Screen Capture Tools

Screen Capture tools are used to quickly capture images of desktops, windows, and portions of a screen. Once captured these images are often used to enhance documents and web pages. 



Windows Print Screen Key

On windows, pressing Print Screen key captures the entire desktop into the clipboard. Pressing Alt +Print Screen key captures the active windows into the clipboard. To save the screen image, it needs to be pasted into a file. You can use windows Paint to paste the image and then save the file in your preferred file format. Many word processors such as Word supports the pasting of the image into a document file. Even some e-mail clients (Notes) support pasting the image into the e-mail. For an occasional screen captures, the print key works fine.

GreenShot

GreenShot

Overview:

Greenshot is an easy to use open source screen capture tool that replaces windows print screen key.
  1. No install required just download, unzip, and execute Greenshot.exe. 
  2. Captures screen options region, last region, window, & full screen 
  3. Supports file types JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP
  4. The editor supports drawing rectangle, ellipse, line, arrow, and add text
  5. Right click task icon to review settings and change preferences
  6. When capturing to image editor, a new greenshot window is opened

Review:

Pros:
  • Easy to use and has useful editing features 
  • Quickly draw ellipses, rectangles, lines, and arrows
Cons:
  • On first execution it automatically sets itself to run at startup
  • No support for TIFF image file
  • Does not capture cursor or pop up messages
  • Not able to open an image to edit it
  • Cannot change hotkeys
License: Freeware GNU - source available
Languages: English, German
Latest Release: V0.6.003 (2008-03-08)

PicPick

PicPick

Overview:

PicPick is a free screen capture tool, image editor, color picker, color palette, pixel ruler, protractor, crosshair, whiteboard, and etc.
  1. No install required. Just download it and execute the single file picpick.exe
  2. Captures screen options are full, active window, window control, region, fixed region, freehand capture, webpage &  last region. 
  3. Defined capture key uses a combination of the print key, shift, ctrl, & alt.
  4. Captures cursor and popup messages on full and actice window captures.
  5. Supports file types JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP
  6. Has many editting features similiar to microsoft's paint. The editor also supports drawing rectangle, ellipse, and rounded rectangle

Tip:

  • To change settings: left or right click on its icon in the task bar and select capture settings.

Review:

Pros:
  • Easy to use and many useful editing features 
  • Hot key for repeat last capture. When you capture just a region of the screen, you can repeat the same  capture on other image as they change on the screen. i.e. movie, game
Cons:
  • The red color on the elilpise is darker than I care for.
  • To capture capture cursor and popup on an active window you must change its hotkey to print screen only.
  • Must cancel out of each unsaved capture screen
License: Freeware
Latest Release: V1.7.2 (2007-08-03)


Screeny

screen image

Overview:

Screeny is a freeware screen capture tool.
  1. No installation required. Just unzip it
  2. It is portable with all the configuration settings saved in an ini file.
  3. Save files in JPEG and PNG formats.
  4. Desktop and active window screen capture options.
  5. Crop screen shots
  6. Upload and e-mail image
  7. Timed capture option

Tips on using the tool :

  1. By default it performs a screen capture of the desktop when it is started.
  2. To capture the desktop, set it up the way you want to look and then click the capture button. It will generate a file name that you can change
  3. To capture active window, check active window under capture button options
  4. To crop out part of the screen print. Maximize the screen. Left click and drag box around part of the image you want. Remove left-click and save.

Review:

Pros:
  • No installation and portable. Just create a short cut to it
  • It is easy enough to use once you learn how the capture button works
  • Crop feature
Cons:
  • This tool would be more useful if a hot key could be assigned to the capture. Instead you have to keep clicking the capture button on it in order to capture the screen.
  • Only supports file types JPEG and PNG which may limit its use.
License: Freeware
Latest Release: V1.1.0.34 (208-02-02)

MWSnap

screen image

Overview:

MWSnap screen capture can be installed or just unzipped. Either way it still updates the registry when running so it is not considered portable.
  1. Capture desktop, window/menu, any area and fixed-size rectangle.
  2. Supports file formats: BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF, and TIFF
  3. Auto saving and auto printing
  4. Hot keys for various screen capture and other options
  5. Clipboard copy and paste
  6. Minimizing to system tray
  7. Add frames and mouse pointer images

Tips on using the tool :

  1. Default Hot Keys
    • Capture full desktop: Ctrl + Shift + D
    • Capture window/menu: Ctrl + Shift + W
    • Capture any area: Ctrl + Shift + A
    • Capture fixed-size rectangle: Ctrl + Shift + F

Review:

Pros:
  • Add mouse pointer images
  • Use hot key to automatically capture and save images
  • Select specific area to capture
Cons:
  • Capture Active window requires selection of entire window and then pressing enter
License: Freeware
Latest Release: V3.00.0.74 (2006-07-06)

ScreenGrab

screen image


Overview:

ScreenGrab is a competent screen capture utility for windows.

