# How To Do A Prnt Scrn On Windows 7 With No FN Key? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321 "2012-03-09T20:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/1 "2012-03-09T20:32:56Z")
I’m having some computer issues and am being asked for screen shots, but since going to 7, it isn’t as easy as just hitting the button and going to paint. Got a simple way for me to do this? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/2 "2012-03-09T20:35:23Z")
Hm…didn’t know about Fn, I always use Alt+Prt Scrn. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/3 "2012-03-09T20:35:38Z")
Can’t you do Alt/PrintScrn in Win 7? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/4 "2012-03-09T20:36:03Z")
The “Print Scrn” key? Maybe I’m missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/5 "2012-03-09T20:37:22Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The “Print Scrn” key? > > Maybe I’m missing something? Print Screen alone will take a shot of the entire screen, task bar and all. Adding Alt will just take a shot of the active window. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/6 "2012-03-09T20:42:05Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Print Screen alone will take a shot of the entire screen, task bar and all. Adding Alt will just take a shot of the active window. I know that. But he didn’t say active screen; he said screen shot. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/7 "2012-03-09T20:45:30Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I know that. But he didn’t say active screen; he said screen shot. Ah sorry. The reason I went directly to Alt+Prt Scr is that I played with Fn + Prt Scr and they appear to do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/8 "2012-03-09T22:49:57Z")
The Windows 7 ‘Snipping Tool’ is really good for snagging just the relevant bits of what you see on screen (If you’re troubleshooting something and it’s just error messages, or parts of windows - the snipping tool lets you just select the bit you want) ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/9 "2012-03-10T03:20:42Z")
Well, it brings up a whole new “tool screen” when I hit alt/print screen and I don’t know what to do there, When I had VISTA it wasn’t a problem: just view/paste/save. This one has me confused… **"F’n"** Key!!! 😉 Q ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/10 "2012-03-10T03:50:39Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Well, it brings up a whole new “tool screen” when I hit alt/print screen and I don’t know what to do there, When I had VISTA it wasn’t a problem: just view/paste/save. This one has me confused… > > **“F’n”** Key!!! 😉 > > Q alt PrtSc should just load the active screen in a buffer for any Windows version. Not sure why you’re experiencing something different. wonder if you have a stuck key somewhere and it’s triggering a third option. Of course, if you’d capture the screen showing the “tool screen” to show us… you can always download a screen [capture program](http://download.cnet.com/Screen-Copy/3000-2094_4-10039293.html). ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/11 "2012-03-10T04:11:11Z")
As **Mangetout** said, a program comes with Windows 7 - “[Snipping Tool](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/snipping-tool)” under All Programs, Accessories. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/12 "2012-03-10T04:50:17Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > As **Mangetout** said, a program comes with Windows 7 - “[Snipping Tool](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/snipping-tool)” under All Programs, Accessories. I’ll give that a try, **yoyodine** , thanks. But the tool screen (at the top) is definitely different than the one on Vista, which is what is throwing me off. After alt/prnt scrn I’m not sure which buttons to click. As much as I hated Vista, it was easier (for me, I mean) to do. Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/13 "2012-03-10T07:08:18Z")
I have Windows7 as well. I simply hit “PrtScr” and then open Paint. If I don’t want the whole desktop in the screen shot it’s a very simple matter to edit the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/14 "2012-03-10T10:12:57Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > As **Mangetout** said, a program comes with Windows 7 - “[Snipping Tool](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/snipping-tool)” under All Programs, Accessories. I’ll give that a try, **yoyodine** , thanks. But the tool screen (at the top) is definitely different than the one on Vista, which is what is throwing me off. After alt/prnt scrn I’m not sure which buttons to click. As much as I hated Vista, it was easier (for me, I mean) to do. Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/15 "2012-03-12T17:56:22Z")
Snipping tool and PASTE don’t work. What happens when I want to paste is, it pastes my desktop. After I hit ALT and Print Screen, I get the message “Screen Captured”. Then I go to paint and hit Paste and all that shows is my desktop and that’s it. I make sure that I have NO windows open, because what it did before was, it wanted to paste the last site I visited. I found a step-by-step guide, but that was no help whatsoever. I KNOW I can go the WoW Armory and just copy and paste the link, but it’s the principle of the thing. I OUGHT to be able to print and paste and save that screen. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/16 "2012-03-12T18:12:54Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Snipping tool and PASTE don’t work. What happens when I want to paste is, it pastes my desktop. After I hit ALT and Print Screen, I get the message “Screen Captured”. Then I go to paint and hit Paste and all that shows is my desktop and that’s it. I make sure that I have NO windows open, because what it did before was, it wanted to paste the last site I visited. > > I found a step-by-step guide, but that was no help whatsoever. I KNOW I can go the WoW Armory and just copy and paste the link, but it’s the principle of the thing. I OUGHT to be able to print and paste and save that screen. > > Thanks > > Q then there’s some other software installed on that system that’s intercepting the Print Screen key and doing its own thing. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/17 "2012-03-12T18:49:06Z")
Alt + PrintScreen should do nothing but paste the active window into the clipboard. I just tried it on Win 7 and it works perfectly. No popup windows or anything else. Then a simple paste into paint or any other program works fine. There must be something else going on with your system. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/18 "2012-03-12T19:27:31Z")
How about just taking a picture of your monitor with your cell phone or digital camera? ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/19 "2012-03-12T22:17:35Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Snipping tool and PASTE don’t work. What happens when I want to paste is, it pastes my desktop. After I hit ALT and Print Screen, I get the message “Screen Captured”. Then I go to paint and hit Paste and all that shows is my desktop and that’s it. I make sure that I have NO windows open, because what it did before was, it wanted to paste the last site I visited. > > I found a step-by-step guide, but that was no help whatsoever. I KNOW I can go the WoW Armory and just copy and paste the link, but it’s the principle of the thing. I OUGHT to be able to print and paste and save that screen. > > Thanks > > Q You should have the window that you’d like to capture open when you hit the keystrokes. If you indeed “have NO windows open”, meaning you are at the desktop, then it sounds like things are behaving as intended. Try having the window open when you hit Print Screen, and see what happens when you paste. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321/20 "2012-03-13T02:59:30Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Snipping tool and PASTE don’t work. What happens when I want to paste is, it pastes my desktop. After I hit ALT and Print Screen, I get the message “Screen Captured”. Then I go to paint and hit Paste and all that shows is my desktop and that’s it. I make sure that I have NO windows open, because what it did before was, it wanted to paste the last site I visited. 😕 Snipping Tool doesn’t need Print Screen, Paste, or Paint. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-do-a-prnt-scrn-on-windows-7-with-no-fn-key/615321.md?page=2)