Windows 7 screenshots. How to take a screenshot on a laptop

Today we’ll tell you how to take a screenshot on a computer running Windows 7. The fact is that “Seven” does not have advanced tools that allow you to take a screenshot, and those that it does have are securely hidden. Not every beginner will find these tools and figure out how to use them. Let's consider the following questions:

how to take a screenshot using the operating system itself;
third-party screen capture solutions;
Let's look at programs for automatically uploading screenshots to the Internet;
Let's touch on web tools for working with screenshots.

There are just a couple of them:

Print Screen button, including in combination with other keys;
"Scissors" program.

The simplest way

The Print Screen or PrtSc button (an abbreviated name, because so many letters cannot be placed on the surface area of a key) is located in the so-called navigation part of the keyboard, above the cursor block. It copies to the clipboard what is currently on the monitor display. Taking a screenshot of the screen and saving it to a graphic file in Win 7 using Print Screen is quite simple.

Click it at the right moment to capture the current image to the clipboard.

Before doing this, save the contents of the buffer if it contains valuable information!

On a laptop, you will most likely have to press Print Screen along with the Fn button, which is located near the left Ctrl (in most cases).

Call the graphics editor built into the OS.

Open the “Run” window through “Start” or using the hot keys Win + R.
Enter and execute the command “mspaint”.

You can also call the graphic editor through “Start” (the shortcut is located in the “Standard” folder) or through the search bar.

To insert a screenshot, press Ctrl + V or click on the “Insert” icon in the program toolbar.

After this, you can edit the picture a little, as far as Paint allows.

To export a picture to a graphic file, click on the floppy disk icon or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + S.

We indicate the folder to store the file, its format (it is preferable to save it in jpg or png, the latter supports transparency and layers), name and click “Save”.

You can use this option to get a screenshot of the active window. Everything is done in a similar way, but with a couple of features:

bring the desired window to the foreground;
Press Print Screen in combination with Alt.

Scissors

The previous method has a lot of disadvantages that we will not list, and many users will find these features insufficient. More functions are offered by the Scissors program, which is installed by default on any computer.

The application is launched through a shortcut in the “Standard” folder in “Start” or the search bar.

The first step is to select the capture area by clicking on the triangle next to the “Create” button.

An arbitrary screen shape is available here - the area is drawn by hand, rectangular, the selected window and capturing the entire screen.

Using the “Delay” button, we specify the delay before the capture function is triggered after clicking on the button (this will allow you to call up the necessary menu, switch to the desired window).

Click “Create”.

Now you can edit the resulting photo, adding accents, and save it on your computer or send it by mail through a standard email client.

We looked at how to make a copy of an image from the monitor screen in Windows 7 without using third-party programs. It's time to meet them.

Third party software

(no longer supported);

You can download the program you like from the official website by clicking on its name in the list above.

Almost everyone knows how to automatically save captured images to their hard drive and specify where the created screenshot is saved, add shapes, frames and effects on top of it. From this list, we will consider WinSnap, Bandicam, LightShot and Yandex Disk, as having unique functions compared to their analogues.

WinSnap

The simplest program for taking screenshots. It must be installed on any laptop and PC. For a beginner, the application’s functions are quite enough:

capture any area of the screen, including free areas (only scrolling screens are not supported);
delay before snapshot;
adding shadows and simple effects;
outline and frames;
customizable hotkeys to capture different areas;
adding accents (arrows, highlighting, text);
automatic saving of images with the ability to select the folder where they are saved;
Supports transparency and popular graphic file formats.

It allows you to take pictures of your desktop, applications, the entire screen, a selected area or object. You can download it.

LightShot

The program was created to solve operational issues, but not to create beautiful screenshots. Although the function works to the detriment of the quality of the images: you cannot precisely specify the capture areas - only manual selection of an area is available, and only a rectangular one.

The main task of the application is to share screenshots of the monitor. Many shortcomings are more than offset by the function of uploading (including automatic) images to the server and sending a link to the picture via social networks. Registration for work or authorization through social networks is not required. This is done by clicking on the corresponding button under the capture area.

