Copy the window or screen contents

When using Office programs with Windows, there are two ways to copy the contents of what you see on your screen (commonly referred to as a "screen shot" or "screen capture"). You can use the Snipping Tool or the PRINT SCREEN key.

Using the Snipping Tool

The Windows Snipping Tool captures all or part of your PC screen. After you capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the Snipping Tool window. From there you can edit, save, or share the snip.

For details and instructions, see Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots.

Using the PRINT SCREEN key

Pressing PRINT SCREEN captures an image of your entire screen and copies it to the Clipboard in your computer's memory. You can then paste (CTRL+V) the image into a document, email message, or other file.

Where is the PRINT SCREEN button?

The PRINT SCREEN key is usually located in the upper right corner of your keyboard. The key looks similar to the following:

The text you see on your keyboard might be PrtSc, PrtScn, or PrntScrn. The other text on the Print Screen key is usually SysRq.

Copy only the image of the active window

The active window is the window that you are currently working in. Only one window can be active at a time.

1. Click the window that you want to copy.

2. Press ALT+PRINT SCREEN.

3. Paste (CTRL+V) the image into an Office program or other application.

Copy the entire image on the screen

1. Open everything you want to copy and position it the way you want.

2. Press PRINT SCREEN.

3. Paste (CTRL+V) the image into an Office program or other application.

Modify the image

• Paste (CTRL+V) the image into a drawing application, such as Microsoft Paint, and by using the tools available in your drawing application, you can add circles around text or images you want to highlight or crop anything that you don't want to appear in the image.

  For more complex modifications, it is recommended that you use the Snipping Tool to capture your screen shot.