Capturing screenshots is an essential task for various purposes, whether for work, education, tutorials, troubleshooting, or sharing moments from a screen. The right print screen or screen capture tool can make the process quick, efficient, and customizable. With a wide range of tools available, from built-in OS features to advanced third-party software, users can capture entire screens, selected regions, scrolling pages, and even record screens as videos. Many tools also offer additional features like annotation, editing, cloud storage, and instant sharing. Whether you need a simple snipping tool or a full-fledged screen capture suite, the best tools provide flexibility and ease of use.
In this guide, we will explore 30 of the best print screen and screen capture tools, catering to different needs—be it for casual use, professional documentation, or gaming highlights. Discover the perfect tool to streamline your screenshot-taking experience.
Desktop Screen Capture Tools (Windows & Mac)
Snipping Tool is a built-in Windows screen capture utility that allows users to take screenshots of specific areas, windows, or the full screen. It provides different snip modes, including free-form, rectangular, window, and full-screen. Users can annotate images with a pen, highlighter, or touch input. The Snipping Tool also features a delay timer for capturing timed screenshots. Screenshots can be saved in various formats or copied to the clipboard for easy sharing. Integrated with Windows 11’s Snip & Sketch, it enhances editing capabilities. While basic compared to third-party tools, it is convenient, lightweight, and sufficient for everyday screenshot needs without requiring additional software installation.
2. Greenshot
Greenshot is a free, open-source screen capture tool for Windows that allows users to quickly take and edit screenshots. It offers various capture modes, including full-screen, window, and selected region. Greenshot provides built-in annotation tools such as text, shapes, and highlights, making it ideal for documentation and presentations. The tool supports direct export to various applications, cloud services, and email. Users can customize hotkeys for a seamless workflow. Its lightweight design ensures minimal system resource usage while offering powerful features. While primarily designed for Windows, an unofficial Mac version is available. Greenshot is an excellent choice for users seeking a free, fast, and feature-rich alternative to default screenshot tools.
3. Lightshot
Lightshot is a simple yet powerful screenshot tool available for Windows and Mac. It allows users to quickly capture any part of their screen and edit it instantly. With an intuitive interface, Lightshot enables easy annotation, including adding text, arrows, and highlights. The tool also provides an option to upload screenshots to the cloud, generating a shareable link instantly. Lightshot supports direct image searches, allowing users to find similar images online. The lightweight application integrates with hotkeys for a seamless experience. While it lacks advanced features like scrolling capture, its speed, ease of use, and quick sharing capabilities make it a popular choice for everyday screen capturing needs.
4. ShareX
ShareX is an advanced open-source screen capture tool for Windows that offers extensive customization options. It supports various capture methods, including full-screen, window, region, scrolling, and even GIF recording. ShareX features an integrated editor for annotation, blurring, and highlighting content. Users can automate tasks such as uploading screenshots to cloud services, social media, or FTP servers. It also includes screen recording, OCR (text recognition), and color picker tools. Despite its powerful capabilities, ShareX has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive settings and features. However, it remains a favorite among power users looking for a free, all-in-one screenshot and screen recording solution.
5. PicPick
PicPick is a feature-rich screen capture tool for Windows that offers both basic and advanced functionalities. It allows users to take screenshots of a full screen, window, scrolling window, or a selected region. The built-in image editor provides tools for annotations, effects, and color adjustments. PicPick includes additional utilities like a color picker, protractor, ruler, and whiteboard, making it an excellent choice for designers and developers. Screenshots can be saved in multiple formats or shared via email, cloud storage, or social media. While free for personal use, the professional version offers additional features. PicPick’s intuitive interface and extensive editing capabilities make it a great all-in-one solution for screen capturing and graphic editing.
6. Screenpresso
Screenpresso is a powerful screen capture and recording tool designed for Windows users. It allows users to take high-quality screenshots, record HD videos, and annotate captured images with built-in editing tools. The software supports scrolling capture, making it ideal for capturing full webpages or long documents. Screenpresso also features a history manager for easy access to previous captures and allows quick sharing via email, social media, or cloud services. It offers a portable mode, requiring no installation, making it a convenient tool for professionals and content creators. The free version includes essential features, while the paid version unlocks advanced capabilities such as video editing and workspace organization.
