In this guide, we will walk you through the process of capturing screenshots on different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chromebook, and Linux.

Windows

Taking a screenshot on Windows is a straightforward process. You can use the following methods:

  • Full Screen: To capture the entire screen, press the "PrtScn" (Print Screen) key.
  • Active Window: To capture the active window only, press "Alt + PrtScn" together.
  • Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch: These built-in Windows tools allow you to capture selected areas on the screen. Press the "Windows key + Shift + S" to open Snip & Sketch.

macOS

On macOS, there are several ways to take screenshots.

  • Full Screen: Press "Command + Shift + 3" to capture the entire screen. The screenshot will be saved on the desktop.
  • Selected Area: If you want to select a specific area, use "Command + Shift + 4" to turn the cursor into a crosshair. Click and drag to capture the desired area.
  • Active Window: Press "Command + Shift + 4" followed by the spacebar. The cursor will turn into a camera icon, allowing you to capture the active window.

iOS (tablet/mobile)

Taking a screenshot on iOS devices is simple.

  1. Simultaneously press the "Side" button and the "Volume Up" button.
  2. The screen will flash white, and a thumbnail of the screenshot will appear at the bottom left corner of the screen. Tap on it to edit or share.

Android (tablet/mobile)

On Android devices, the process of taking a screenshot may vary depending on the manufacturer and Android version. However, the common methods are

  • Simultaneously press the "Volume Down" and "Power" buttons and hold them for a moment. The screen will flash, indicating that the screenshot has been captured.
  • Alternatively, on some devices, you can swipe down the notification shade and tap the "Screenshot" icon.

Chromebook

Take a screenshot

  1. If your Chromebook has it, press the Screenshot key .
    • If your Chromebook doesn't have a Screenshot key , press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows .
    • If your external keyboard doesn't have a Show windows key , press Ctrl + Shift + F5.
  2. In the menu at the bottom, select Screenshot .
  3. Select an option:
    • Take a full-screen screenshot .
    • Take a partial screenshot .
    • Take a window screenshot .

Tips

  • On your keyboard, to change the section that you want to screenshot, you can also press the space bar.
  • You can also change the size of your screenshot. On your keyboard, press the Tab key until one of the circle corners of the section is highlighted.
    • On your keyboard, to change the height of your screenshot, press the Up arrow  or Down arrow  keys.
    • On your keyboard, to change the width of your screenshot, press the Left arrow  or Right arrow  keys.
  • To take a screenshot, you can also use the menu on your screen. At the bottom, select the time and then Screen capture.

Record your screen

  1. Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows .
  2. In the menu at the bottom, select Screen record .
  3. Select an option:
    • Record the full screen .
    • Record a partial screen .
    • Record a window .
  4. To stop recording, at the bottom right, select Stop recording .

Find recordings & screenshots

Recordings and screenshots get saved to your “Downloads” folder. You can change where your recordings or screenshots are saved:

  1. Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows .
  2. At the bottom, select Settings Settings and then Select folder. Recordings or screenshots you take are added to the folder you select.

Linux

The process of taking screenshots on Linux varies depending on the desktop environment being used. Here are two common methods:

  1. GNOME: Press "PrtScn" to capture the entire screen and save it to the Pictures folder. To capture a specific area, press "Shift + PrtScn."
  2. KDE: Press "PrtScn" to capture the entire screen or "Alt + PrtScn" for the active window. The screenshots will be saved in the Pictures folder.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu, one of the most widely used Linux distributions, offers a simple way to capture screenshots and record the screen as a video.

  • Screenshots: Press the "Print Screen" key to capture the entire screen or "Alt + Print Screen" to capture the active window. The screenshot will be saved in the "Pictures" folder.
  • Screen Recording: Open the "Activities" overview, search for "Settings," and navigate to "Screen Sharing." Enable the "Screen Recording" option, select the desired area to record, and click "Start Recording."

Fedora

Fedora provides various methods for screen capture and recording.

  • Screenshots: Press the "Print Screen" key to capture the entire desktop or "Alt + Print Screen" to capture the active window. The screenshot will be saved in the "Pictures" folder.

  • Screen Recording: Fedora leverages the "GNOME Screen Recorder" tool. Press "Ctrl + Shift + Alt + R" to start recording and press the same key combination to stop the recording. The video file will be saved in your "Videos" folder.

Debian

Debian, known for its stability, uses different tools for screen capture and recording.

  • Screenshots: Use the "scrot" command in the Terminal to capture a screenshot of the entire screen or a specific window. The screenshot will be saved in the current directory.

  • Screen Recording: Utilize the "recordmydesktop" command in the Terminal to record the screen. Customize the recording options, such as frames per second and output file location, to suit your needs.

CentOS

CentOS, a distribution popular for server environments, incorporates reliable utilities for screen capture and recording.

  • Screenshots: CentOS includes the "gnome-screenshot" tool. Launch the Terminal and use the command "gnome-screenshot" to capture the entire screen or "gnome-screenshot -a" to capture a specific area.

  • Screen Recording: Install the "vokoscreenNG" tool from the CentOS repository. Once installed, launch the application and select the desired area to record. Click the record button to start and stop the recording.

Arch Linux

Arch Linux, known for its customizability and flexibility, provides users with versatile options for screen capture and recording.

  • Screenshots: Install the "xfce4-screenshooter" package from the Arch User Repository (AUR). Use the command "xfce4-screenshooter" to take screenshots. Configure the tool's settings according to your preferences.

  • Screen Recording: Install "simplescreenrecorder" using the package manager. Launch the application, configure the recording settings, select the desired area, and start the recording by clicking the record button.

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