How to Take a Screen Shot
Wired PC Guys
Helping home users and small businesses with their tech support needs

spacer spacer

This is a great way to show me what you're seeing on your computer screen. As descriptive as you may be and as great as my imagination might be, sometimes there's a disconnect, and I just can't see in my mind what you're describing. The solution is a picture!

  1. Whatever you would like to take the snapshot of should be on the screen.
  2. Press the Print Screen (or PRNT SCRN) button.
  3. Open Microsoft Word.
  4. Select File, then Page Setup.
  5. Select Landscape.
  6. If desired, change the margins to maximize print space.
  7. Press OK button.
  8. You may find it helpful to change the zoom factor for the document by going to View then Zoom and changing it to Whole page.
  9. Paste the screen shot on the document by selecting Edit, then Paste (or press CTRL + V).
  10. Increase the size of the image if desired by clicking on the image, then dragging the sides or corners to resize.
  11. Print or save for sharing with your favorite troubleshooter.

If you do not have Microsoft Word, or are having trouble with Word, you can do the following, to replace Step 3 and following in the above instructions.

  1. Open Paint (Start, All Programs, Accessories, Paint).
  2. Paste the screen shot on the document by pressing CTRL + V.
  3. Under File, Page Setup, change the following options:
    • Orientation: Landscape
    • Scaling: Fit to 1 by 1 page
  4. Hit OK.
  5. Print or save for sharing with your favorite troubleshooter.