How to take a screenshot?

Written By Fahad Ahmed

Updated at October 3rd, 2023

If you don’t know how to take a screenshot of an issue that you have faced while using PureVPN then the following tutorial will help you out in just a few simple steps:

Windows

  • How to take a screenshot on Windows?
  1. Here is how you can have a screenshot on Windows:
  2. Press “prtscn” (print screen)
  3. The Windows will capture the entire screen and save it in an ‘invisible’ clipboard.
  • Where is the “prtscn” button on the keyboard?
  1. On your keyboard, look for the following group of buttons at the upper right side:
  2. PrtScn, ScrLk, Pause
  3. Note that the Print Screen might be abbreviated differently on your keyboard.
  • How to take a screenshot of a single window instead of the entire screen?
  1. Here is how you can take a screenshot of a single window:
  2.  Hold Alt and press PrtScn
  3. The above keys will capture the current active windows on the screen only and will copy it to the ‘invisible’ clipboard.
  • How can I paste my saved screenshot into a document?
  1. Here is how you can paste the screenshot saved in the clipboard into a document:
  2. Hold Ctrl and press “V”
  3. Windows will paste the ‘latest’ screenshot saved in your clipboard into a document.
  • Where can I save my screenshot in a file instead of a clipboard?
    1. Follow the steps mentioned below to save your screenshot in a file:
    2. Start “Paint”
    3. Paste (Ctrl + V)
    4. Save the file in your desired file format.

  • How to find a dedicated program for taking screenshots?
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Mac

How can I take a screenshot on Mac?

Here is how you can take a screen shot on Mac:

Hold Command + Shift and press “3”

This combination of keys will capute the entire screen and would save it on the desktop. The filename would be: “Screen shot 2016-03-09 at 05.30.00 PM.png”

How can I take a partial screenshot on Mac?

Here is how you can take a partial screenshot on Mac:

                Hold Command + Shift and press “4”

Make use of your mouse to sketch a rectangle so that the device exactly knows what to capture. You can also press the spacebar and then click on something such as a window to capture it. Your Mac will save your partial screenshot on the desktop. The filename would be: “Screen shot 2016-03-09 at 05.30.00 PM.png”

How can I save a screenshot in the clipboard instead of a file?

Here is how you can have your screenshot in the clipboard:

                Hold Control + Any combination mentioned above

This will instruct your Mac to save screenshot in the clipboard instead of making a separate file.

How can I paste the screenshot in clipboard into a document?

Here is how your screenshot in clipboard can be pasted into a document:

                Hold Command and press “V”

The above combination of keys will paste the screenshot saved in the clipboard into a document

How can I take a screenshot without using keyboard shortcuts?

You can take a screenshot without using keyboard shortcuts using “Preview”. Here is how you can do it:

*insert screenshot*

How can I save my screenshots in different file formats (JPG, PDF, TIFF)?

You can save your screenshots in different file formats using “Preview” (as shown in the above question). The file formats include JPG, PDF, TIFF, and many others.

How can I take a screenshot using Terminal (Command Line)?

Here is how you can take a screenshot using Terminal:

                try help: man screencapture

                use delays: screencapture  -T 10 ~/Desktop/screenshot.png

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iOS

How can I take a screenshot on iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod etc.)?

Here is how you can take a screenshot on iOS devices

                Hold and press the “Sleep/Wake” button and “Home” button simultaneously.

You see a white flash on your screen which captures the entire screen. The image is then saved.

iOS-1-PSD

Where are my screenshots saved?

You can find your screenshots in the “Photos” app.

Why am I unable to take screenshots (i.e. I do not see any flash or screenshot)?

In order to take screenshots, you will need firmware 2.0 or later.

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Android

How can I take a screenshot from my Android device (smartphone/tablet)?

Here is how you can take a screenshot from Android devices:

                Hold and press simultaneously “Volume Down” and “Power” button for a couple of seconds

You see a white flash on your screen which captures the entire screen. The image is then saved.

Where are my screenshots saved?

You can find your screenshots in a “Screenshot” folder in either “Gallery” or “Photos” app.

I am unable to take screenshots using the above mentioned method. Is there any other way to caputre screens?

Here is how you can take a screenshot using another method:

                Hold and press simultaneously “Home” and “Power” button for a couple of seconds

You see a white flash on your screen which captures the entire screen. The image is then saved.

I am still not able to take screenshots, why?

In order to take screenshots, you require Android 4.0 or later. Nevertheless, you can still try using an app to take screenshots.

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Chrome OS

How to take a screenshot on Chrome OS devices (Chromebook etc.)?

Here is how you can take a screenshot on Chrome OS devices:

                Hold “Ctrl” and press *button*

The above combination of keys will capture the entire screen and save it in your “Downloads” folder as a file.

How to take a partial screenshot on Chrome OS devices?

Here is how you can take a partial screenshot on Chrome OS devices:

                Hold “Ctrl” + “Shift” and press *button*

Make use of your mouse to draw a rectangle for selection purposes. It will capture the active/partial screen and save it in your “Downloads” folder as a file.

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Websites 

How can I take a screenshot of a webpage?

For users using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari can install an extension named “Awesome Screenshots”.

What can be the procedure to test the look of web pages on different browsers?

Browsershots captures a web page with lots of browsers

I do not see any results using Browsershots, why?

Please note that it might take a few moments. You can try reloading/refreshing the page to get results.

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