How to make a print screen of the active window using LightShot? You can only specify the area to be captured and move the frame manually, outlining the desired window with a frame. The accuracy and convenience of selecting an area are reduced, but they are not needed for solving operational issues (pointing at something, emphasizing something). There is no need to search for a directory with saved images - the storage folder is specified by the user before exporting each image to a file. Latest version.

Yandex

Similar to LightShot, but more convenient to use for people who use services from the domestic search engine. Functions for working with screenshots are built into the client for working with .

Firstly, the pictures are sent to the cloud, where they can be managed, and secondly, you can take a screenshot of the active window, and not just a free area or the entire screen. The built-in editor offers a standard set of functions:

adding accents, figures, text;
area blur;
trim and rotate;
sending to the cloud or hard drive.

How to take a photo of a computer screen using Yandex Disk? Using the context menu of the application tray icon, call the “Take screenshot” command and specify the area, or go to the expanded “Screenshots” menu and select the desired option. The folder with pictures is located in the “My Computer” directory along with removable drives.

You can set a different directory for storing images in the settings.

Bandicam

A follower of the discontinued Fraps program. Although Bandicam is used primarily for recording video of the free part of the screen, it is quite convenient to take screenshots in the game. The main thing is that this does not affect performance in entertainment applications. If you need such a function, then the latest version of .

Setting up the creation of pictures in the game is carried out in the first section “Game Mode”. Here we click on the “Images” menu item. The default hotkey for capturing is F11, not Print Screen, but that's easy to fix. Notable features of Bandicam will be the functions of automatically taking pictures at specified intervals and recording gifs from the resulting images.

You can find ready-made saved graphic files in the “Documents” library, “Bandicam” directory.

Online services

When you have to work with images very rarely, it would be advisable to use some Internet service to create them, so as not to search for and install programs. A number of sites allow you to take a screenshot online, but pastenow.ru has earned the trust of users among the list of resources.

Let's go to
Click Print Screen, switching to the desired window to capture it.
At the same time press Ctrl + V to paste the contents of the buffer into the appropriate form.

If the image is saved on the HDD of a laptop or PC, click “Browse”, specify the path to the file and click “Open”.

After this, it will be possible to edit the picture, and the range of tools offered here is no less than in the programs reviewed.

A short link to the image can be obtained using the button of the same name.

From time to time, a computer user needs to save the screen image that he sees on the monitor. An interesting moment may arise while running a program, browsing a website, or other actions. To denote the result of the photographing process, there is a special term - screenshot (derived from the English word screenshot).

Thus, screenshot of the screen on a Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10 computer is an image saved as a file that the user sees on his monitor. It can be used as an independent image, inserted as an illustration into a document of one format or another, or published on the Internet.

Here are some examples where taking a screenshot of your screen can be useful.

During your work, you encounter a problem that your knowledge is not enough to solve. You can involve a familiar specialist in solving it, but you can only contact him by email. You can describe the problem, but it will take a lot of time. And if you send a “photographed” problem, it will be presented as accurately as possible.

Another case. Let's say you are describing to a friend how to use a new computer product. If each action is illustrated with an image from the computer screen, the instructions will turn out simply wonderful.

If you are a student or a student, then your completed essays (coursework, diploma) should be well illustrated. This will help you get a good grade and a high score.

If you are fond of computer games, then you can confirm the achievement of unattainable levels by photographing the climax moment from the screen.

How to quickly take a screenshot on Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10? Print Screen button on the keyboard

The easiest way to take screenshots is to use the “Print Screen” button on your computer. On some keyboards it may be labeled "Prt Scr". When you click on “Print Screen” there are no external effects. There are no clicks or flashes. But after pressing, unbeknownst to us, the screen image will be recorded in the computer’s memory.

It is important to remember that this is still a “raw” image. It is not yet recorded as a file and may be lost because it is only stored on the clipboard. In order to write an image to disk as a graphic file or insert it into a document as an illustration, additional steps are required.

