Capturing screen shots is a routine task for tech writers and LOLCat connoisseurs alike. So, if you're looking for how to capture screen shots, consider trying the following popular tools. Generally easy to use, these window capture applications offer tools for grabbing screen shots, making screen videos and easing online collaboration.
Capturing Screen Shots for Free: Microsoft Windows Snipping Tool
For a basic way to capture screen shots that won't cost you a cent, try Microsoft Windows Snipping Tool. A pretty down-and-dirty tool for capturing screen shots, it's easy to use and functional enough for quick screen grabs. Calling captured images "snips," it offers four different types of snips for grabbing the screen (free-form, rectangular, window and full-screen), has some minor markup capabilities and allows for annotation. While not as robust and fun to play with as other tools for capturing screen shots, if you're a Windows user tired of mucking around with the print screen key, it'll get the job done.
To find the Snipping Tool to capture screen shots, navigate to: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool.
Everyone's Favorite Way to Capture Screen Shots: Snagit
Pricier than other screen capture tools, Snagit from TechSmith Company is a favorite with professionals for capturing screen shots. Robust, well-supported, and available for both Mac and Windows, Snagit has a screen grab tool crammed with features. Not only can users grab window images, they can also add text and effects, add edge effects (like ragged or page curls), create hotspots, add tags and do much, much more when capturing screen shots. Plus, Snagit integrates well with a host of office applications, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
A robust and well developed tool, Snagit costs about $50 and offers a free 30-day trial that includes tutorials and full support.
Capturing Screen Shots on the Road: HyperSnap
Nice for freelancers and mobile workers who need the ability to capture screen shots from different locations, HyperSnap offers an optional portable setup that allows users to carry it with them on a USB drive and capture window images on any machine. A feature-rich tool for capturing screen shots, it's less intuitive than SnagIt and it makes capturing screen shots a bit of a hassle by subjecting users to strange help menus when they grab screen shots and do routine editing like cropping.
A pricier option for capturing screen shots, HyperSnap is for Windows and costs about $40. Although it does offer a version for trial use, if you actually use it to capture images, the saved pic ends up being marked with a large, obtrusive stamp, making the free trial rather pointless.
Capture Screen Shots in Style With Jing
Another capture tool from TechSmith Company, Jing makes capturing screen shots a little fun with its quirky, interactive interface. Extremely easy to use to capture screen shots, Jing uses point-and-drag functionality that’s a breeze to learn. Unlike many other tools for capturing screen shots, Jing’s secondary purpose isn’t actually editing captured screen grabs, it’s sharing them and making screen videos, so it doesn’t offer all of the little editing tools that other tools to capture screen shots do. Instead, Jing is designed more as a collaborative tool, and it works well for uploading screen grabs to email, IM, Twitter and blogs and allows users to make short videos too.
Jing is available in free and pro versions for both Windows and Mac, and it offers tutorials, forums and newsletters to help users learn how to capture screen shots and how to upload content.
Capturing Screen Shots is Cheap and Easy With FastStone Capture
For an inexpensive, easy-to-use way to capture screen shots, consider FastStone Capture. Much more functional than its small toolbar would suggest, FastStone Capture offers intuitive, customizable tools for capturing screen shots, recording screen events, and capturing scrolling windows. Plus, it has some unexpected tools, like a negative effect for reversing out images. Quite customizable and functional, it allows users to set hotkeys, selectively blur and includes a color picker.
A Windows-based tool for capturing screen shots, FastStone Capture costs $20, offers a free, fully-functional 30-day trial, and a download-able tutorial for making capturing screen shots a hassle-free experience.
Capturing Screen Shots Doesn't Take Much Practice
If you're new to capturing screen shots for professional or personal use, there are plenty of easy-to-use and affordable tools available. And many offer free trials that will give you time to see if it's the right tool for you. Whether you're using them to create documentation or the latest edition of Wacky LOLCats in Space, many are also intuitive enough to make learning how to capture screen shots easy, so a little practice should make you an expert in no time.
Jennifer Silva - Jenn is a professional writer and editor with experience in: technical communications (medical, manufacturing and publishing ...
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