How to Take Screenshots on a Dell Computer

Taking screenshots is an essential skill for any computer user. Whether you need to capture an error message, save something you found online, or show someone an issue you‘re having, knowing how to take screenshots on your Dell computer is crucial.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the various methods of capturing screenshots on Dell laptops and desktops running Windows 10 or 11.

Understanding Screenshots

Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions, let‘s make sure we have a clear understanding of what a screenshot is and why you may need to take one:

• What is a Screenshot? A screenshot is an image taken of whatever is currently displayed on your computer screen. It literally captures a shot of your screen.

• Why Take Screenshots? There are many reasons you may need to take a screenshot, such as:

  • Saving something you found online like an article, image, or product details
  • Capturing error messages or computer issues to get technical help
  • Showing someone else something visual like the settings or appearance of a program
  • Creating tutorials, documents, or presentations that require showing on-screen content
  • Simply capturing a funny moment or meme to share with friends

• Screenshot File Types: Screenshots are saved as image files, usually in PNG or JPG formats. These are standard image formats that will allow you to easily insert your screenshots into documents, presentations, emails, etc.

Now that we know what screenshots are and why they can be useful, let‘s look at the various methods of capturing them on a Dell device.

Using the Print Screen Key

The easiest and most common way to take a screenshot on a Dell laptop or desktop is by using the Print Screen key.

Here‘s a step-by-step guide:

1. Locate the Print Screen (PrtScn/PrtScr) key on your Dell keyboard. It is usually found on the top row of keys, either beside F12 or near the Delete and Backspace keys.

   

2. To capture the entire screen, simply press the Print Screen key once. Your entire display will be captured and copied to your clipboard.

   💡Pro Tip: Hold down the Fn key while pressing Print Screen if this key combination doesn‘t work.

3. Now you can paste the screenshot into any document or image editing software by pressing Ctrl + V on your keyboard or right-clicking and selecting Paste.

   The screenshot will paste just like any other image you copy and paste on your computer.

And that‘s all there is to capturing full-screen screenshots with the Print Screen key! This method copies your entire display view to the clipboard instantly with one button press.

Capturing Specific Windows

If you only want to capture an individual open window (e.g. a browser window or program dialog box) instead of the full screen, use this key combo:

• Press Alt + Print Screen
  • This will copy only your currently active window
• Paste it into another program using Ctrl + V or right-click Paste

So in summary:

• Print Screen = Your entire display
• Alt + Print Screen = Only the foreground, active window

This makes it easy to capture just a specific part of your screen.

Using Snipping Tool

All Windows operating systems come with a built-in utility called Snipping Tool that provides advanced screenshot functions.

Let‘s go over how to access Snipping Tool and use its various modes to capture screenshots just the way you want.

Opening Snipping Tool

To open Snipping Tool on your Dell device:

1. Click the Windows Start Menu
2. Search for "Snipping Tool"
3. Click to open the Snipping Tool app

Alternatively, you can press Windows + Shift + S as a keyboard shortcut to launch it instantly.

Once opened, you will see a small Snipping Tool window overlaying your screen.

Using Snipping Tool Capture Modes

The Snipping Tool features 4 different capture modes to allow you to take customized screenshots. Here is an overview:

• Free-form Snip – Manually select any part of the screen to capture
• Rectangular Snip – Drag to select a rectangular area to capture
• Window Snip – Select an open window to capture
• Full-screen Snip – Capture entire display

Let‘s break down how to use each capture mode:

Free-form Snips

1. In Snipping Tool, click New > Free-form Snip
2. Click and drag your mouse cursor in any pattern over the area you want to capture
3. Release the mouse button and your selected area will be captured

This mode lets you capture non-rectangular areas which is useful for capturing irregularly shaped objects on screen.

Rectangular Snips

1. In Snipping Tool, click New > Rectangular Snip
2. Click and drag your mouse to form a rectangle around the area to capture
3. Release the mouse button and the area within the rectangle will be captured

This method is perfect for capturing rectangular content like program windows.

Window Snips

1. In Snipping Tool, click New > Window Snip
2. Hover over the window you want capture and click on it
3. The entire active foreground window will be automatically captured

This mode makes it easy to quickly grab shots of entire program windows with one click.

Full-screen Snips

1. In Snipping Tool, click New > Full-screen Snip
2. Your entire monitor display will instantly be captured

Just like the Print Screen key, this setting captures your full desktop view in one click.

Customizing and Saving Snips

Once you capture a snip using any mode, you can preview it in the Snipping Tool editor and use the built-in annotation tools.

Here are some ways to customize your screenshots:

• Crop, resize or rotate
• Draw, add text boxes, arrows
• Highlight or blur areas
• Add emojis or stickers

When you‘re happy with your screenshot, click the Save button to choose a save location on your computer and export it as a PNG, GIF, JPEG or other standard image formats.

The Snipping Tool gives you incredible flexibility to capture and customize screenshots exactly how you need them. It‘s built right into Windows so there‘s no extra software to install.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Screenshots

In addition to the Print Screen key and Snipping Tool methods, Windows also offers several keyboard shortcuts you can use to capture screenshots on a Dell laptop or desktop.

These allow you to activate screenshot capture from the keyboard without needing to open Snipping Tool.

Here are some of the most useful Windows screenshot keyboard shortcuts:

These keyboard shortcuts provide quick access to common screenshot functions, allowing you capture shots on the fly instantly.

They work in most apps and games too (with a few rare exceptions).