FastStone Capture is a lightweight yet feature-rich screen capture and video recording tool for Windows. It supports full-screen, window, region, and scrolling captures, making it versatile for various needs. The built-in editor provides annotation tools, image cropping, and advanced effects like edge fading and watermarking. Users can also record on-screen activities with audio and export videos in popular formats. The software allows direct saving, copying, and sharing of captures via email or FTP. FastStone Capture is highly efficient, consuming minimal system resources, making it an excellent choice for professionals, educators, and bloggers. It offers a free trial, but the full version is available through a one-time purchase.
Gadwin PrintScreen is a simple yet effective screen capture tool designed for Windows users. It enables quick screenshot captures using customizable hotkeys, allowing users to capture the full screen, active window, or a selected region. The software supports automatic image resizing, format conversion, and direct sharing via email. It also provides annotation features, making it useful for presentations and documentation. The interface is user-friendly, catering to both casual and professional users. Gadwin PrintScreen offers a free version with basic features, while the Pro version includes additional editing tools, watermarking, and enhanced sharing options. Its lightweight nature ensures smooth performance without consuming excessive system resources.
9. SnapDraw
SnapDraw is an advanced screen capture tool that excels in creating high-quality annotated screenshots. It features automatic background removal, 3D perspective effects, and multi-monitor support, making it ideal for professional documentation and presentations. Users can capture full-screen, windowed, or selected area screenshots, then enhance them with shadows, reflections, and transparent effects. SnapDraw also supports sharing via email, FTP, or external applications. Unlike many other tools, it focuses on producing visually appealing captures with minimal effort. The software is completely free, making it a great choice for professionals who need polished screenshots with added visual effects.
Professional Screen Capture & Annotation Tools
10. Snagit
Snagit by TechSmith is a powerful screen capture and annotation tool designed for professionals. It allows users to capture full screens, regions, scrolling windows, and even record videos. Snagit includes an intuitive image editor for adding annotations, arrows, text, and effects to screenshots. With features like OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for extracting text from images and seamless integration with cloud services, it enhances workflow efficiency. The tool supports GIF creation and video trimming, making it useful for tutorials, documentation, and presentations. Snagit is available for both Windows and macOS, offering a user-friendly interface that simplifies screen capturing and content sharing across platforms, making it ideal for educators, marketers, and business professionals.
TechSmith Capture, formerly known as Jing, is a free screen capture tool from TechSmith that allows users to take screenshots and record screen activities effortlessly. It provides an easy-to-use interface for capturing images and short video clips of up to five minutes. Users can annotate screenshots with basic editing tools and quickly share them via TechSmith’s Screencast.com or other cloud services. Designed primarily for educators, trainers, and business professionals, TechSmith Capture simplifies visual communication with a straightforward workflow. Though it lacks advanced editing features found in Snagit, it remains a reliable choice for those who need quick and efficient screen capture capabilities without complex configurations.
12. Monosnap
Monosnap is a feature-rich screen capture tool designed for professionals who require high-quality screenshots and recordings. It allows users to capture selected areas, entire screens, or scrolling content, as well as record videos with webcam overlays. Monosnap provides advanced annotation tools, including arrows, text, blur effects, and highlighters, making it ideal for creating instructional content. The tool supports direct cloud uploads to services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and AWS, ensuring seamless file sharing. Additionally, Monosnap includes built-in hotkeys for faster operation and can integrate with third-party applications for enhanced productivity. Available for Windows and macOS, it is a versatile solution for teams, educators, developers, and content creators.
Nimbus Screenshot is a versatile screen capture and screen recording tool that offers extensive functionality for both personal and professional use. It enables users to take full-screen, windowed, or scrolling screenshots and supports video recording with webcam and microphone input. Nimbus provides a powerful editor for adding annotations, shapes, highlights, and blurs, making it a great tool for creating tutorials, reports, and presentations. Users can save captures in various formats and upload them directly to Nimbus Note, Google Drive, or Dropbox. With browser extensions available for Chrome and Firefox, Nimbus Screenshot is an excellent choice for web-based screen capture and collaborative work, streamlining visual communication and documentation.
