How to Screenshot on Dell Laptop? All The Methods Explained

Screenshots are digital images or snapshots of the current display on a computer or mobile device. It provides a visual way to communicate and document information. It allows you to share precise details, highlight specific elements, and concisely offer context. 

Learning when and how to take screenshots is becoming increasingly important. With so many people communicating online and working from home, screenshots have become integral to sharing information.

This article explains several different ways to take screenshots on a Dell laptop. Scroll down below to start!

Five Methods To Take A Screenshot On A Dell Laptop

There are a few methods to take a screenshot on a Dell laptop. You can easily capture and share screenshots using the following:

• Keyboard shortcuts
• Built-in software
• Specialized third-party apps

Here are the best screenshot-taking options available on a Dell laptop: 

Method 1: Use the Print Screen (PrtSc) Button

Most computer keyboards include a print screen button. They are usually next to the function keys on the first row of the keyboard. The key's label is usually Prt Scr, but it could also be one of the following: 

• PrintScreen
• PrtScrn
• PrtScr
• PrtScn
• PrtSc

Here are two ways to use the print screen button to screenshot your screen: 

Print Screen (Prt Sc)

Image from BOB FM

These are the steps to taking a screenshot quickly using the PrtSc key: 

1. Go to the screen you want to screenshot. 
2. Locate the Print Screen key on your keyboard. 
3. Press the PrntSc key to capture the entire screen.                                                   Image source: Dell
4. If you only need to screenshot the active window, Press Alt + PrntSc keys.
5. Once captured, the screenshot is automatically saved to your computer's clipboard. 
6. Hit Ctrl + V to paste your screenshot into your document, email message, file, or image editor. 

You have successfully captured a snapshot of your screen. Feel free to edit, resize, crop, and save parts of that image to your liking.

Windows Key + Prt Sc

You can save your screenshot as a PNG file by pressing Windows Key + Print Screen. The command will capture and save your screen in your screenshot folder and clipboard. 

Here are the steps to do this: 

1. Press the Windows and Print Screen keys simultaneously. Your screen will dim for a second, indicating that the screenshot was taken. 
   
   

   Image source: Dell

2. Press Windows key + E to open your file explorer.
3. Go to the Screenshots folder to check your screenshot. You can rename your screenshot, insert it into a document or email message as a picture, or edit it in an image editor.

Print Screen (Prt Sc) Button Not Available on Keyboard

If you have searched your keyboard and can not find the print screen key, your Dell laptop may not have one. But don’t worry; you can still take a screenshot even if you do not have that key. 

Here are the steps on how to screenshot on a Dell laptop without a Print Screen button:  

1. Find first the Function, or Fn key, and the Insert key. 
2. To screenshot, press and hold down the Fn + Insert keys together.  
3. Alternatively, simultaneously press the Fn key + Windows key + Space bar. This key combination will capture your window screen, like pressing the Print Screen key.  

Method 2: Take Screenshots with Windows Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool was added to Windows 7 and is available in Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It is a built-in screenshot tool that allows you to customize the screenshot area.  

Here are the detailed steps to take screenshots using Window's built-in snipping tool:

1. In the Windows search bar, type Snipping Tool and click Open.
2. Click New.
3. You can take a snapshot of all or part of your laptop screen using one of the following capture modes.

• Rectangular snip: It provides you with a ‘+’ to draw the area of the snip. Drag the mouse cursor around the area you want to capture to form a rectangle.
• Freeform snip: Draw a freeform shape around the screen area.
• Window snip: It allows you to capture an active window.
• Full-screen snip: You can capture the entire screen, including the taskbar. 

1. After capturing, the screenshot is automatically copied into a Snipping Tool window where you can make changes, save, or share.
2. To save your screenshot, click the Save icon or hit the Ctrl + S keys on your keyboard. By default, snips are saved to the Screenshots folder within your Picture folder.
3. From there, you can rename your screenshot and decide to save it as a PNG, GPG, or GIF.

Press the Windows key + Shift Key + S key to take a quick screenshot using the snipping tool. 

Method 3: Make Use of a Gamebar

With Game Bar's features, you can take screenshots on your Dell laptop even when you are not playing a game. Microsoft has included the built-in Xbox Game Bar on Windows, allowing screenshots and video recording. 

Here are the steps to use it: 

1. Use the Windows + G hotkey to launch the Game Bar. 
2. Find and click the Capture icon on the menu to bring out the Capture widget.
   
   
   
3. Click on the Camera button to take a screenshot. You can also record the video clip by pressing the record button.
4. Screenshots and video clips are saved in PNG and MP4 formats. Open your File Explorer, then go to Videos>Captures folder or the Game Bar's Gallery. 