Finding Your Screenshot Files

Once you take screenshots using the above methods, you may be wondering where they are saved on your Dell computer. Here is where to find them:

Screenshots Folder

By default, most screenshots taken using the Print Screen key or Windows screenshot keyboard shortcuts will be saved to this folder path:

This PC > Pictures > Screenshots

So open your File Explorer to Pictures, then go to the Screenshots folder. All your shots should automatically save here by default.

Saved Manually

If you open screenshots in an editing program like Paint and choose Save As, you can manually select any custom save location you want like Documents, Desktop, etc.

So check those locations if you specifically chose an alternate save spot.

Snipping Tool Captures

Any screenshots taken with Snipping Tool will NOT save automatically – you have to manually click the Save button and choose a location each time.

Pay attention to the location you selected when saving or your screenshots from Snipping Tool may be lost.

Can‘t Find Screenshots?

If your screenshots did not get saved to any of the expected default locations listed above, use the Windows search bar to search your entire system.

Type keywords like "screenshot", "snip", or any part of the file name you remember. This should help you locate lost screenshot files.

Advanced Screenshot Software

While the built-in tools in Windows and Dell laptops work well for basic capture needs, you may want more advanced screenshot functionality. Here are some popular third-party screenshot tools to consider:

Lightshot

Lightshot is a free program that makes capturing screenshots fast and easy with just the click of a button. It also includes basic image annotation features.

Key Features:

• Quick full-screen & region captures
• Upload screenshots & share links instantly
• Draw, add arrows, text and stickies

Greenshot

Greenshot is an open source screenshot app with extensive capture, editing and sharing capabilities built-in.

Key Features:

• Interactive screen capture tools
• Annotate with lines, arrows, texts, etc
• Apply image effects like highlights and obfuscation
• Seamless exporting and sharing options

PicPick

PicPick touts itself as the "all-in-one" screenshot tool suite, with a huge range of capabilities from captures to editing to sharing and screen recording.

Key Features:

• Full-featured screen capture tools
• Advanced image annotation and editing options
• Built-in screen magnifier, color picker, pixel ruler & more
• Screen recording capabilities
• Support exporting to multiple file types

The above programs provide just a small sample of the variety of advanced screenshot utilities available across both free and paid options. They provide far greater overall functionality compared to the basics tools packaged with Windows.

Common Screenshot Problems & Fixes

While fairly straightforward in most cases, you may occasionally encounter issues trying to take screenshots on your Dell laptop or desktop. Here are some common problems and fixes.

Can‘t take screenshots with Print Screen key

Some possible reasons this key may not be working properly:

• Fn lock is enabled – Press Fn + Print Screen keys instead or disable Fn lock in BIOS
• Application is blocking – Some apps disallow screenshots, close program and try again
• Keyboard issues – Ensure keyboard is detected properly and key is mapped correctly

Black screenshots when printing video

If you get black screenshots instead of video captures, this is usually due to HDCP copyright protection on content not allowing captures. Try disabling hardware acceleration which may resolve this.

Large screenshots are low quality

By default Windows screenshot compression and quality settings usually favor smaller file sizes instead of maximum visual quality. You can adjust these settings to retain quality especially on very large and high-res displays.

Can‘t find screenshots I saved

As covered in the finding screenshots section earlier, Windows automatically saves screenshots to the Pictures > Screenshots folder in File Explorer by default in most cases. If yours are not saving here or you can‘t locate them through search, try setting a custom location like Desktop instead.

How can I edit screenshots?

While Snipping Tool has basic markup functionality, for advanced editing options you will want to open screenshots in a dedicated image editor like Paint 3D, Photoshop Express, GIMP or other editor suited to your needs. These tools allow you to modify images extensively after capturing.

If you encounter screenshot problems not covered above or need troubleshooting help, posting a question to Dell‘s technical support forum can often provide solutions. Include key details like model number, OS version and screenshots of any error messages.

Tips for Taking Better Screenshots

Here are some handy tips and best practices when using the various screenshot methods covered in this guide:

• When using Snipping Tool, turn off Tablet Mode for easier captures
  • The toolbar stays on screen which can get in the way otherwise
• Close unnecessary windows and programs in the background for clean captures
• Zoom out browser windows and programs if you need to capture an entire page or window
• Show hidden icons in the system tray if needed before capturing
• Preview before saving so you can re-take if part is missing
• Use keyboard shortcuts for quick captures without switching tools
• Rename files to something descriptive so you can find shots later

Following these tips will allow you to grab higher quality, more useful screenshots with minimal hassle.

Next Steps and Learning More

Taking screenshots is a vital skill every Dell laptop and desktop owner should know. With the built-in Windows tools and keyboard shortcuts covered in this guide, you can quickly capture shots of your entire display or specific parts of the screen.

Some key next steps as you advance your screenshot abilities even further:

• Experiment with Snipping Tool capture modes to master precision screenshot captures
• Customize and apply annotations, cropping etc to boost the clarity of your shots
• Learn how to screen record video of your desktop screen activity guide instead of static images
• Install advanced third party screenshot and screen recording software as needed
• Share screenshots digitally via cloud storage services, screenshot hosting sites, social media etc

Becoming adept at capturing and managing screenshots across various needs makes you a more savvy Windows user. Informational blogs, Dell‘s technical support forums and the active screenshot user community offer a wealth of deeper knowledge to build upon the core methods outlined here today.

So now that you know all the fundamentals, it‘s time to start snipping away!