How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell

November 2022 · 4 minute read

This wikiHow teaches you how to take and save a photo of your screen on a Dell computer. Navigate to a page on which you wish to take a screenshot. Anything that's on your screen (other than your mouse cursor) will be captured when you...

Method 2 of 3:

Using Windows XP, Vista, and 7

  • Picture 8 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Navigate to a page on which you wish to take a screenshot. Anything that's on your screen (other than your mouse cursor) will be captured when you take your screenshot, taskbar included.
  • For example, you might open a Facebook conversation you had with a friend.‎
  • Picture 9 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Locate the ⎙ PrtScr key. The "Print Screen" key is typically found in the upper-right side of Dell keyboards. Unlike other computer manufacturers' keyboards, the "Print Screen" key usually doesn't have anything else written on it.
  • The "Print Screen" key may be written a number of different ways, but "PrtSc" and "Prnt Scr" are the two most common variations.
  • Picture 10 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Press ⎙ PrtScr. Doing so will copy an image of your screen onto your computer's clipboard, from which you can paste it into an application that will allow you to save it as a picture.
  • Some Dell keyboards have "PrtSc" written in a different color than the regular key color (e.g., white). If so, you'll need to press Fn in the left corner of the keyboard while pressing ⎙ PrtScr.
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    Open the Start menu. You can do this by clicking either the Windows icon (Windows Vista and 7) or Start (Windows XP) in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or you can press the ⊞ Win key.

  • Picture 12 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Type paint into the Start menu. You should see the Paint application pop up at the top of the Start menu's window.
  • For Windows XP, click All Programs and then select the Accessories tab.
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    Click the Paint icon. It resembles a cup full of brushes (Windows XP and Vista) or a painting palette (Windows 7).

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    Hold down Ctrl and press V. This will paste your screenshotted image into Paint.

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    Click File. It's in the top-left corner of the Paint window.

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    Click Save. This will prompt a window wherein you can name your file.

  • Picture 17 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Type in a name, then click Save. Doing so will save your screenshot to your computer's default save location, which is usually the Documents folder.
  • You can change the save location by clicking on a folder in the left-hand sidebar.

    • Method 3 of 3:

    Using the Snipping Tool

  • Picture 18 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Open the Start menu. To do so, either press the ⊞ Win key, or click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  • The Snipping Tool is not available for Windows XP.
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    Type snipping tool into Start. This will pull up the Snipping Tool icon at the top of the Start window.

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    Click the Snipping Tool's icon. It resembles a pair of scissors. Doing so will open the Snipping Tool app.

  • Picture 21 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Click Mode or ▼. This will prompt a drop-down menu with the following screenshot shape options:
  • Free-form Snip – This lets you draw any shape with your mouse. The inside area of the shape will be captured for the screenshot.
  • Rectangular Snip –This is the default shape, and lets you draw a box of any proportions to use as the screenshot.
  • Window Snip – This takes a screenshot of a specific window, much like holding Alt and pressing Print Screen. You will be able to select which window you want to use.
  • Full-screen Snip – This takes a screenshot of the entire screen, but doesn't show the Snipping Tool window.
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    Click a shape. It will be applied to your screenshot template.

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    Change the border. By default, all snips will have a red border around them. You can change this by clicking the Options button. This will open a new window, allowing you to disable the border or change the color.

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    Click New. It's on the left side of the Snipping Tool bar. Your screen will dim, and your mouse's cursor will turn into a crosshair.

  • Picture 25 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Click and drag your mouse across the screen. As you do so, a rectangle will appear and encompass your selected area.
  • If you selected Full-screen Snip, clicking New will take the screenshot.
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    Release the mouse button. This will take a screenshot of anything within the rectangular area.

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    Click File. It's in the top-left corner of the screenshot's page.

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    Click Save as. This option is near the middle of the drop-down field.

  • Picture 29 of How to Take a Screenshot on a Dell Type in a name, then click Save. Doing so will save your screenshot to your computer's default visual media save location, which is typically the Pictures folder.
  • You can change the save location by clicking on a folder in the left-hand sidebar.
    • Jessica Tanner Jessica Tanner

    Update 05 March 2020

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