In this guide, we’re exploring the best screenshot tool for Windows users, to make it easy to take quick snapshots and screen grab while you’re in a game or just browsing the Internet.
Software | Best for | Download | |
---|---|---|---|
Movavi Screen Recorder | Easy screenshots | ||
ShareX | Open-source screenshot and video capture | ||
Windows Snipping Tool | Inbuilt snipping tool |
Lightshot | Similar image search | ||
PicPick | Color picker | ||
Greenshot | Capturing full IE pages | ||
Screenpresso | Linking to Android | ||
TinyTake | Online gallery | ||
ScreenRec | Analytics | ||
Gyazo | Simple clipboard sharing | ||
SnapDraw | Advanced annotations | ||
Nimbus | Chrome plugin | ||
Apowersoft Free Online Screenshot | Online capture | ||
Awesome Screenshot | Google Drive integration | ||
FastStone Capture | Lightweight software |
View all programs |
Best screenshot apps for Windows
Best for: easy screenshots
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free trial, $57.95 for a lifetime version
G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 49 reviews
Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the best screenshot program options for those who want to take captures and recordings of a screen.
This screen recorder can capture footage from individual parts of your screen, and also comes with an editor to trim and alter the footage. It captures in full HD, so you’ll get all the glorious detail even if you are recording in a game. Much better than using a simple “Print Screen” option.
There is a free trial version or you can pay for the full version of Movavi Screen Recorder if you are happy with the quality.
Key features:
- Screenshots and video capture
- Editing functionality inbuilt
- HD footage
Pros:
- Simple to get to grips with
- Both stills and footage look fantastic in HD
Cons:
- Not totally free to use
ShareX

Best for: open-source screenshot and video capture
OS: Windows
Price: free
TechRadar rating: 4 out of 5
ShareX may be the best screen capture tool that is free of charge. It is Open Source and you can use it to take a screenshot in a variety of ways, there is even an automatic screenshot setting. The images can be set to save or to copy to a clipboard, and the software works on Windows 10 as well as earlier versions.
Key features:
- Links to cloud storage easily
- Basic OCR recognition
- Capture and upload video or still screenshots
Pros:
- Auto capture setting
- Regular updates and options to edit the source code
- Possible to annotate and edit the images
Cons:
- The interface isn’t as easy to use as some
Windows Snipping Tool

Best for: inbuilt snipping tool
OS: Windows
Price: free
Windows Snipping Tool comes inbuilt and provides an easy and free screenshot tool with more functionality than the “Print Screen” command.
The tool has some really basic functionality, but if you need to take a screenshot of the whole screen or to choose a section of the screen to grab an image of. One of the coolest features it offers is the ability to draw a custom shape to snap an image.
Key features:
- Snipping and capturing tool
- Delay option
- Simple annotation, sharing, and upload
Pros:
- Already installed on Windows devices
- Easy shortcuts to quickly take a screenshot
Cons:
- Very limited editing functionality
Lightshot

Best for: similar image search
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free
G2 rating: 4.7 out of 5, 103 reviews
Lightshot is one of the top screenshot apps that you can get for free, and the similar image search is a particularly good feature, allowing people to take a screenshot and quickly search for images that are the same. This means if you spot something that you want to look up it is really simple to do so.
Key features:
- Simple shortcuts using the PrtScn button
- Similar image lookup
- Works as a browser plugin
- Simple online image editor
Pros:
- Simple install for Mac and Windows
- Upload easily to a server
Cons:
- Images upload to prntscr.com, which can be a problem if you have private screenshots
PicPick

Best for: color picker
OS: Windows
Price: free
CNET rating: 3.5 out of 5, 137 reviews
PicPick is designed with a specific focus on color and color management. It features an image editor, color picker, color palette, and even a simple whiteboard function. This is one of the best screenshot tools for Windows users with a focus on design and web development, and it can help you to match up colors as well as provide some other easy design functions.
Key features:
- Link to OneDrive and other cloud storage options
- Easy to identify colors as hex codes
- Whiteboard function
Pros:
- Easy to capture from any program or part of your screen
- Excellent for designers and anyone working with graphics
Cons:
- Annotation features aren’t as good as some other free screenshot tools
- No video capture option
Greenshot

