It can be frustrating to describe over the phone what you see on your computer screen. Some people even use a smartphone to take a picture of their monitor and then text the picture to the other person.
But there is an easier way to take a screenshot in Windows versions 7, 8 and 10. Technology Services walks us through three methods, with the third option being the best.
1) Print Screen button - "amateur"
This takes a picture of everything on your computer screen. If you have multiple screens, you get one giant picture of everything. That can be cumbersome and shows far more than you typically intend.
In this example, let's say you only wanted to share a spreadsheet. But the print-screen button takes a picture of everything on your screens, including some confidential data. If you're not careful, a print-screen photo can include information you did not intend to send to someone else.
2) Alt+Print Screen button - "semi pro"
You can take a picture of the active application window by holding down the Alt key and pressing the print-screen button. This method allows you to take a picture of only the window with the Excel spreadsheet. But the picture includes a lot of blank rows and columns, which won't help the recipient.
3) Snipping tool - "all pro"
The most precise screenshot method uses the Snipping Tool. Press the Windows key, typically located between the Ctrl and Alt keys on the lower left. Type "snipping" and press enter. That brings up the Snipping Tool app that looks like this:
Click "New" on the Snipping Tool while holding down the left-click button of your mouse. Draw a box around the section of screen you want to take a picture of.
When you release the left-click button, the snipped or cropped item automatically will be copied to your computer clipboard.
Next, paste the image or picture by using Ctrl+V or right-clicking in an email, Word doc, Excel spreadsheet or almost any other application. The "snipped" spreadsheet would look like this:
The Snipping Tool may seem like a lot of steps. But Technology Services says once you've done it a few times, it's very simple. And it lets the recipient focus their attention on the important information.
For more information about using screenshots and the snipping tool, contact the HelpDesk.