Screenshots and screen recordings are essential for showing tech support your problem, sharing information, creating tutorials, or saving something for later. Master these techniques and you'll communicate more effectively and save hours of explanation.
Windows Screenshots
Built-in Options
- Print Screen: Captures entire screen to clipboard (paste with Ctrl+V)
- Alt + Print Screen: Captures active window only
- Win + Shift + S: Opens Snipping Tool for selecting a region
- Win + Print Screen: Saves full screen to Pictures/Screenshots folder
Snipping Tool (Windows 10/11)
The most versatile built-in option:
- Press Win + Shift + S
- Choose: Rectangle, Freeform, Window, or Full screen
- Click notification to open and annotate
- Draw, highlight, crop, then save
Best Windows Screenshot Apps
- ShareX (Free): Most powerful option—screen capture, recording, annotations, upload to cloud
- Greenshot (Free): Lightweight, quick annotations
- Snagit (Paid): Professional features, excellent for documentation
Mac Screenshots
Built-in Shortcuts
- Cmd + Shift + 3: Capture entire screen
- Cmd + Shift + 4: Select area to capture
- Cmd + Shift + 4, then Space: Capture specific window (with shadow)
- Cmd + Shift + 5: Opens Screenshot toolbar with all options
Screenshot Toolbar (Cmd + Shift + 5)
The most versatile Mac option:
- Capture entire screen, window, or selection
- Record entire screen or selection
- Options: Save location, timer, show cursor
Quick Edits
Click screenshot thumbnail (bottom right after capture) to:
- Crop and resize
- Add annotations, shapes, text
- Share directly
Best Mac Screenshot Apps
- CleanShot X ($29): Best Mac screenshot app—annotations, scrolling capture, cloud upload
- Shottr (Free): Lightweight with good annotation tools
- Skitch (Free): Simple annotations, Evernote integration
iPhone Screenshots
Taking Screenshots
- Face ID iPhones: Side button + Volume Up
- Home Button iPhones: Side button + Home button
- AssistiveTouch: Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch → Custom Actions
Editing Screenshots
- Tap the thumbnail immediately after capture
- Crop by dragging corners
- Use Markup tools: pen, highlighter, text, shapes, magnifier
- Tap + for more options: signature, text box, shapes
Full Page Screenshots
In Safari, take a screenshot then tap "Full Page" to capture the entire webpage as a PDF.
Android Screenshots
Taking Screenshots
- Most phones: Power + Volume Down
- Samsung: Also palm swipe (Settings → Advanced features → Palm swipe to capture)
- Pixel: Also power button menu → Screenshot
Scrolling Screenshots
Capture entire long pages:
- Samsung: After screenshot, tap "Scroll capture" button
- Pixel (Android 12+): "Capture more" button appears
- Others: Use LongShot app from Play Store
Editing
Tap the screenshot preview to edit with built-in tools: crop, draw, highlight, text.
Screen Recording
Windows
- Xbox Game Bar: Win + G, then click Record button (works for any app)
- Win + Alt + R: Start/stop recording immediately
- OBS Studio (Free): Professional recording and streaming
Mac
- Cmd + Shift + 5: Choose screen recording option
- QuickTime: File → New Screen Recording
iPhone
- Add Screen Recording to Control Center (Settings → Control Center)
- Open Control Center, tap record button
- Long press for audio options (microphone on/off)
Android
- Pull down Quick Settings, find Screen Record
- Choose to record audio (microphone, device audio, or both)
- Tap to stop when done
💡 Annotate Before Sharing
Screenshots are much more useful when you circle, highlight, or arrow the important parts. A marked-up screenshot saves back-and-forth explanation. Use red for visibility.
Pro Tips
- Blur sensitive info: Use pixelate/blur tools to hide personal data before sharing
- Use numbered annotations: For step-by-step instructions, number each action
- Crop generously: Remove unnecessary parts to focus attention
- Consistent styling: Use the same arrow/highlight colors for professional documentation
- Cloud screenshot tools: ShareX, CleanShot, and Droplr can auto-upload and give you a share link
Best Screenshot Annotation Tools
- Markup (iOS): Built-in, excellent for quick annotations
- Google Photos: Has markup tools on Android and iOS
- Skitch: Simple annotations, cross-platform
- Canva: For more polished, designed screenshots
Conclusion
Master your platform's built-in screenshot shortcuts first—they handle 90% of needs. Add a third-party tool if you need annotations, scrolling capture, or auto-upload. Always annotate important screenshots before sharing. A picture with an arrow is worth a thousand words of explanation.