Upgrade Windows 10 Famille To Pro

Now that many millions of users around the world are using Windows x, we figured it was time to embrace some beginner basics. After all, some people are getting new PCs and laptops while others are installing Windows 10 on their Mac and need some assistance.

The ways to take a screenshot is our focus here today. Sure, you may know virtually Print Screen, but do you know all the other combos? What near if y'all are on a Surface? Moreover, what if you lot need something more powerful than the built-in apps?

We have you lot covered, so read on. You lot may be surprised at a few of these tricks.

Windows 10 Native Screenshots

i. Whole Desktop (copy to clipboard)

Key Combo: [PrtScn]

Probably the easiest and almost pop method for screen capturing is by pressing the [PrtScn] key on your keyboard, bold you have one. Print Screen copies everything visible in the UI to the clipboard and lets you lot paste information technology the image to Pigment, another image editing app, Part, or any app that allows you to paste images. Even if you are running a multi-monitor setup, Impress Screen grabs all the displays at once.

2. Whole desktop + Auto-save

Key combo: [Win] + [PrtScn]

Building off of Print Screen, y'all tin simultaneously press the Windows Cardinal on your keyboard and [PrtScrn] at the same time. This method differs above in that it saves the paradigm automatically to your Pictures > Screenshots directory. When using this fashion the screen briefly dims to permit y'all know information technology captured and saved automatically.

3. Just an app

Key Combo: [Alt] + [PrtScn]

This handy key combo as well builds off of Impress Screen. However, instead of capturing the whole desktop and all opened apps, it captures the total window of an active app. Using this play tricks you can just screenshot an app for sharing and get out your desktop out of it.

Central Combo: [Win] + [H]

Here is one that many people may not know (including ourselves). If y'all striking [Win] + [H] the OS will grab a screenshot and push it to the Share feature immediately. This trick lets you quickly snap a screen take hold of and push it to Outlook, Tweetium, or other Windows Apps from the Shop.

Search for Snipping Tool using Cortana/Search. This tool has been around for ages, but it is very handy for capturing specific areas of your screen. Under the New carte du jour, you can choose from:

Gratuitous-form snip
Rectangular snip
Window Snip
Total-screen snip

The image is copied to your Clipboard, and then you demand something similar Paint to paste to to view it. New in the Windows 10 version, you can add together a delay to the capture, which is very useful for something that disappears when yous hover over it with the mouse.

Surface specific ways

1. Merely an app

Central Philharmonic: [ALT] + [FN] and [SPACE]

Press and concord the right-paw [ALT] + [FN] and then hit [SPACE] takes a screenshot within an app (but non the desktop)

2. Hardware keys

Key Combo: Win + Volume Downward

This is the become-to method for screenshotting the whole brandish. Press and hold the Windows push button and and then press the volume downwards button. The screen dims for a second, and the epitome saves to the Screenshots folder in the Pictures library.

3. Surface Pen + OneNote

Using the Surface Pen, double-click the top button. Select what you lot want to capture in the screenshot by dragging the tip of the pen from one corner to the opposite corner. When you lift the pen tip, your selection appears in a new folio in OneNote. You can then add more notes or drawing to the paradigm.

3rd-party Apps

Too all of these native solutions, you can venture out into the world of tertiary-party apps. Why? Simple, like all third-political party apps they tend to add many more features, customizations and are sometimes easier and more convenient. Hither are a few that the community around hither like:

Greenshot (Free) GetGreenshot.org
Screenshot (Gratuitous trial, $40) Screenshot.net
SnagIT (Complimentary trial, $l) Techsmith.com/snagit.html (opens in new tab)
LightShot (Gratis) App.prntscr.com
Screenmask ($0.99) Windows Store Link (opens in new tab)

Screenmask is a bang-up Windows Store app that works with the Share selection in other Windows Shop apps. It is not ideal for desktop apply but for those using tablets it can offering some handy editing options.

Practice yous have a screenshot solution that we missed? Do you lot know of a third-party app and want to recommend? Audio off in comments and let u.s.a. know!

More Resources

Need more information or need some assistance? Hither are some great links to get you started:

The definitive Windows 10 Review
Windows 10 Help, Tips, Tricks at Windows Central
Windows ten Forums at Windows Key

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and annotator. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and after Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, side by side-gen computing, and arguing with people on the cyberspace.