Summary: Windows includes screen capture by default, but if you use it often and rely on it alone, you don't know what you're missing.
One of the more surprising questions I get fairly often has nothing at all to do with computer problems, Windows configuration or general computing. It's very simple:
"How'd you get that cool tear-off look to your screen captures?"
I use SnagIt.
By the way, this is what they're talking about:
As with any utility like this, I'm certain that there are many alternatives, but I've been using SnagIt for several years now and have been exceptionally pleased with how quick and easy it is to use.
But I had to be convinced.
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The issue, of course, is that all versions of Windows include screen captures. Just hit the Print Screen key and a copy of the current screen is placed into the clipboard. You can then paste that into your favorite image editing application and go to town.
After using SnagIt for about five minutes, I realized what I'd been missing.
SnagIt allows for much better control of what portion of the screen you're capturing. It's trivial to capture exactly and only the window you want, to specify an area you want, or to capture the entire screen as before, if that's what you would like. Even better, SnagIt includes "scrolling capture" which automatically does things like capture an image of entire web page, even if the page is much taller than your screen.
As powerful as the capture utility is, I also find myself using SnagIt's image editor by itself as well. Yes, I have PhotoShop, but SnagIt's editor is a quick an easy way to add highlights, arrows, boxes and whatnot to captured images. If you see an arrow I've placed on one of the screen shots on the site, that was all of about two or three mouse clicks worth of work to add.
And, of course, the SnagIt editor is where I get those fancy torn edges (one of several options, I might add) when I only want to show a part of a window or dialog.
SnagIt is also more than screen shots. While I haven't played with it much, SnagIt also includes a PDF capture printer driver, so you can capture by printing to PDF as well.
As you can tell from various examples on Ask Leo! I rely on SnagIt a fair amount. It's one of the applications I keep running at all times - it's just too handy.
If capturing on-screen images is a part of what you do, or is something that would just help you be more effective at what you do, SnagIt's worth checking out.
I recommend it.
Related:
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What's a Screen Shot, and how do I make one? A screen shot is an image of your entire computer screen, and it is fairly easy to capture this image.
Article C3457 - July 25, 2008
there is this built-in application in Vista called "Snipping Tool". It allows you to cut a portion of screen. It also has an option for free-form select which gives a certain tear-off look. Definitely not as cool as Leo's screen shots but pretty useful for something free. and you can do some editing too.
I wish OneNote2007 also allowed such free-form screen capturing because in OneNote, manipulation and editing possibilities are all round.
Posted by: novice at July 26, 2008 9:15 AMto be honest , yes Snagit is very powerful tool to take screenshots and it come with tons of features that make you more control, but for me and for others too the price of the program is too high , especially it is just screen capture program.any way thanks Leo for the article ...
Posted by: peter at July 28, 2008 1:50 AMhttp://www.fosdir.com
I agree Snagit is the "Rolls" in its class BUT for the average user it has too many options A more down to earth "Ford" FREE solution is GADWIN PRINT SCREEN
Posted by: Ronald Jones at July 30, 2008 5:56 AMGood Lord LEO! I've had Snagit 8 all this time and never used the Editor. Thanks for letting me know about this great option.
I tell you.....I don't know what I'd do without Snagit! I go to a site and grab what I want. I love it!
Posted by: Linda at July 30, 2008 9:07 PMLeo,
I tried to buy Snagit but it is only sold in hard copy and the company would not ship to Australia. Is there some way of buying just a downoad?
Thanks.
-Leo
Try this tool - faster, cheaper, nicer!
Posted by: Allan Cass at October 25, 2008 5:52 AMEasy Screen Capture and Annotation
FastScreen Capture is a great little program. It captures screen, freehand select and best of all it captures scroll. I often capture scroll a page and save it as a bitmap file for future reference.
Posted by: Roberet Baines at January 7, 2009 5:53 AMI like Snag-It's "rolling" capability, but 95% Fast Stone Screen Capture does everything I need. For free.
Posted by: Mike Howell at September 1, 2009 10:01 AMI use FastStone Capture which is very good with editing tools, comment boxes, arrows, etc. This is the last free version: http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/mmedia/FastStoneCapture.html The latest version costs $19.95 lifetime (I believe).
Posted by: WHS at September 1, 2009 10:40 AMI use irfanview for: print screens, adding text, cropping, resizing pictures, gama and color corrections, special effects, etc... it's free on the Tucow site.
Posted by: Luc at September 4, 2009 8:45 AMSalut.