You can open one of the graphic editors (MS Paint, Photoshop or similar) and press Ctrl+V or Shift+Ins to paste into the work area.

You can insert an image by selecting the “Insert” command after clicking the right mouse button. Another way: select “Edit” – “Paste” from the command menu. The listed commands almost always work, so in the future we will not repeat the instructions for the “Insert” operation. Similarly, you can insert a screen image into an open MS Word document.

To reinforce the skill, let’s perform a step-by-step practical example in MS Paint (installed on almost every computer):
– click on the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen

– in the list that opens, select “All programs”
– in the list of installed programs, select “Standard”
– open MS Paint (Paint.net can be installed instead of MS Paint)
– insert a photo using one of the methods described above.

After all the steps in the program’s work area, you should see what was on the screen when you pressed the Print Screen button on the keyboard. To save the image on your computer, follow the commands File – Save As. In the dialog box that opens, select the folder to save, specify the file name and its format.

When inserting a photo into a Word document, you need to indicate the insertion location. To do this, click the mouse in the desired place or move the text blinking cursor using the cursor keys. Check whether the blinking cursor is in the place where you want to insert the photo. Perform the insert.

As a result, the scheme for obtaining a screenshot is as follows:
– press the Print Screen button on the computer
– open the desired program
– insert a screenshot
– save the photo or document.

If you need to take a snapshot of not the entire screen, but only the active window, then instead of the Print Screen key on your laptop or computer keyboard, use the Alt+Print Screen key combination. Otherwise, operations are performed in the same way as with the whole screen.

The described methods for taking pictures are universal and work in all versions of Windows.

Working with Scissors

Relatively new versions of Windows (Vista, Windows 7 and higher) have a more convenient “photo” tool. This is the program “Scissors” or “Snipping Tool”. If you have one of the listed versions installed, follow these steps:
– click on the “Start” button on the taskbar
– select “All programs”
– in the list that opens, select “Standard”
– inside the standard ones, open the “Scissors” program.

If you don’t find such a program in the list of standard ones, it means it is not included in your operating system. Then use the method described above. Getting started with Scissors: a small window appears, outside of which the image on the screen is slightly blurred. The mouse cursor will change from an arrow to a plus sign. With this cursor you can select any part of the screen (even the whole one).
– to select, press the left mouse button in one of the corners of the intended rectangular area and, without releasing the button, move the cursor to the opposite corner. As soon as you release the mouse button, the image you selected will be transferred to a small program. With its help, you can perform simple editing and save a screenshot.

Review of programs for taking screenshots

If you often have to take screenshots, then to make the work of “photographing” and editing easier, you can use one of the specially created programs. Their list is quite impressive and includes both paid and free versions. Among the free programs you can find some very worthy ones.

Some free “photographers” will be discussed further.

– convenient, fast, multifunctional tool. Allows you to “photograph” both the entire screen and part of it, edit the image, and save it in many popular formats and with different levels of quality.

For those who often publish screenshots on the Internet, . If, after clicking on the “Send” button, you select “on Floomby.ru”, the photo will be automatically published online. You receive a link that you can use to post it on a social network, on a forum, etc.

For fans of computer games Hot Key Screenshot will do. It instantly creates a screenshot of a page or website and, after pressing a certain key, saves it in a special folder called pic (in the same place where the program is located). No installation required.

Learn how to take screenshots for free. You will be able to capture wonderful moments.

There are situations when, when working on a computer, it is necessary to save the image from the monitor. In other words, take a screenshot of the screen. In order to do this, no additional programs are required. Today, the most popular versions of the Windows operating system are equipped with tools that will help you do this quickly and easily.

So, to take a screen photo, you can use any of the methods suggested below. Let's look at how to do this in Windows 7, 8 and 10.

How to take a screenshot on a Windows 7 laptop?

Using the “PrtScr” button.

The keyboard of any laptop or computer has a “PrtScr” or “Print Screen” key. We click on it and get a screenshot, but it is still in the RAM of your machine. To save and view it, you need to paste it into any graphic editor, the simplest of which is Paint, moreover, it does not require installation, since it is already part of the operating system:

Insert the image by simultaneously pressing the “Ctrl” and “V” keys. If the image requires editing, you can do it here.

