Screenshot utilities for Windows

Question

What are some good screenshot programs for Windows, preferably free? Obviously I know I can hit the Print Screen key and paste that into Paint and save it, but I'm looking for something that makes it simple. Bonus points if it can automatically upload to an image host.

Answer 1

I use ScreenShot Captor (free donationware) on Windows and Skitch on OS X (free public beta).

Screenshot Captor Features:

• Optimized for taking lots of screenshots with minimal intervention.
• Smart autonaming of files, and ability to embed textual comments in files.
• Good multi-monitor support.
• Highly configurable to make it work the way you want it to; stays out of your way in the system tray.
• Lots of capture modes: Multimon (multiple monitors), Desktop, Active Window, Region, Windows Object. Each mode has a hotkey for quick access.
• Unique Cool Effects, including automatic active window enhancement (see pictures below).
• Unsurpassed support for 3rd party user configurable tools, including file browsers and image editors; extend the program to do whatever you need by interfacing it with other programs.
• Slimline sidebar file browser provides full shell operations.
• Optional automatic image file versioning.
• Automatically finds boundaries of non-rectangular/themed windows.
• Autoscroll capture for windows too big for screen.
• Deluxe thumbnail maker.
• Quick PostCapture PopUp Dialog.
• Quick Screenshot Emailer Menu.

Answer 2

Picpick is terrific!

Answer 3

On a Mac they're all built in:

At work I use Hypersnap, which provides pretty much the same features (along with some more advanced ones) for Windows - A free trial is available, but the full version costs about $35.

Answer 4

Window Clippings is the best screenshot utility I've found – especially for Vista and Windows 7. It can capture individual windows as PNGs, preserving the transparent window chrome and window shadow. It has a lot of other cool/useful features, too. It's not free, but it's well worth the $18 registration fee.

Answer 5

PrtScr take a look at this, I tried many before but when I met this small application, I falled in love with it

it's free, simple and stylish

Answer 6

On Windows XP I use HoverSnap. It's simple, binds to PrintScreen keypress (with optional ctrl / alt - alt+PrintScreen 'shots' current, active window) and puts .png (or .jpg) images into specified folder. Nothing too fancy but does it's job.

Also, when I was trying to find some Win tool for this, this one was one of few that worked well with multi-screen setup I have.

Answer 7

What are your needs? If I need a quick one-off of my screen to include in a document I just use Print Screen (Alt-Print Screen to get only the active window) and paste into GIMP to get what I need.

If you need something a little more sophisticated (automated screenshots at set intervals), I've used SnagIt in the past. It works pretty well, but the free version only gives you a limited number of trials (30 if I remember right).

Answer 8

Abduction! is a useful tool for capturing web pages.

Answer 9

I like Cropper. Its got some decent plugins, and is an open source .NET app, which I like to support.

Answer 10

For the Mac, aside from the usual [meta-]shift-cmd-3/4 keyboard shortcuts, there's a bundled utility called Grab that can help. Grab might be easier to remember and find (just press cmd-space and write "grab" into Spotlight) and it also has timed screenshots, which you can't achieve with the shortcuts.

Answer 11

I've found that using the snipping tool in Vista combined with Outlook/Word is incredibly fast and easy. I habitually take screenshots for clients and add a drop shadow and resize in Outlook.

I can't tell you how many times a day I do this:

winkey -> "snip" -> [enter] -> choose snipping area -> alt+tab to email -->
ctrl+v -> apply drop shadow -> resize -> done!

Answer 12

Use GrabUp. It's amazing tool. It's available in both windows and mac.

www.grabup.com

Answer 13

I like Lightscreen. An open source windows tool.

Screenshots + descriptions of many of the tools mentioned here available: LifeHacker - Five Best Screen Capture Tool.

Answer 14

Snagit is your Powerhouse program. it can do just about anything you can think to do with a screen capture.

but on the free end I like http://lightscreen.sourceforge.net/

Answer 15

ImageShack QuickShot is a pretty good one, with automatic uploading.

Answer 16

Gyazowin is a great screen grab tool that uploads it within an instant.

Answer 17

AnyHub Uploader is nice. It is primarily a file upload tool, although there is a 'Take Screenshot and Upload' feature in the tray icon's menu.

Answer 18

I really like Lightscreen Portable. It can sit quietly in your tray until you activate the hotkeys, it can do a timed capture so you have a chance to get the screen how you want it, and best of all, it's portable (and free) so you can run it on computers where you aren't allowed to install anything.

Answer 19

Surprised no one has mentioned xNview? Its great for screenshots as well as converting images to any one of a zillion formats.

Answer 20

Yeah, xNview is nice for screenshots if the build in snipping tool isn't enough.

Answer 21

Here you go.

Answer 22

If you want simple and free give Snippy a shot. http://www.bhelpuri.net/Snippy You can select either a box or a lasso to capture. You can optionally have it give your Screenshot a boarder. Makes it a bit more clean if you are going to put it in an email or word doc.

Answer 23

Jing is made by the Snag It people, but is just the bare essentials. It has capture of images and short video, easy saving and sharing and basic editing/markup tools. And it's free. It's a really great product.

Answer 24

I've been using QLiner Hotkeys Screen shot tool/plugin. It allows you to quickly vary the size, gives you a nice grid to get the proper dimensions you're looking at. In addition, you have a great quick launch tool to boot!

Answer 25

FREE WinSnap is the best.

It is true (as people pointed) winSnap is not free anymore, but you can stil (leagaly) use the free version, you simply don't get updates and it is frozen in time. Just search for winSnap v1.1 (notice not all Google hits are truly 1.1, pay attention).

second runner up is Cropper

Answer 26

I'm a huge fan of Jing. Although it doesn't offer very many features, it makes sharing screenshots extremely easy. As soon as you grab a screen capture, it uploads the image to screencast.com, and then copies a link to your clipboard so that you can paste it into an email or instant message.

Alternatively, you can copy the image directly to your clipboard, or you can upload it to an FTP server.

Best of all, its free :-D

Answer 27

Skitch is also popular for mac users

Answer 28

I use regularly ScreenHunter free. The only nuisance is the lack of PNG support. Apart from that it's great - offers great capturing tool with zoom and visually different borders, supports auto-naming of the created files, custom key shortcuts.

Answer 29

I'll go with Ross and recommend Abduction. It lets you capture an entire web page, no matter how long it is, as a single image.

Answer 30

The free version of Evernote has a built-in screen capture tool. Also, you could get a free version of Snagit 7. You just had to download it and register for a license. I'm not sure this is still available.