessories on the Programs menu but you may have a better program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or a graphics program which came with your scanner or camera. You can also paste a captured image into Microsoft Word or Powerpoint.)
- Have your document or graphics program open, then switch to the window you want to take a picture of (your browser if you want a picture of a website, for example)
- Have the window you want to take a picture of be "active" (on top and highlighted)
- Hold down the Alt key and click the "Print Screen" ( or Prnt Scrn) key - this copies a picture of the active window to your "clipboard". (This is the only use of the Print Screen key now because it does not print! The Prnt Scrn key is usually found near at the top right of your keyboard, above or near your function keys. If you hold down Cntrl and PrntScrn it will copy your whole desktop)
- Switch back to your word processing or graphics document , click somewhere and paste the snap-shot in by typing Cntrl-V or by choosing Paste from the Edit menu.
On a Macintosh:
- Press Command + Shift + 3 to create an image file on your startup drive. It will be called "Picture 1" (or Picture 2, Picture 3, etc.)
- If you delete "Picture 1" the next file you create will have that name.
- With Mac OS 8 and later you can select the exact rectangular area of the screen shot.
- Press Command + Shift + 4 and you will get a cross-hairs to choose an area
- By using Caps Lock then Command + Shift + 4 you can take a picture of the "top" window by clicking on that Windows Title Bar.
- Once the picture file is saved on your computer you can open it with a graphics program or insert it into a word processing document.