How to Screenshot on HP Laptop or Desktop Computers
Screengrabs, screencaps, screenshots - whatever you want to call them, this unique operation allows you to capture an image of your computer desktop.
Screenshotting comes in handy at work when you want to show coworkers webpage edits, or when Skype-calling during the holidays and you want to snap a pic of your family from across the country. Being able to grab those moments directly from your screen and save them as image files is one of the game-changers of the modern computer age.
As one of the world’s industry leaders in computer manufacturing, HP® continues to make giant leaps and strides toward optimizing computer convenience. We’ll walk you through the many ways you can capture an image of your desktop, from pressing a few keyboard buttons to employing screen casting software.
How to take a screenshot on an HP laptop
The default way for full screen
HP desktops and laptops run Windows or Chrome operating systems, which means you can snap screenshots via a simple keyboard click. Typically located at the top right of your keyboard, the Print Screen key may be abbreviated as PrtScn or Prt SC. This button will allow you to capture your entire desktop screen.
However the captured image is not immediately saved, it’s actually copied to your computer’s clipboard. Follow these steps to turn that floating screengrab into an image file you can save.
- Press the Windows key and Print Screen at the same time to capture the entire screen. Your screen will dim for a moment to indicate a successful snapshot.
- Open an image editing program (Microsoft Paint, GIMP, Photoshop, and PaintShop Pro will all work).
- Open a new image and press CTRL + V to paste the screenshot. You can also right-click and press Paste.
- Save the file as a JPG or PNG and place it into an easily accessible folder for quick sharing.
The alternative default way for partial screen
When you don’t want to take a screenshot of your entire screen, but rather a portion of your screen, using Snip & Sketch makes selective screenshotting easier than ever.
Windows 10 laptops introduced the new default feature in an October 2018 update, effectively allowing users to grab portions of their screen without the need for third-party applications. These steps will guide you through the grab and save process.
- Press the Windows key + Shift + S at the same time. Your screen will fade to a white overlay and your cursor will change from a pointed cursor to a crosshair cursor.
- Select the portion of your screen that you wish to grab. The snippet will disappear from your screen and copy onto your computer’s clipboard.
- Open an image editing program.
- Open a new image and tap CTRL + V to paste the screenshot.
- Save the screenshot as a JPG or PNG file and place it into an easy access folder.
Snipping tool
Whether your laptop operates on Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, or 10, the snipping tool is an excellent integrated feature that allows you to select any-size portions of your screen for instant grabbing.
Since all Windows desktop computers come equipped with the snipping tool, the application lives within your start menu. Once accessed, these steps will lead you through a seamless 3-step screenshotting process.
- Within the snipping tool application, press “New” or CTRL + N to create a new snip.
- Using the crosshair cursor, drag the cursor to make a rectangular outline of the desired area.
- Within the snipping tool toolbar, press the disk icon to save the screenshot as a PNG or JPEG file.
The snipping tool comes with a number of added perks that allow you to switch modes. In addition to the standard rectangular snip, you can snip in three other ways.
- Free-form snip allows you to capture in any shape or form. Circles, ovals, or figure 8’s are easily captured with the free-form mode.
- Window snip takes a screenshot of your active window with one easy click.
- Full-screen snip captures an entire display. This is especially handy for dual monitor display users who want to screenshot both screens at once.
Snipping tool also features a pen and highlighter option that allows you to draw on your screenshot to make annotations and point-outs clear and easy.
Snagit
Perfect for the avid annotator and photo editor, Snagit offers an easy-to-use interface and a number of added features that make screenshotting a breeze.
From capturing screenshots to resizing and editing them, Snagit also supports video grabbing that can record a scrolling screen. These steps will ensure you’re screen grabbing with efficiency.
- Once downloaded, open the Snagit application.
- At the top of your screen, press the red circle button to access the screenshot camera.
- Select the camera icon for a screenshotted image or the recorder icon for a screenshotted video.
- Select the portion of the screen you wish to snap.
- Your desktop image will appear in the Snagit application. You can edit, annotate, resize, copy, and save the clipped image from there.
How to take a screenshot on an HP tablet
The default way
Whether your HP tablet operates on Windows or Android, figuring out how to screenshot on a tablet is a bit different than how to screenshot on an HP desktop or laptop. Instead of using keyboard buttons or integrated screenshot tools, you’ll only need to follow an easy two-step process.
- Press and hold the power button and volume down button at the same time. After about a 2 second hold, the screen will flash, indicating a screenshot has been taken.
- Go into your tablet’s photo folder to find the screenshotted image.
Super Screenshot
Though your device’s integrated photo editor may have cropping and resizing ability, it may not be as efficient as using an application that allows portioned screen grabs.
Super Screenshot allows you to select the desired area while giving you added features like text, annotations, blurring, and resizing. Super Screenshot also features an easy share button that lets you send your picture to another file location with a simple button-press process.
Whatever method you choose, the ability to screenshot means you can preserve important documents or images, whether that means you’re taking a screen grab of your movie tickets or just a funny text conversation.
