# computer idiot \[needs help doing a screen capture\]

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 12, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276 "2008-11-12T00:57:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276/21 "2008-11-13T12:03:20Z")

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> [@Shoeless](#):
>
> Also, if you’re putting the screen shot in a Word document or Outlook email, you can paste it directly after using PrintScreen (or Alt+PrintScreen). You don’t necessarily need to paste it into Paint first and save.)

Yeah, but doing that means that you paste the whole thing: I had users almost in tears when I taught them how to use Paint to paste a complete screenshot in, then add notes and frames and then crop the piece they needed and paste it into their email. They worked in factories in remote locations, where the hamsters powering the email server and the modem were old, frail and doped up to their little whiskers.

If you’re pasting a screenshot in Word to send it, set the document (using Print Setup) to “landscape”: gives you bigger effective size without taking up more memory.

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276/22 "2008-11-13T17:26:17Z")

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⌘-Shift-3

© Apple Computer, 1984

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**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276/23 "2008-11-13T17:38:35Z")

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Jing is another freeware programme that easily allows you to determine which part of the screen you want to save directly as a picture. great stuff.

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**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276/24 "2008-11-13T17:57:33Z")

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Yet another option… If you happen to be on Windows Vista, there’s already a screen capturing tool installed. It’s called **Snipping Tool** and it’s under Accessories in your Start Menu. Quite handy and pretty easy to operate.

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**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-idiot-needs-help-doing-a-screen-capture/472276/25 "2008-11-13T18:00:53Z")

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This may be just extra information that you don’t need. But you can also get a free copy of SnagIt, which is pretty easy. It allows you to capture portions of screens, capture the cursor in whatever position you need, scroll to capture screens that don’t all fit on one shot normally, and other nifty things.

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