How to Take Screenshots on an HP Computer

This article provides a step-by-step guide on capturing your screen on an HP computer. By default, HP computers run on the Windows operating system, so you'll use Windows-based methods to achieve this.

Locate the "Print Screen" key ⎙ PrtScr. The "Print Screen" key is typically found in the upper-right corner of the keyboard, near the Delete key.

• If your keyboard includes a numeric keypad on the right, the prt sc key will be on the left side of the top row within the numeric section.
• Note that the label "prt sc" (or something similar) might appear at the top or bottom of the key. If it's at the bottom, below another label, you may need to use the Fn key in combination.

Locate the "Windows" key ⊞ Win. This key, featuring the Windows logo, is typically positioned in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.

Find the Fn key if necessary. If the "prt sc" label is at the bottom of the key, beneath another label, you'll need to press the Fn key to activate the screenshot function.

• The Fn key is usually located in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.

Ensure the screen displays what you want to capture. Navigate to the page or program you wish to screenshot.

Hold down the ⊞ Win key. Make sure to continue holding it during the next step.

• If the "prt sc" label is below another label on the Print Screen key, you'll also need to hold the Fn key.

Press and hold the ⎙ PrtScr key. You only need to hold it for about a second.

• Ensure you're still holding the ⊞ Win key during this step.

Release all keys when the screen briefly dims. This indicates that Windows has successfully captured the screen content.

• If the screen doesn't dim, try releasing the prt sc key and pressing it again. If it still doesn't work, ensure you're holding the Fn key if you forgot earlier, or release the Fn key and try again if you were already holding it.

Locate the "Print Screen" key ⎙ PrtScr. The "Print Screen" key is typically found in the upper-right corner of the keyboard, adjacent to the Delete key.

• If your keyboard includes a numeric keypad on the right, the prt sc key will be on the left side of the top row within the numeric section.
• Note that the label "prt sc" (or something similar) might appear at the top or bottom of the key. If it's at the bottom, below another label, you may need to use the Fn key.

Find the Fn key if necessary. If the "prt sc" label is at the bottom of the key, beneath another label, you'll need to press the Fn key to activate the screenshot function.

• The Fn key is usually located in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.

Ensure the screen displays what you want to capture. Navigate to the page or program you wish to screenshot.

Press the ⎙ PrtScr key. This action copies the screenshot to your computer's clipboard.

• You won't see any visual indication that the screen has been captured.
• If the "prt sc" label is below another label on the Print Screen key, you'll also need to hold the Fn key.

Open Paint. Type paint, then click on Paint at the top of the Start menu.

Paste the screenshot into Paint. Press Ctrl+V to do this. The screenshot will appear in the Paint window.

• You can also click the Paste icon, which looks like a clipboard, in the top-left corner of the Paint window to paste the screenshot.
• If the screenshot doesn't paste, you may need to retake it while holding the Fn key (or not holding it if you previously did).

Click on File. This option is located in the top-left corner of the screen. Clicking it will open a dropdown menu.

Hover over Save as. This option is within the File dropdown menu. A submenu will appear.

Choose an image format. Click on PNG or JPEG in the submenu. After selecting, the File Explorer window will open.

• Ideally, use the PNG format as PNG files do not lose quality over time (unlike JPEG files). However, JPEG files take up significantly less storage space.

Enter the file name. Type the desired name for your screenshot into the "File name" text box near the bottom of the window.

Choose a save location. Click on the folder where you want to save the file on the left side of the window.

Click on Save. This button is located at the bottom of the window. Clicking it will save the screenshot to the selected folder.

Open Snipping Tool. Type snipping tool into the search bar, then click on Snipping Tool at the top of the Start menu.

Set the mode to "Rectangular Snip". Click on Mode at the top of the Snipping Tool window, then select Rectangular Snip from the dropdown menu. This sets the Snipping Tool to use the "Rectangular Snip" feature and switches it to screenshot mode.

• In newer versions, since "Rectangular Snip" is the default mode, you can simply click New on the left side of the Snipping Tool window to create a new screenshot.

Click and drag over the desired area of the screen. You'll see a red border around the area you're selecting.

• If you want to capture the entire screen, click and drag from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner.

Release the mouse. Once you let go of the left mouse button, the selected area will be captured. The screenshot will appear in the Snipping Tool window.

Save the screenshot. You can save the screenshot as an image file on your computer by following these steps:

• Click the "Save" icon, which looks like a floppy disk, at the top of the Snipping Tool window.
• Enter a name for the file in the "File name" text box.
• Choose a save location from the folders on the left side of the window.
• Click Save.

Experiment with different screenshot styles. When you click Mode at the top of the Snipping Tool window, a dropdown menu will appear with various options, each suited for different screenshot styles:

• Free-form snip — Allows you to select any part of the screen by clicking and freely drawing a shape. Release the mouse once you've outlined the area you want to capture.
• Window snip — Lets you capture an open window (like a browser window) without including anything else. Click on the window you want to screenshot.