Find your operating system on the list below and follow the steps to take a screenshot.
To upload your screenshot once you've taken it, you need to upload it to the internet. To do this, use an image hosting website. Imgur is a good one because it is free, easy to use, has good privacy options, and doesn't delete uploads. You can upload a picture by opening its front page and pressing Ctrl+V (paste), or clicking 'New post'. Then, copy a link to the picture that appears and include it in your post.
You can also use any other hosting service you're comfortable with. Discord is a popular alternative if you are familiar with it.
To embed a picture in your post (i.e. not just putting a link to it), follow this guide.
Windows
Option 1: Print Screen
This option will let you take a full screenshot of your computer screen, or a picture of the window that is in focus.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Press
PrtSc on your keyboard. This will copy a picture of your screen to the clipboard. Alternatively, Alt+PrtSc will capture only the window that is in focus (if any). For example, you can capture only your browser window.
- If you want to save your own copy of the screenshot, open any graphics editor (for example, Paint or Paint 3D) and paste with
Ctrl+V.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post.
Option 2: Snipping Tool
This option will let you manually select a portion of your screen to copy. Note: Use the 'Snip & Sketch' program if/when Microsoft retires Snipping Tool, as they threaten to do.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Open the 'Snipping Tool' application on your computer. Press the Windows key and search for 'Snipping Tool', then open it.
- Press 'New', then click and drag a rectangle across your screen where you want to capture an image. If you missed it, press 'New' another time to try again.
- The picture is automatically sent to the clipboard. You can draw on it if you like. If you do, press
Ctrl+C to copy the new picture when you're done.
- You can press
Ctrl+S to save the picture to your PC if you want.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post.
On Windows 10, you can also press Windows+Shift+S and select an area to screenshot without opening Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch. After doing this, your screenshot will be copied to your clipboard and a notification on the bottom of the screen will show up, where you can save the picture to your PC.
macOS
This guide is adapted from Apple's official guide here.
Option 1: Full-screen screenshot
This will take a screenshot of your entire screen, then save it to your desktop.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Press
Shift+Cmd+3. A thumbnail of the picture will appear in the corner of your screen; you may click it to edit it. Otherwise, the picture will be saved to your desktop.
- Move the screenshot somewhere else if you don't want it on your desktop.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post. You will need to find the screenshot in your computer's file browser -- it will be easy to find if it's still on your desktop.
Option 2: Capture a portion of the screen
This will let you select a potion of your screen, then save a picture of it to your desktop.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Press
Shift+Cmd+4. Then, click and drag a rectangle across your screen across the desired area. A thumbnail of the picture will appear in the corner of your screen; you may click it to edit it. Otherwise, the picture will be saved to your desktop.
- Move the screenshot somewhere else if you don't want it on your desktop.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post. You will need to find the screenshot in your computer's file browser -- it will be easy to find if it's still on your desktop.
Option 3: Capture a window or menu
This will let you choose a window on your screen to take a screenshot of, or a menu within a window.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Press
Shift+Cmd+4+Space. Then, click the element of your screen that you want to capture. A thumbnail of the picture will appear in the corner of your screen; you may click it to edit it. Otherwise, the picture will be saved to your desktop.
- Move the screenshot somewhere else if you don't want it on your desktop.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post. You will need to find the screenshot in your computer's file browser -- it will be easy to find if it's still on your desktop.
iOS and iPadOS
This guide is adapted from Apple's iPhone guide here and iPad guide here.
On mobile, you can capture a full picture of your screen, then optionally use in-built applications to crop it.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- If your device has a Home button, press the Home button and the power button at the same time. If your device doesn't have a Home button, press the Power button and Volume Up button at the same time. (The timing is finicky on some devices.) This will save the screenshot to your photo album.
- If you want to edit the picture, find it in your Photos app and find the editing options when the picture is open.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post. Choose the 'Camera Roll' or 'existing file' option if you're prompted.
Android
On mobile, you can capture a full picture of your screen, then optionally use in-built applications to crop it.
- Put the subject of your screenshot on your screen.
- Press the Power button and Volume Up button at the same time. If this doesn't work, then try Volume Down instead. If that doesn't work, then search for instructions online for your device. The screenshot will be saved to your device's storage.
- If you want to edit the picture, find it in your Photos app and find the editing options when the picture is open.
- Upload the picture to an online hosting service, copy the link to it, and put it in your post. If you're prompted, tell the device to choose an exising file, then find it in your device's memory.
Linux
Will add this later (I'd need to research how as I've only used Linux on other people's computers). If you're using Linux, you probably know how to take a screenshot anyway :)
