# Is there a Free App for Taking Timed Snapshots in Windows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814 "2009-03-17T23:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/1 "2009-03-17T23:20:03Z")
I’ve got an app that I need to document runtime on. It’s a Windows app, and it has to be manually operated to begin a lookup sequence. I’d like to know how long this is taking, but I don’t want to sit around for 10-45 minutes staring at the Windows Clock. I want a tool to take a snapshot every 30 seconds, so I can just run the app with the Windows Clock on the screen, and scroll through the snapshots to figure out when my app finished its run. I can’t find an app that is: Free and Will Do Automatic Timed Snapshots Is there such an app? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/2 "2009-03-18T00:46:44Z")
I recall reading about some software that parents can use to check on what the kids are doing, by taking screen snapshots exactly as you describe. No idea what the names or companies are, but try that category. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/3 "2009-03-18T00:50:14Z")
A program called ScreenHunter seems to have a feature like you want: [http://www.wisdom-soft.com/sh/sh\_step.htm#auto-capture](http://www.wisdom-soft.com/sh/sh_step.htm#auto-capture) ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/4 "2009-03-18T04:09:15Z")
It looks like ScreenHunter first has the timed capture in version 5 Plus at $19.95, not in the free one. [http://www.wisdom-soft.com/sh/index.htm](http://www.wisdom-soft.com/sh/index.htm) There’s a shareware/free screen-cap at [http://www.etrusoft.com/](http://www.etrusoft.com/). I have no idea if it’s good, but it showed up early on a Google search. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/5 "2009-03-18T14:53:15Z")
You could record a macro with [AutoHotkey](http://www.autohotkey.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/6 "2009-03-18T15:08:53Z")
IrfanView can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/7 "2009-03-18T15:12:38Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. I also found “Timesnapper” last night. It’s very, very nice, but I’ll check out your other suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/8 "2009-03-18T15:15:38Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > IrfanView can do it. Really? I’ve got that on my work PC and never even realized IrfanView could do that. Must be hidden in the UI. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-free-app-for-taking-timed-snapshots-in-windows/489814/9 "2009-03-18T15:21:18Z")
Yep, Options/Capture Screenshot…/Capture Method/Automatic - timer delay . ISTR it’s a bit weird because it’s not obvious how to stop the auto-capturing - in fact you have to go back to the menu option.