Best for: capturing full IE pages
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free
G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5, 142 reviews
If you want to capture full web pages from Internet Explorer, Greenshot is an excellent solution. You don’t have to worry about things going missing on a scrolling page, as Greenshot will capture the page from top to bottom, even “below the fold”. It also allows you to perform all the basic screenshot functions you would expect and has a simple annotation function.
Key features:
- Capture full web pages from IE
- Simple annotation
- Optional OCR
Pros:
- Open-source with a customizable install to get the features you want
- Allows you to capture a long webpage without having to edit
Cons:
- Limited editing functionality
- No video capture
Screenpresso

Best for: linking to Android
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free
G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 27 reviews
Screenpresso is a really easy-to-use and lightweight piece of software with a focus on professional uses. It is also the best screenshot app for Windows that links easily to your Android device. This means you can grab screen captures from either, and edit and share them from your desktop. The upload and share options on Screenpresso are more than sufficient for most of us.
Key features:
- Android compatibility
- Captures HD images and videos
- Time delay if required
- Multilingual support
Pros:
- Really easy to use with a simple layout
- Great app for screenshots and video capture on all Windows versions
Cons:
- Not totally free, the paid version is required to remove watermarks
TinyTake

Best for: online gallery
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free (paid upgrades)
TechRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5
TinyTake is a smart and lightweight app for screenshots and video capture. You can very easily take screen captures and instantly share your images via an online gallery, which can save a lot of time and make it easier to share your captures among colleagues. This great screen capture tool also has simple annotation functions and even a bulk sharing option.
Key features:
- Bulk sharing of images
- Online gallery
- Webcam capture option
- Custom shortcuts
Pros:
- Simple and intuitive functionality with an easy layout
- Store your screenshots in the cloud
- Arrows and highlighting make annotation simple
Cons:
- Free plan is only for personal use, limited to 2 GB
ScreenRec

Best for: analytics
OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: free
G2 rating: 4.9 out of 5, 5 reviews
ScreenRec offers a lot of the functionality of the other options, making it easy to take screenshots or video recordings, but it is set apart as a fantastic option due to the fact that it includes a brilliant analytics suite, letting you see who viewed your image or video and for how long when you upload it to the ScreenRec server.
Key features:
- Images stored on a secure server
- HD video and screenshots
- Tag and organize images on the cloud
- Analytics included
Pros:
- Excellent for business onboarding and creating a library of useful videos for others
- You can track who has watched your video and for how long
Cons:
- No advanced editing functions, only simple annotations
Gyazo

Best for: simple clipboard sharing
OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: free (paid Pro membership)
G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5, 9 reviews
Time is of the essence, if it is quick and easy sharing you are looking for then Gyazo could be a good option. After installation, it makes it really simple to copy GIFs and other images to your clipboard, from where you can place them into emails, social media, messages, or more.
It’s easy to use, and the free version does allow you simple functionality and basic sharing.
Key features:
- Unlimited screenshots
- Store captured images on the cloud
- Grab unlimited HD replay videos on Windows
Pros:
- Incredibly fast to share images you have captured, even while gaming
- Secure, encrypted storage
- Easy editing function
Cons:
- Some of the features are hidden behind a paywall
- Mac and Linux functionality is not as good as Windows
SnapDraw

Best for: advanced annotations
OS: Windows
Price: free
SnapDraw is perfect for those with a certain set of needs, namely advanced annotations. Once the image has been captured using a hotkey, you can make some pretty advanced changes in a matter of seconds.
Add annotations, insert images, add text, create your own watermark, and even add reflection effects and 3D rotation for your image. If you want to make these sorts of edits for free then SnapDraw makes a decent windows companion.
Key features:
- Advanced annotation options
- Integrated FTP upload and sharing
- Draw mode
Pros:
- Great for outlining items, making hefty annotations, and explaining things to others
- Free of charge with no upselling
Cons:
- No video capture
- Interface is not particularly modern or simple-to-use
Nimbus

