How to take screenshots on your Mac, Windows PC

Screenshots are really useful. You may use them to demonstrate how to use a new app to your grandmother. You may use them to send a screenshot of that weird error message to the IT department at your firm. You may use them to grab tweets before they go into the abyss of oblivion.

Each of the major operating systems — Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS — has a method for taking screenshots. Here's how to take screenshots in all four of them quickly and easily.

SCREENSHOTS ON A MAC

The Screenshot programme is available in current macOS versions (Mojave and Catalina) and may be opened by pressing Shift-Command (⌘)-5.

You'll see a command bar with a number of choices. You may capture a screenshot of the entire screen, a window, or a particular selection; you can even record all or portion of your screen using a video camera. There's a "Options" button that enables you pick where you want your screenshot to be saved, as well as a brief delay. When you're ready, click the "Capture" button on the command bar right end.

You may still save screenshots to your desktop as PNG files if you haven't upgraded to Mojave or Catalina.

• Press Shift-Command-3 to capture a screenshot of the full screen.

• To capture a portion of the screen, hold down Shift-Command-4 and then drag the mouse about the screen to indicate the area you wish to capture.

• Using Shift-Command-4, you may grab a certain window. Press the spacebar one more. The cursor will take on the appearance of a camera. Hover your mouse over the window you wish to capture until it glows, then click on it.

SCREENSHOTS ON A WINDOWS 10 PC

You should be able to capture a screenshot by hitting the Windows logo key and the PrtScrn (or PrtSc) key at the same time, depending on your system (which is usually on the right end of the function key row). If it doesn't work, try adding the Ctrl or Fn keys to the mix as well. The image will be saved as a PNG file in the "Pictures" > "Screenshots" folder.

If it doesn't work for you (I noticed that half of the time I attempted it, the system refused to take the screenshot), try pressing Windows + Shift + S, which will launch a Windows programme named "Snip & Sketch." (You may also launch the app through the Windows app menu.) Your cursor will change to a + sign, and a tiny toolbar will appear at the top of the screen, allowing you to choose between a rectangle clip, a freeform clip, or a full-screen picture. The clip (or "snip," as Windows refers to it) will be saved to the clipboard, with a thumbnail appearing in the lower right corner of your screen. To modify the photo, save it (as a PNG, JPG, or GIF file), or share it, click on it.

The snipping tool may also be used by pressing the Windows key and beginning to enter "snip" (which will open the tool on your Start menu), or by putting "snip" into the Cortana search box.

You can have the PrtSc key bring up Snip & Sketch when you press it if you wish.

• Select the Start button in the lower left corner, then the gear icon that appears above it to access your computer's settings.

• Type “prtscn” in the search field right below the “Windows Settings” page name. The drop-down menu will include an item that says "Use the Print Screen key to begin screen snipping" anywhere near the "t." Make a decision.

• You've arrived at the "Keyboard" page. Toggle on the “Print Screen shortcut” option.