Now let's save our image. Click on the floppy disk icon or on “Save As”, select the folder in which you want to save the picture, set the image format (usually jpeg) and click “OK”.

Instead of Paint, you can open any other graphics editor or even Word.

Using the Scissors utility.

This utility is clear and easy to use. With its help, you can take not only a snapshot of the entire screen, but also the desired area or window. To open it you need:

Select the desired fragment and save it, after editing it if necessary.

Using the "PrtScr" and "Alt" buttons.

To take a screenshot of only the currently active window, you must simultaneously press “PrtScr” and “Alt”. After that, open any graphics editor or Word and insert the image.

So, we figured out how to take a screenshot on a Windows 7 laptop, now we move on to newer versions of Windows OS.

How to take a screenshot on a Windows 8 laptop?

All the methods discussed above are also applicable to Windows 8. In addition, in the Windows 8 operating system, screenshots can be immediately saved to a specific folder on the disk. And, by the way, each new photo is not erased from the clipboard memory. This is very convenient when you have to take multiple screenshots.

To take a screenshot that will be immediately saved to a folder, you need to press the “Win” and “PrtScr” buttons simultaneously. Moreover, first you need to press “Win”, and only after that “PrtScr”.

Now we have figured out how to take a screenshot on a Windows 8 laptop. We still have Windows 10 ahead of us. Let's move on to it.

How to take a screenshot on a Windows 10 laptop?

As for version 10 of Windows OS, all the methods discussed are easily applicable to it.

Also in this version, by simultaneously pressing the “Win” and “G” buttons while the gaming application is running, you can open the game panel, with which you can record a video or take a screenshot.

Windows 10 also has a PSR function that records all actions and takes corresponding screenshots.

Programs for taking screenshots.

You can take screenshots not only using standard Windows tools, but also with special programs. Among them are the following:

FastStone Capture;
Skitch;
DropBox;
Clip2Net;
Screenshot Captor;
Steam;
EasyCapture;
DuckCapture.

Let's take a closer look at some of them.

We create a screenshot using Clip2Net.

This program helps not only take screenshots, but also edit images and post them on the Internet. Finding it will not be difficult, the program is free. Let's look at the procedure:

A very convenient thing about this program is that you can set up hot keys that will help you perform actions with pictures. You can do this by right-clicking on the program icon in the notification area and selecting settings.

Taking a screenshot using DuckCapture.

This program is free and easy to use. After installing the program, open it. The user is offered 5 types of screen capture:

After you have taken a photo using one of the suggested capture types, it will open in editing mode. Correct the image if necessary and save it.

Using FastStone Capture to take screenshots.

This program has very advanced functionality. In addition to taking pictures, it can change image parameters, add effects and annotations, and record video. Once you install and open this program, you will see a huge number of screen capture options.

Using the Autocaption option, you can add date or system information to the image. In the “Destination” option you indicate where you want to send the image: to the clipboard, to the website, to the editor, to office applications, etc.

After the screenshot is taken, it automatically opens in the editor window. After editing the image, save it in a format convenient for you.

We have already looked at how to take a screenshot of the screen, and now let's look at where the computer saves these images.

Where are screenshots stored on Windows 7?

When you press the "PrtScr" button in version 7 of Windows, the image is saved to the clipboard. That is, in the computer memory in which temporary files are stored. And, if you haven’t specified the path to save the photo you took and haven’t confirmed saving, then you won’t find it anywhere. Temporary files are not saved, they are replaced with new ones.

Summarizing what has been said, we can conclude that screenshots on Windows 7 are saved in the folder to which you specified the save path.

Where are screenshots saved on Windows 8?

With the Windows 8 operating system, things are a little different. Starting from version 8, the Windows operating system is equipped with the function of saving screenshots to the hard drive. Images that are created by pressing “PrtScr” and “Win” are saved to a specific computer folder “Screenshots”. To find it, open “Explorer”, select “Images” and find the desired folder there.