Best for: Chrome plugin
OS: Windows and Mac
Price: free with paid upgrades
Chrome Web Store rating: 4.6 out of 5, 16,228 reviews
Nimbus is a decent free screenshot tool for Windows, and it is one of the best if you want to keep everything within your browser. It makes it really easy to grab and share images without having to make edits in computer software or worry about installing more apps on your device. It has great editing and annotation functions, but unfortunately, a lot of the features are hidden behind a paywall.
Key features:
- Chrome compatibility
- Easy workspace to collaborate with others
- Video and still image modes
- OCR available on paid plans
Pros:
- Excellent collaborative tool for a team to share images or videos
- Optical Character Recognition available on paid plans
- Integrates with Nimbus Note for storage, tagging, and adding information
Cons:
- Many features including OCR hidden behind a paywall
Apowersoft Free Online Screenshot

Best for: online capture
OS: any (web-based)
Price: free
This screenshot tool means that you can capture images using a scrolling window or providing a URL. You can scroll to the video, text, or image you wish to screenshot and take a faithful and reliable copy. It works on a multitude of devices, too. The only downside really (and it is a big one) is the fact that you can only capture what is in your browser.
Key features:
- Online capture
- Scheduled screenshots
- Video capture
- Online editing suite
Pros:
- Simple to capture images online without downloading any large software files
- Easy, intuitive editing
Cons:
- Doesn’t capture from desktop applications or from some private pages
Awesome Screenshot

Best for: Google Drive integration
OS: Windows and Mac
Price: free
Chrome Web Store rating: 4.6 out of 5, 24,625 reviews
Awesome Screenshot lets you take screen captures and videos within your browser, and can easily save them within drive for simple and secure sharing and storage. It’s got all the features you would expect including an option to capture part of the screen, and simple editing and annotating.
Key features:
- Simple Drive integration
- Annotate and share with friends and colleagues
- Edit and retouch options
Pros:
- Quickly create and store secure screen grabs and videos
- Extremely lightweight software that won’t slow your computer
- Intuitive layout
Cons:
- Only captures from your browser
- Browser installation can be a bit clunky
FastStone Capture

Best for: lightweight software
OS: Windows
Price: free for personal use
G2 rating: 4.7 out of 5, 27 reviews
FastStone is incredibly simple and lightweight and lets you grab images from freehand or fixed regions, plus scrolling windows. As well as screenshots, you can take video recordings of the screen which can also include onscreen changes and mouse clicks. The software is lightweight and simplistic, but does a reliable job and is free for personal use.
Key features:
- Multiple capture options including freehand or fixed regions
- Annotation function
- Record clicks and mouse movements if required
Pros:
- Simple and lightweight with a really easy interface
- Integrates well with Microsoft suite including Excel and Word
Cons:
- Only free for personal use
- No advanced editing functions
Summary: How to choose the best screen capture tool
What makes the best screen capture tool can vary depending on your own needs. Different people may have different needs from their screenshot tools, and it is important to evaluate a few different factors before you make your choice, especially if you are going to pay.
- Usability. Ensure that the tool is simple and straightforward. Nobody wants to spend hours working out how to use the functions when it should take seconds.
- Features. Do you need annotation features, editing, private sharing, or other functionality? Make sure you’ve got all the features you need.
- Price. Many of the best screenshot tools for Windows are free, but some also have paid upgrades, make sure you stay on budget.
- Support. If something goes wrong, is there an option to get the help you need through a forum or even a contact form?

Movavi Screen Recorder
The perfect way to record from your screen
Frequently asked questions
What is the best screenshot tool?
Here are the best Windows screenshot tools:
- Movavi Screen Recorder
- ShareX
- Windows Snipping Tool
- Lightshot
- PicPick
- Greenshot
- Screenpresso
- TinyTake
What is the best free screenshot app for Windows?
Check out these top 5 apps:
- Movavi Screen Recorder
- ShareX
- Windows Snipping Tool
- Lightshot
- PicPick
How do I take a perfect screenshot in Windows?
Using Movavi Screen Recorder, it is easy to take a perfect screenshot that suits your needs.
- Download and install the program.
- Click the Screenshot icon on the toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
- Use annotation tools if you would like to add comments and make alterations.
- Export the result.
Ben Jacklin
Ben is a writer from the UK with qualifications in Media and Music Technology, he specializes in software reviews and tutorials. Ben has been blogging about media and tech subjects since he was a teenager from his base in the East of England.
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