How to make a simple screenshot of a web page

If you wanted to save a copy of something you saw online, do you know how to capture it into an image file? It’s easy, once you know how.

First, it’s not necessary to pull out a camera or smart phone and snap a blurry, glare-filled photo, which will probably include your own reflection on the screen. That works (in a pinch), but here’s a much better way.

Screensaver how-to's (on a PC):

1. Go to the web page you want to save. Make it full-screen, if you can.
2. Depress the CTRL (control) and PRT SCR (print screen) buttons on your computer keyboard at the same time. This captures and copies the web page.
3. Open a simple image editing program, such as PAINT. Click the file menu to create a new image file.
4. Depress the CTRL and V keys simultaneously to paste the web page into the image file.
5. Crop the margins of the image file, as desired. Save the file.

Screensaver how-to's (on a smart phone or tablet):

1. Go to the web page (or app) you want to save. Make it full-screen, if you can.
2. Depress the HOME and POWER buttons at the same time. This captures and copies the web page.
3. Use your photo editing options to crop the margins of the image file, as desired. Save the photo.

Boom! That’s it.

Your screenshot is ready for keeping or sharing.

Newer computer systems (and hand-held devices) offer simpler means of producing screenshots. But this method works on systems of nearly any age.

Why are screenshots handy?

Screenshots are handy for illustrating online articles or blog posts, recording interesting online content, or tracking potentially useful discussion threads on various websites. Plenty of internet users have kept screenshots of threatening comments or posts that may have evidentiary implications. And others have retained copies of images they simply liked.

Art and content producers often keep screenshots of their work, once it appears online, in case those websites should disappear at some point. Screenshots also make useful documentation of infringing copy or pirated work, if recourse is to be taken.

*** Bookmark this page for future reference on making screenshots. ***

But here’s a warning.

It’s illegal to reproduce copyrighted images or content, even via screenshots. Just because it’s easy to capture and copy something found online does not make it legal or ethical to do so. Permission is still required for reproduction, unless the content is in the public domain, or the screenshot maker actually owns the copyright.

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain artwork

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