Screenshots are useful for a wide range of purposes, including creating tutorials, sharing memes, saving important messages or conversations, and even troubleshooting technical issues. In Windows, capturing a screenshot of the entire screen or a specific area is a relatively easy task, but many Windows users don’t know how to take a screenshot of only the active window. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to screenshot only the active window on Windows.

Step 1: Position the Active Window You Want to Capture

The first step is to ensure that the active window you want to capture is positioned properly on your screen. You may need to resize or adjust the window’s position to make sure that it is fully visible and doesn’t overlap with any other windows. Once you have done this, move on to the second step.

Step 2: Press the Alt and Print Screen Buttons Simultaneously

The Alt + Print Screen keyboard shortcut is the easiest and most common way to capture only the active window on Windows. Once you have positioned the active window on-screen, press the “Alt” key on your keyboard and then the “Print Screen” key. This will automatically copy the screenshot of only the active window to your clipboard.

Step 3: Save and Edit the Screenshot

the third and final step is to save and edit the screenshot as per your requirement. Open any image editor application like Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP, and paste the screenshot you copied in the previous step by pressing Ctrl+V or right-clicking and selecting the paste option. The screenshot will be in the standard image format (“PNG” by default) and will be ready for editing or saving.

Alternatively, you can press the Win + Print Screen key in Windows 8 and above. In this case, the screenshot will be automatically saved in the Pictures folder under a subfolder named “Screenshots.”

Conclusion

that’s all there is to it – capturing only the active window on your Windows PC is a quick and easy process. By following the steps mentioned above, you will have a screenshot that captures only the window you want, which can be helpful when creating tutorials, troubleshooting issues, or just sharing the most relevant content. Practice this method a few times to explore and uncover its full potential.