Browser Extensions for Screenshot Capture
Awesome Screenshot is a powerful browser extension for capturing and annotating screenshots with ease. It allows users to take full-page, visible screen, or selected area screenshots and supports screen recording. The tool includes built-in annotation features like text, arrows, shapes, and blur effects for privacy. Users can save captures to the cloud, share via a link, or download them in various formats. With integration options for platforms like Trello and Slack, it enhances productivity. The extension is ideal for professionals, educators, and designers needing quick edits and seamless sharing. Its intuitive interface and extensive features make it one of the best screenshot tools for Chrome and Firefox users.
15. Fireshot
Fireshot is a highly efficient browser extension designed for capturing full-page, visible screen, or custom area screenshots. Unlike many other tools, Fireshot saves screenshots directly as PDFs, PNGs, or JPEGs without requiring cloud storage. It also supports offline screenshot capturing, making it ideal for professionals who work without internet access. The built-in editor allows users to crop, add text, highlight sections, and apply other annotations. With its batch processing feature, users can capture multiple tabs simultaneously. Fireshot is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, providing a seamless screenshot experience across different browsers. Its professional version unlocks additional features like cloud sharing and enhanced editing tools.
16. GoFullPage
GoFullPage is a simple yet powerful Chrome extension designed for taking full-page screenshots with a single click. It scrolls through web pages automatically to capture an entire webpage from top to bottom without manual intervention. The tool eliminates the need for stitching multiple screenshots together, saving users time. Once captured, images can be edited, annotated, and saved as PNG, JPEG, or PDF. The premium version offers advanced features like OCR (text extraction) and cropping tools. GoFullPage is ideal for web developers, researchers, and content creators who frequently need high-quality full-page screenshots for documentation, presentations, or design purposes.
17. Lightshot (Chrome Extension)
Lightshot is a lightweight and fast screenshot tool that allows users to capture any selected area on their screen instantly. Unlike full-page capture tools, Lightshot focuses on quick, customizable selections, making it ideal for highlighting specific sections of a webpage. Users can edit their screenshots with text, arrows, and shapes before saving or sharing them directly. The extension offers cloud storage options, allowing users to generate shareable links for easy distribution. Its intuitive interface and keyboard shortcuts enhance efficiency, making it a favorite among students, designers, and professionals who need quick and effective screenshot-taking capabilities.
Mobile Screenshot & Screen Capture Apps
Screenshot Easy is a powerful and user-friendly Android app that allows users to capture screenshots effortlessly. It supports multiple capture methods, including shaking the device, using an overlay button, or activating a hardware key combination. The app also provides advanced editing tools, allowing users to crop, annotate, and share images instantly. Additional features include screen recording, scrolling screenshots, and customizable settings for enhanced usability. Whether for work or personal use, Screenshot Easy simplifies the screenshot-taking process with its intuitive interface and reliable performance.
Screen Master is a highly functional screenshot and photo markup tool for Android devices. It enables users to capture screenshots through floating buttons, shaking gestures, or quick shortcuts. The app supports long scrolling screenshots for web pages and chat conversations. Additionally, it offers a powerful image editing suite with annotation tools such as text, arrows, highlights, and stickers. With high-quality output and no root requirement, Screen Master is an excellent choice for users seeking a versatile and efficient screenshot solution.
20. Screenshot Touch (Android)
Screenshot Touch is a feature-rich Android app designed for quick and easy screen capturing. Users can take screenshots using an on-screen overlay button, shaking the device, or other shortcuts. It also supports scrolling screenshots, allowing users to capture entire web pages or chat conversations. The app features a built-in image editor, enabling cropping, drawing, and adding text annotations. Additionally, Screenshot Touch includes screen recording functionality, making it a multifunctional tool for content creation and sharing.
21. Tailor (iOS)
Tailor is a specialized iOS app designed for seamlessly stitching multiple screenshots into a single continuous image. It is particularly useful for capturing long conversations, web pages, or app interfaces. The app automatically detects and aligns overlapping screenshots, producing a smooth and professional-looking stitched image. With a simple and intuitive interface, Tailor eliminates the hassle of manually combining images. It is an essential tool for iPhone users who frequently need to capture and share lengthy content.
22. Picsew (iOS)
Picsew is a powerful screenshot stitching app for iOS devices, allowing users to create seamless long screenshots from multiple captures. It supports both vertical and horizontal stitching, making it ideal for capturing lengthy conversations, web pages, or app interfaces. Picsew also provides advanced editing tools, including annotation, watermarking, and blurring sensitive information. The app’s user-friendly interface and automation features make screenshot stitching quick and effortless. Whether for professional or personal use, Picsew is a must-have tool for iPhone users.
