17 Best Screenshot Tools for Windows in 2023
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.
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Best screenshot apps for Windows
Best for: easy screenshots
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: free trial, $59.95 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
Scrolling screenshots
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, it may come in handy. 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
Aiseesoft Screen Recorder
Best for: all-in-one capture tool
OS: Windows, macOS
Price: free trial version, $62.45 for the full version
TopSevenReviews rating: 4.5 out of 5
Aiseesoft is one of those screen recorders that have additional screenshotting features. However, unlike many others in this group, Aiseesoft is great for both capturing your daily screen activities, but also recording gameplay with high FPS and almost no effect on CPU. So, if you want an app that lets you capture anything happening on your screen, it’s a great choice.
Key features:
Record gameplay with no quality loss
Take instant snapshots with text, shapes, and arrows
Add metadata to your videos and screenshots
Pros:
Simple recording and screenshotting
Capturing both screen activities and gameplay
Intuitive callouts on screenshots
Cons:
The trial version limits the recording time to 3 minutes
Action! – Screen and Game Recorder
Best for: taking in-game screenshots
OS: Windows
Price: free trial version, $11.84 for the full version
G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5, 12 reviews
This app is designed mainly to capture gameplay and stream it to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Ustream. However, it also lets you take instant screenshots while you’re playing. The images are then accessible through the in-app interface. You can delete those you don’t like and export the ones that are the best. Unfortunately, you cannot edit screenshots in the app. However, if it's not what you’ve been looking for, this app may just be the right choice.
Key features:
Live-streaming to Twitch and YouTube
Simple screenshot file management
Capturing screenshots from outside devices
Pros:
Great at capturing gameplay
Lets you organize your screenshots in the app
Lets you take screenshots from other devices, e.g. with a capture card
Cons:
No screenshot editing features
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
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, scrolling screenshots, 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?
Summary
We hope this article was helpful. With so many options available out there, you’ll definitely find the perfect tool for your needs. Don’t hesitate to try out different apps – many of them are free or provide a free trial.
Movavi Screen Recorder
Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams.
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 high-quality screenshot on Windows?
Using Movavi Screen Recorder, it is easy to take a perfect screenshot that suits your needs.
Download and install the program.
Download Movavi Screen RecorderClick 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.
See other useful how-to guides
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