Where are screenshots stored on Windows 10?

In version 10 of Windows, just like in version 8, all screenshots created by pressing “PrtScr” and “Win” are saved in the “Screenshots” folder, which can be found in the same place as in Windows 8.

Many users often need to take a picture of their desktop while working with a personal computer. This is a very useful feature that can be used for both work and entertainment purposes.

There are several ways to take a screenshot on a computer or laptop running the Windows 7 operating system. For this, both standard OS tools and third-party programs are used. This article describes the main ways to capture a desktop image.

Taking a screenshot is often required by authors of articles and tutorials (like this one). You explain to readers how to work with the program, and for clarity, attach a screenshot to the text. If an error occurs in some Windows application and you are going to write to technical support, you may be asked to take a screenshot of the problem.

Print Screen key

Each keyboard has a special key with which you can take a screenshot. It's called PrtScr. The button is located in the upper right part of the keyboard. When you press it, the current screen image is saved to the clipboard. After this you will need to save it.

If you work on a laptop running Windows, you most likely will not have a separate Prt Scr key. It will be combined with some other one, for example, F12. In this case, you will need to hold down the Fn service button and press the required key. Fn is located at the bottom of the keyboard next to Control and Alt.

Please note that only 1 item can be on the clipboard. If you need to take 2 screenshots, you need to save one screenshot first and then take the second one. Also, don't copy anything (Control + C) until you've pasted the image into the editor.

You can paste the contents of the clipboard into a Windows graphics editor, such as Photoshop or Paint. Open the program, create a new project in it (in Paint it is created automatically). Paste the created screenshot into the project using the context menu or the “Control” and “V” key combination. After this you can edit the image. You can make inscriptions, signs, comments, and trim off the excess. When you are finished with the design, save the image in any format convenient for you.

You can also paste the created desktop snapshot into most text editors such as Word. They can also be sent as messages on social networks or instant messengers (Skype). Just open a dialog with some user, place the cursor in the input field and press “Ctrl” + “V”.

Other programs for Windows

Those users who are not satisfied with the basic functionality of the operating system can use pro-programs. All of them make it easier to take screenshots. For example, the ScreenCapture application changes the action of the PrtScr key.

After clicking, a frame will appear on your screen. Use it to highlight the area you want to photograph. After this, the screenshot will be automatically saved to the selected folder. You can download the application on the official website of the developer http://www.screencapture.ru/.

There are addons for browsers with similar functionality. For example, Yandex has a pre-installed Lightshot add-on.

How to take a screenshot on a Windows 7 computer - the standard method

Look at your keyboard. In the upper right corner there is always a key called “PrtScr”, or “PrtnScn”. Find it and start following the instructions.

press the PrtScr key, its location may differ on different keyboard models,
now the screenshot is on the clipboard and you need to move it from there,
go to the Paint program. Start – All Programs – Accessories – Paint,

As soon as the program opens, press the key combination Ctrl + V at the same time,
the screenshot appeared in the program,
save it by clicking on the blue menu button in the very top left corner,
in the list that appears, select “Save as”,
Next, for better quality, click “PNG image”,

now specify the directory to save and name the file,
the process is over.

If for some reason your keyboard does not have the PrtnScn button, then press it on your electronic keyboard. To do this, hold down the Win + U key combination and select “Enable on-screen keyboard” in the window that appears.

Also, some laptop models have the Fn + PrtScr key combination to take a screenshot. The Fn key is always located at the bottom, and most often near the Win key.

How to take a screenshot on a Windows 7 computer - scissors

The method is easier, but less functional. Here you can cut out only a certain area of the screen at once.

go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - Scissors,
in the window that appears, press the “Create” button, the whole screen will turn white a little,
drag the cursor over the area you want to cut,

As soon as the area is selected, a new window will appear,
save the screenshot by clicking on the “File” field in the top left, and then “Save As”,
select directory and file name,

Your screenshot is ready.

Try both options and choose the one that is most convenient for you. Don't forget that the on-screen keyboard can always help you if some keys are missing.

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