Method 4: Use a Third-Party App

Using a reliable third-party tool is another way to capture the screen on your Dell laptop. Third-party apps have a lot of extra features, like the ability to add annotations, type text, crop, take videos, share photos, and much more.

One of the top apps for taking screenshots is Lightshot. This free screenshot tool allows you to take shareable, customizable screenshots quickly.  Here are the steps to use Lightshot: 

Install  Lightshot

Before you can use Lightshot, you need to install it on your 

system. Here’s a quick guide: 

1. Visit the Lightshot homepage and select Download for Windows.
   
   Image source: Lightshot
   
   
2. Click on Setup File and allow the application to make changes on your computer.
3. Select your preferred language and Accept the Terms and Conditions.
4. Click Finish to complete the setup. 

Take a Screenshot Using Lightshot

To begin taking screenshots with Lightshot, do the following steps: 

1. Press the Print Screen key on your keyboard. Your screen will dim slightly, and you can use your pointer to select the area you want to capture. 
2. You can draw, add text, or add figures to the clip by clicking on the icons on the left-side menu. 
3. Click the Save icon in the bottom menu to save the screenshot. You can print, copy, search for similar images, share, or upload your screenshot to the cloud. 

All screenshots will be saved as JPEGs on your computer. You can copy and paste them into other programs, like Microsoft Paint. Alternatively, uploading an image to the cloud generates a link that opens the image on a new webpage. 

Check out these Lightshot hotkeys to make your screenshot experience better with Lightshot: 

Alternative Screenshot Apps

Aside from Lightshot, there are several other screenshot apps that you can use to capture your screen. There are paid ones and free ones. 

Here are five other apps you can look into: 

Snagit 

           

  Image source: PC Mag

Snagit is the most feature-rich app for Windows. It is simple to use and lets you capture screenshots in seconds, with additional editing features for manipulating output files.  

Users can try for a free trial, yet pricing for a one-time purchase starts at $62.99 per 1-4 users.

Greenshot 

Image source: Steemit

Greenshot is an open-source app that captures screenshots in various ways. It allows you to quickly capture screenshots that you can easily edit, add notes to, and hide parts of. 

PicPick 

It includes a powerful capture tool, an image editor, a color picker, and many other features. PicPick provides tools for quickly capturing screenshots and editing them for various purposes.  

PicPick is free to use for regular users. However, businesses must purchase the app for a Single Plan of $30 for 2 users or a Team Plan of $120 for 5 users.

ShareX

Image source: GetSharex

ShareX, a free and open-source program, lets you screenshot and share any part of your screen with a single key press. It also allows you to upload images to a variety of supported destinations. 

Editing and Organizing Screenshots

Cropping and resizing screenshots are everyday tasks for editing and organizing visual content. Here are some tips to help you efficiently edit and organize screenshots: 

1. Determine the Purpose

Before you edit a screenshot, consider its purpose. Knowing what you need to capture will help you make cropping decisions. 

2. Avoid Excessive Compression

Optimize compression settings for resizing and saving screenshots to maintain image quality and balance file size.

3. Highlight the Essential Areas

Annotate screenshots using tools or image editing software to highlight specific areas, using boxes, arrows, or lines for guidance.

4. Remove Unnecessary Elements

Before taking a screenshot, prepare the screen, check for extraneous elements, browser bars, irrelevant toolbars, and cluttered backgrounds.

5. Resize for Specific Platforms

Resize images for optimal display on websites, social media, and presentations for optimal user experience.

6. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcuts to speed up the screenshot process and editing while removing elements from the screen.

7. Consider File Formats

Select a suitable format for saving screenshots through workload and intended use to avoid redoing them.

8. Batch Processing

Utilize batch processing for large screenshots to expedite the editing process.

9. Organize and Name Files

Implement a systematic approach to organizing screenshots using descriptive folder names and consistent naming conventions.

10. Archive Older Screenshots

Regularly review and archive screenshots to maintain a streamlined, organized file of relevant images.

11. Make a Visual Index

Create a visual index for frequently used screenshots, providing a quick reference for your entire collection.

Wrapping Up

Taking screenshots on a Dell laptop can be done in many ways. The easiest way to do it is to look for "Print Screen" on your keyboard. Also, Windows has a built-in snipping tool that lets you take screenshots of any part of your screen. 

If you want more features, there are free tools that can help you take screenshots. Lightshot is an excellent third-party tool that lets you take screenshots with extra features.