Computer How To's

Using the "Print Screen" key

Click on an image to see a Tool Tip.

Pressing the F11 key will set Full Screen view.

On the top row of your keyboard, to the right of the F12 key, is a key labeled "Print Scrn". In the "olden days", this key actually printed (on your printer) the image that was showing on the screen.

Since the first Windows, this key's function has changed. Now it copies the screen image to the clipboard. If you want to see this in action:

1. Press the Print Scrn key.

2. Open a graphics program (like Paint, or even MS Word) and do a paste

(Right click/Paste or CTRL + V).

3. You'll see the screen image.

4. If you want to capture only a window on the screen:

• press and hold the ALT  key, then the Print Scrn key. The image copied will be only the active window.

5. If you would like to print the image, use the print command from the graphics program.

6. If you wish, you can "edit" the image, then save it.

• use your graphics program's "Save" command in the "File" menu.

By the way, the image is copied as a .bmp (Bitmap) file, but you can convert to any format you'd like, within the limits of your graphic program.

 

This picture is an example of a "Screen Shot". It shows the PicViewer program open at C:\1Dwight folder and an image of my wife Mary and son, Jacob.

In this example, I used the Alt + Print Scrn key so only the active window was copied to the clipboard.

This Print Screen feature is especially handy for saving computer error dialog boxes, and other computer images. The example below shows the steps for running the Microsoft System File Check program from the Start/Run menus.

 

Screenshots

Click "Start", then "Run". Type in "SFC" (without quotes), then click the "OK" button.

Or for showing the "steps" in a setup wizard

 

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"How To's"

How to download and use WinZip to extract compressed files	How to download and install Programs	How to change file associations
How to save and find files	How to organize your Start Menu - Win 98	Norton AntiVirus Email Error
How to disable background applications in both Win95 and Win 98	How to block porno and other unwanted email messages in Outlook Express	How to download and install an Audio Driver from Hewlett-Packard
How to use the Print Scrn key To the right of the F12 key.	How to use the copy/paste function of your computer.	Click on my Email link and tell me what you subject want to see here!

This page updated October 4, 2002