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Screenshots are an integral part of the digital world. A screenshot is a useful way of capturing an image of the screen and saving it for future reference. Maybe, a screenshot of a page will be useful in reminding you of something that you have seen before, or perhaps you want to show someone else what you are seeing on your screen. Either way, screenshots are an essential tool when it comes to the digital world.
In this blog post, we will talk about how to take a screenshot on a Dell Laptop that runs on Windows 8. This article provides you the easiest and most common methods that work both in the newer and older versions of Dell Laptops.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Take A Screenshot on Dell Laptop Windows 8
Screenshots play a vital role in our daily routine. It is a useful tool for recording information you tend to overlook or forget. Either for professional or personal usage, screenshots have wide-ranging use cases. Below are some reasons why you may want to take a screenshot on Dell Laptop Windows 8:
– For work purposes: Screenshots are useful tools for presentations, emails, tickets, user guides, FAQs, help, and support tickets.
– For personal use: You may want to share your gaming achievements with friends on social media, save a recipe for future use, or record an online transaction.
– For storing website information: You might want to take a screenshot of a website for future reference, especially when you don’t have an internet connection or as a backup for an important page.
Method 1: Using the Print Screen Button
This is the most common method of taking screenshots on a Dell Laptop. The Print Screen button is typically located on the upper-right-hand side of your keyboard.
- Press the Print Screen (PrtScn) key on your keyboard. This captures the entire screen and copies it to the clipboard.
- Open the Paint app or any image processing app.
- Press Ctrl + V to paste the screenshot onto your canvas.
- Press Ctrl + S to save your screenshot to your desired location.
Pros:
- It’s a default function of Windows, so you don’t need to install any additional software.
- It’s very simple to take screenshots on Dell Laptop using this method.
Cons:
- You need to open an image editor to edit or save the screenshot.
- You can only capture the full screen, not selected portions or specific windows.
Method 2: Using Windows + Print Screen Keys
This method is quicker and more comfortable than Method 1 since it saves the screenshot automatically in the screenshots folder.
- Press the Windows key + Print Screen (Windows + PrtScn) keys on your Dell Laptop Keyboard simultaneously.
- The screen will dim briefly to confirm that the screenshot has been captured.
- Open the File Explorer and navigate to the Pictures folder and then the Screenshots folder.
- Your screenshot will have an automatic filename and is saved as a PNG file.
Pros:
- It’s faster and easier compared to other methods.
- It automatically saves the screenshot in the Screenshots folder.
- You can still capture the full screen and not just selected portions or specific windows.
Cons:
- You need to have a Windows version higher or equal to Windows 8 in order to use this method.
- You can’t make annotations or edits to the image before it is saved.
Method 3: Using the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool is a built-in tool in the Windows operating system and allows you to capture part or a whole screen. You can annotate and highlight the captured image before saving.
- Click on the Start button and type ‘Snipping Tool’ into the search box.
- Open the Snipping Tool App.
- Click on the ‘New’ button in the Snipping Tool App.
- Click and drag the cursor on the screen to select the area you want to capture.
- You can add notes and annotations before you save the screenshot to your preferred destination by clicking on the Save Snip Icon.
Pros:
- You can capture a specific area, not just the entire screen.
- You can annotate and highlight captured images before saving them.
- It is available in Windows 8 and newer versions.
Cons:
- You need to open the Snipping Tool app every time you want to take a screenshot, which is inconvenient.
What to Do If You Can’t Take A Screenshot on Dell Laptop Windows 8
If you have tried all the methods described above and they failed to work, it could be an indication of a system error or a hardware failure. Follow these steps to resolve the issue:
– Check your laptop keyboard to ensure that no key is stuck.
– Update your Dell Laptop’s keyboard driver.
– Make sure that the software you are using is compatible with the operating system.
– Run a virus scan to detect any malware affecting your system.
– If all else fails, reboot your system or seek professional assistance.
Bonus Tip
Windows 8 has a metro-style application known as the Xbox app, which allows you to record your video game play on your Dell Laptop.
- Launch your video game and then press ‘Windows + G’ key on the keyboard.
- Click on the ‘Start Recording’ button in the Xbox App menu.
- Enter your preferred recording settings and click the ‘Record’ button.
- When you are finished with your game session, click on the ‘Stop Recording’ option.
- Your video recording will be saved to the ‘Captures’ folder in your Videos folder.
Pros:
- You can record your video game session or any other application on your Dell Laptop.
- You can customize the recording output and quality.
Cons:
- You cannot edit or annotate the recorded video in the Xbox app before saving.
- The recording option is only available in Windows 8 and higher versions.
5 FAQs
Q1: How can I take a screenshot of only a specific part of the screen?
A: You can use the Snipping Tool app (Method 3) to capture the specific region on your screen.
Q2: Can I take a screenshot of a video playing on my Dell Laptop Windows 8?
A: Yes, you can take a screenshot of a video playing on your Dell Laptop using any of the methods described above.
Q3: How can I share my screenshot with other people?
A: You can share your screenshot with others by attaching it to an email or message, uploading it to cloud storage, or sharing it through social media platforms.
Q4: Can I edit and annotate my screenshot before saving?
A: You can edit and annotate your screenshot using an image editor or the Snipping Tool app.
Q5: What should I do if my Print Screen button doesn’t work?
A: You can try using other screen capture software or Seek professional help from Dell Support.
Final Thoughts
Taking a screenshot is a task that most people perform every day, yet it’s not so obvious how to do it. Thankfully, you now know the easiest and most common methods to take a screenshot on Dell Laptop Windows 8. You can use any of the above methods to capture images from your screen. If you want to capture only a specific part of the screen, use the Snipping Tool app, while if you prefer faster and automatic saving to file, use Windows + PrintScreen key. If you do a lot of gaming, you can use the Xbox app to record your gameplay and then take screenshots from there. Happy Screen capturing!