How To Take A Screenshot On Windows 7?

As long as you’re old enough, you almost definitely used Windows 7. And as long as you care enough, you probably rate it as one of the top versions of the Windows OS to have graced our screens, if not the very top one. So it’s really not a surprise that so many love it because it came out to replace the much-hated Windows Vista and nailed the landing.

It did everything so perfectly that it became the fast-selling operating system of all time. Considering it sold a massive 240 million copies in its first year of launch alone, it’s a lot easier to realize how great this OS was, especially after Vista, which pushed many people to lose faith with Microsoft.

In fact, perhaps the most interesting aspect of Windows 7 is that despite official support ending for it in January of 2020, it is still a popular OS as of 2021. Considering nearly 15% of users on desktops are running Windows 7, it is clear that it is still beloved, even over a decade later.

So, if you’re one of these people who is still on Windows 7, you’re here because you want to learn how to take a screenshot on Windows 7. Well, this is the right place. So, let’s get straight into it.

Do you have a particular question about taking screenshots on Windows 7? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Screenshot in Windows 7 using a snipping tool 

When I used Windows 7 actively, I didn’t even know there was a Snipping Tool in Windows 7. So for me to get a Win 7 screenshot, I used a different method. However, if you’re looking for how to screenshot on Windows 7, I reckon this is the easiest means to get it done with.

Unlike other methods, the Snipping Tool for Windows 7 offers more functionality than simply hitting the Print Screen button or something. Using the snipping tool to take a screenshot in Windows 7 allows you to select certain screen areas, edit and add notes, and share to others.

To get to work with the Snipping Tool in Windows 7, just follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key or open the Start menu.
2. Type in “Snipping Tool” and press Enter.
3. The “Mode” button allows you to choose which kind of selection you want to use. This can be the whole screen, a single window, a free rectangle, or a completely free-form shape. It is set by default to “Rectangular Snip.”
4. To take a screenshot of any part of your screen when ready, click the “New” button.
5. Click and drag the part of the screen that you want to capture. Release the mouse button once done. If you are in the “Window” mode, simply click on the window.
6. The selected portion will automatically be shown in the Snipping Tool interface.
7. You can edit the screenshot as you wish, for instance, using the Pen and Highlighter tool.
8. Save the image using the Save button (it looks like a floppy disk for the younger ones). Just like that, you’ve used the Snipping Tool for Windows 7!

Windows 7 snipping tool shortcut

It’s a little annoying, but if you’re looking for a way to take a Win 7 screenshot using a shortcut, there’s no way to get it done using the Snipping Tool. That’s right, there’s no Windows 7 Snipping Tool shortcut. Instead, you’ll have to open it manually each time.

Keyboard shortcuts to take a screenshot without the snipping tool

While there’s no convenient Windows 7 Snipping Tool Shortcut you can use, there are many other shortcuts that you can use to take screenshots without that tool in particular. If you’re looking for how to take a screenshot on Windows 7 without Snipping Tool, choose one of the options below:

• Press the Print Screen button and paste into a supported application.
• Press the Windows Key + Print Screen to save directly to the Screenshots folder in Pictures.
• Press Windows Key + Shift + S to open the Snip & Sketch Tool.

The basic Windows method: print screen key

The universal method of taking screenshots is the Windows 7 Print Screen button. This button is on any keyboard that you’ll find and provides the easiest way to screenshot in Windows 7. Note that Print Screen in Windows 7 captures the entire display. 

This method will work on any Windows computer, so it was the first one that I ever learned! If you’re looking for how to screenshot in Windows 7 using Print Screen, there are two major ways you can get it done.

1. Press Print Screen.
2. Open any app that can accept a pasted image. For instance, Paint or Microsoft Word.
3. Press Control + V to paste the image.
4. You should see your Win 7 screenshot pasted in the app!

If you don’t want to use the image immediately, you can simply save it as a JPG with a single button shortcut.

1. Press Windows Key + Print Screen.
2. Navigate to Users -> “Your Name” -> Pictures -> Screenshots.
3. You should find the image sitting cozy there!

How to take Windows 7 screenshots with Snip & Sketch tool

Suppose you’re looking for how to screenshot on Windows 7 and you’re looking to make alterations after the fact. In that case, you might think that the Snip & Sketch Tool is your best bet, particularly if you’re also very used to using Windows 10. That’s one thing that you can’t get done quickly with Print Screen in Windows 7, after all.

Unfortunately, if you check the System Requirements for Snip & Sketch in the Microsoft Store, you’ll see that it is not supported on any OS below Windows 10.

How to screenshot with LightShot (and other third-party apps)?

Are you looking for how to take a screenshot on Windows 7 without Snipping Tool? There are multiple options if you would rather use a third-party application to screenshot in Windows 7. LightShot is one of the most popular of these. It has many options, such as one to directly share to social media, search for similar images on Google, crop, and more. It is definitely more versatile than the Snipping Tool in Windows 7.

If you’re looking for another way how to screenshot on Windows 7, I’ll point you to PicPick. When you open this one, you might think that you’re in the wrong application because it looks so much like Microsoft Office apps; Microsoft Word in particular! However, it is its own thing, with many screen capture options, including one to scroll down a page and capture it as a long vertical image. That’s perfect for when everything doesn’t fit in one shot.

Other methods for Win 7 screenshot

If the Snipping Tool for Windows 7 is too cumbersome for you, you can use the screen clipping feature in Microsoft OneNote.

You can launch OneNote to do this, or you can have it minimized in your System Tray. Then, pressing the Windows key + Shift + S will bring up an interface that you can use to capture part of your screen. 

From inside the OneNote app, you can click on the Insert tab at the top and click Screen Clipping in the “Images” section. And that’s it! 

Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.

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