  1. Install allows you to select location of application in Start Menu
  2. Capture entire screen or active window
  3. Save file formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, and TIFF
  4. Automatic save to file
  5. Save edit screens to clipboard or file

Tips on using the tool :

  1. Default Hot Keys
    • Capture screen: Alt + F12
    • Restore hidden taskbar icon

Review:

Pros:
  • Simple and easy to use
  • Most of the screen prints on this webpage were taken with this tool
Cons:
  • Lack editing features
License: Freeware
Latest Release: V1.1 (2006-11-15)

EasyCapture

screen image

Overview:

EasyCapture is a full feature freeware screen capture tool.
  1. 7 MB space required to install
  2. Install does not allow you to select location of application in Start Menu
  3. Support file types JPEG, PNG, BMP, PCX, and GIF
  4. Automatic name and save files to a directory
  5. Capture screen using full screen, active window, scrolling window, and others
  6. Edit and add effects to capture screen images
  7. Add effects such as arrow, text bubbles, lines, and etc.
  8. Save edit screens to clipboard or file
  9. When minimized, the tool is still running in system tray.

Tips on using the tool :

  1. Default Hot Keys
    • Capture full screen: Ctrl + Shift + F
    • Capture window/object: Ctrl + Shift + W
    • Capture active Window: Ctrl + Shift + A
    • Capture rectangle region: Ctrl + Shift + R
    • Capture scrolling window: Ctrl + Shift +S
    • Capture fix-size Rectangle: Ctrl + Shift + X
  3. Crop a portion of image.
    • Click Crop button
    • Move cursor to upper left corner of image to crop
    • Left-click mouse
    • Drag to lower right corner
    • Press enter

Review:

Pros:
  • Many types of screen captures with each assigned its own hot key
  • Built-in editor to add effects to the image such as though bubbles with text
  • Can edit multiple images
Cons:
  • No support for TIFF image file

License: Freeware
Latest Release: V1.0.0 (2007-11-10)

Snagit


snagit image

Overview:

Snagit is a screen capture and image editor with many features. This is product is not free, it has a purchase price of $40.
  1. Capture desktop, window, region, menu, objects, rolling screen and more.
  2. Capture an entire page along with all its image, video, and audio files
  3. Save to File - support over 23 formats, including: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD, TIF, EPS, PDF
  4. Edit image with professional effects
  5. Provides a variety of ways of sharing images. Such as sending it through IM

Review:

Pros:
  • Very established product with a long history being recommended.
  • Many features for capturing screens
  • Built in image editor
  • Many file formats supported
  • Use hot key to automatically capture and save images
Cons:
  • Pricey
License: Purchase required
Latest Release: V8.2 2008-04-21 ($38.95)

 Faststone

Overview:

FastStone Capture for Windows V5.3 is free for home use. After this release it went shareware. It is still available for download from the Portable Freeware Collection. Replaces windows print screen. No installation required and is portable.
  1. Capture dual screens, full screen, active window, scrolling window, window/object, rectangular region, and freehand region
  2. Supports file types BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIF, and PDF
  3. Edit image with effects such as torn page
  4. Include cursor

Review:

Pros:
  • Easy to use and has useful editing features 
  • Torn page effect very nice for region snapshots.
  • Quickly draw ellipses, rectangles, lines, and arrows
Cons:
  • No edit option to add border to region snapshots 
License: v5.2 Free for personnel use. Later release License Required
Latest Release: V6.1 (2008-04-21) ($19.95 lifetime license)

 Photobie

Overview:

Photobie is a photo/image editor with screen capture options. Supports animated GIF and other niceties

Review:

Pros:
  • Its a fully equipped photo/image editor
  • Home site has many tutorials to assist in learning this tool.
Cons:
  • The screen capture eight default keys use a combination of ctrl + alt + #
  • This editor has many features and will take time to learn by those unfamiliar with this type of editor.
License: Free for personnel use. Commercial use requires permission.
Latest Release: V4.8 (2008-04-23)

Additional Sources