If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a screenshot is worth a million. Screenshots allow you to capture exactly what you’re seeing on your screen. Screenshots can be used as visual evidence, something you can bring up and refer to when working on. They can also be used for sharing visuals with your teammates, such as a competitor’s ad on social media that you come across.
Whether you are an Apple or Windows user, prefer Google Chrome or Safari, you can take screenshots directly from your device. With a few clicks, a screenshot will be saved to your desktop or image library. That said, a third party screenshot app may prove useful, particularly if you find yourself editing your shots frequently. With an app, you can annotate screenshots and recordings and then easily share them with others.
With all this talk you may be thinking that you’re either underutilizing this tool or not using it to its fullest potential. If that is the case, this article is for you. Here is the lowdown on screenshots, including how to know what kind you need and how to best take them.
The Different Types of Screenshots and How to Capture Them
Before you can decide what type of screenshot is needed for the job, it’s important to know what is possible. There are four different types of screenshots: full-screen, designated area, window, and screen recording. There are different ways to take each type of screenshot. The below instructions are for Apple Mac users.
Full-Screen Shot
For a full-screen shot, press Command + Shift + 3 at the same time. A preview image will be seen on the bottom right corner of the screen before being saved on your desktop as a PNG file.
Designated Area
In many instances, you don’t want to take a full-screen shot but rather capture only a portion of your screen. By pressing Command + Shift + 4, you will trigger a cursor to appear. Use this cursor to drag and select exactly what you want to record. As before, a preview image will be seen on the bottom corner of your screen before being saved as a PNG file.
Window
If you’re like most people today, you have multiple tabs and windows open at the same time. Fortunately, a Mac allows you to capture a specific window. Click the Command + Shift + 4 followed by the Spacebar. Then, click on the window that you want to screenshot for the image to be automatically captured and saved.
Screen Recording
Lastly, a screen recording comes in handy when you need to obtain a video or moving image on the screen. Mac products have a built-in screen recording feature. To activate this, click Command + Shift + 5. This will open up the screen recording menu. Depending on your mac, you can engage with this menu button on screen or on your laptop itself. Most MacBook Pros, for instance, have a digital Touch Bar that can also be used to hit record and stop for the screen recording.
Example Use Cases for Still Screenshots
Now that you know what’s possible, how do you decide what is best for your specific need? Here are a few example use cases that may help you decide.
Let’s say you are chatting with a live customer service representative from a brand. They offer you a discount or promotional code before ending the conversation. Instead of grabbing a piece of paper and writing down the long code, you could use a window screenshot to quickly capture the code and your entire conversation. This can be beneficial if you need to refer back to your conversation or want to use the code for a future purchase.
Another instance when you may want to take a screenshot is if you notice a bug on your site. If you’re an editor, you may notice a site bug that has a banner ad covering part of the content. To show this to an engineer, you could take a full screen screenshot. This is more helpful than relaying the bug to the engineer via text. The engineer can try to replicate the problem on their end in order to resolve the issue.
Lastly, if you’re a designer working on a new project you may want to show your progress to your other teammates. That said, you may not want to reveal everything you’ve been working on. By using a designated area screenshot, you can choose exactly what you want to show — such as the edited portion of a photograph or illustration.
Example Use Cases for Screen Recordings
Moving on to screen recordings, there are various use cases for when leveraging this tool can be beneficial. To start, a screen recording can be valuable when creating instructional videos or training materials. If you’re in HR, having a screen recording of how to access and navigate through the benefits site is much simpler than an instruction booklet for new employees.
A screen recording can also come in handy when you need to train your team on a new software platform. Having a live recording of how the software works allows your employees to comprehend the new material quicker. They can refer back to the recording when they are using the software themselves for the first time. This can save you the hassle of answering random questions or going back and instructing everyone individually.
If you’re in sales, a screen recording can be leveraged to showcase your product. Seeing is believing, and a recording of how your product works can be more accessible than a verbal description. Inserting a screen recording into your presentation allows you to speak about it as the audience watches it in action. You can customize your recording for your client by annotating it, improving and refining your message even further.
Takeaways
The ironic saying, “take a picture it will last longer” couldn’t be more true for screenshots. As noted, the use cases for screenshots and screen recordings are nearly endless. After getting familiar with this tool, you’ll likely find yourself taking screenshots for daily use.
