How to Copy & Paste a Screen

There is a step-by-step process by which one may copy and paste an image of one's screen---also known as
"taking a screen shot"--into an image program and save it as an image file. Note that while there are a variety of different image programs one could use for this purpose, they will all accomplish the purpose with the same results; as Microsoft Paint (one such program) is native to all Windows operating systems, that program is familiar and easy to use.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Load the image of your screen that you'd like to save, and then find the "Print Screen" button on your keyboard. Once you have found the "Print Screen" button, press it once.

2. Click your cursor on the "Start" button on the bottom-left of your screen. This will bring up the "Start" menu. On the menu, immediately above the "Start" button you've just clicked, you will see a button entitled "Programs" or "All Programs." Scroll your mouse cursor over this button; leave the cursor there for a moment. Soon, the "Start" menu will expand, and a list of shortcuts to your installed programs will appear.

3. Look to the top segment of the programs list; if you have enough programs installed that the programs list is sectioned off into two or more side-by-side sections, look to the top of the leftmost section. In this area, near the very top, you will see listed the word "Applications." Scroll your cursor over this word; the programs menu will expand again.

4. On the menu section that has just appeared, find "Paint" and click your cursor on it. This will open the Microsoft Paint program. In the top-left of Microsoft Paint, you will see a button entitled "Edit." Click this button; a menu will drop down from it where you can click on "Paste."

5. Now that the image has been pasted into Microsoft Paint, look to the top-left of the screen for a button titled "File." Click on that button; a drop-down menu will appear. Find the word "Save As" on the drop-down menu, and click on it. This will open a new window.

6. In the new window, you can choose the title of your file and the folder on your hard drive to which you'd like to save the file. When you have done so, click on the "Save" button on the bottom-right of the window. This will save the image to your hard drive.

References

• MIT