K-Tip: How to create and share a screenshot
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a screenshot may be worth two thousand. Plenty of tools have come along in our 28 years that have improved collaboration, including web conferencing and desktop sharing, but we find ourselves using this method with clients more than most others.
This tutorial is for Windows users only, but you Mac users probably already know all about Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar.
Step 1: Copy the image to your clipboard by pressing the “Print Screen” or “PrtSc” key, which is usually found at the top right of your keyboard, near the F12 key. You won’t notice anything when you press the Print Screen key, but don’t worry — you just saved the image to your computer’s clipboard.
Step 2: Create a new email message in Outlook (or a new Word document or PowerPoint presentation). Place your cursor in the message body (or your preferred place in the document and press the Ctrl and V keys at the same time. This will paste your screenshot into the email message (or file). You can now send the email message or save the document as needed. You can also use Microsoft Office’s built-in drawing tools to circle or point out a specific area of the screenshot. You can also use Office’s picture tools to crop your screenshot if needed.
More Tips:
- Press the Alt key in addition to Print Screen to take a screenshot of only the active window. This is enormously helpful for users with huge displays or multiple monitors.
- Windows Vista users have access to the handy Snipping Tool for screenshots
- Need software with advanced screenshot capabilities? SnagIt might be the solution for you.
- Firefox users can take screenshots of entire scrolling web pages (not just the part on screen) using this plug-in.
- iPhone users can create a screenshot by pressing both the home and sleep buttons at the same time. Head over to your photos on the camera roll, and you’ll see your screen capture.