Screen Recording & Screenshot Hybrid Tools
23. Loom
Loom is a powerful screen recording and screenshot tool designed for quick and efficient communication. It allows users to capture their screen, webcam, and audio simultaneously, making it ideal for creating tutorials, presentations, and feedback videos. Loom features instant cloud sharing, allowing users to generate a link and share recordings instantly without downloading files. It also includes video editing tools, password protection, and engagement insights like view tracking and comments. With its user-friendly interface and integrations with tools like Slack, Notion, and Gmail, Loom is widely used by professionals, educators, and teams for asynchronous communication. It offers both free and premium plans, catering to different user needs.
24. OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a free and open-source screen recording and live-streaming tool popular among content creators, gamers, and professionals. It allows users to capture their screen, record high-quality videos, and stream to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live. With advanced scene composition, customizable transitions, and real-time audio mixing, OBS Studio provides extensive control over recording and broadcasting. The software supports multiple video sources, including webcams, images, and browser windows, enabling seamless content creation. Its plugin support and customizable settings make it a preferred choice for professional-grade screen capturing and live production. While it has a learning curve, its powerful features make it one of the most versatile recording tools available.
FlashBack Express is a free screen recording software that enables users to capture their screen, webcam, and audio with no time limits or watermarks. Designed for both beginners and professionals, it provides an intuitive interface and essential recording features without complexity. Users can easily record full screen, specific windows, or custom areas, making it useful for tutorials, presentations, and gaming content. The software supports exporting recordings in multiple formats, including MP4, AVI, and WMV. While the free version lacks advanced editing tools, the premium version, FlashBack Pro, offers extensive editing features such as annotations, effects, and multi-track audio editing. FlashBack Express is a great choice for users looking for a simple yet effective screen capture solution.
26. Camtasia
Camtasia is a premium screen recording and video editing software tailored for professionals and educators. It allows users to capture screen activities, webcam footage, and system audio with high quality. What sets Camtasia apart is its built-in video editor, which offers a range of tools such as transitions, animations, annotations, and effects to enhance recordings. The software supports multi-track editing, making it easy to create professional-grade tutorials, training videos, and presentations. Camtasia also integrates with PowerPoint, allowing users to record and edit presentations seamlessly. With a straightforward drag-and-drop interface, it simplifies the video creation process. Though it is a paid tool, its robust features make it one of the best choices for high-quality screen recording and editing.
27. ScreenRec
ScreenRec is a lightweight screen capture tool designed for fast and secure screen recording. It allows users to capture screenshots, record screen videos, and share them instantly through a private cloud-based platform. With no watermarks or time limits, ScreenRec is ideal for professionals who need to share presentations, tutorials, or quick explanations. The software also offers real-time annotation tools, making it easy to highlight important details in screenshots and videos. One of its standout features is the ability to generate an instant shareable link, eliminating the need for large file uploads. ScreenRec also provides analytics to track viewer engagement, making it useful for business and marketing professionals. It is a free tool with enterprise-grade security, ensuring privacy in all recordings.
Command-Line & Developer Tools
28. Windows + PrintScreen (Built-in Shortcut)
The Windows + PrintScreen shortcut is a built-in feature in Windows that allows users to capture the entire screen quickly. Once pressed, the screenshot is automatically saved in the Pictures > Screenshots folder in PNG format. This method is simple and efficient, eliminating the need for third-party tools. Users can also paste the screenshot into image editors like Paint or Photoshop by using Ctrl + V after pressing PrintScreen. This shortcut is ideal for quick, full-screen captures without additional steps. However, it lacks built-in annotation or cropping features, making it less flexible than advanced screen capture tools. For users who need instant saving and ease of access, this shortcut is a reliable solution.
29. Mac Screenshot Shortcut (Command + Shift + 4)
Mac users can take advantage of the Command + Shift + 4 shortcut for capturing custom screenshots. Unlike full-screen captures, this shortcut lets users select a specific area by dragging the crosshair cursor. Screenshots are saved as PNG files on the desktop by default. Pressing Command + Shift + 4 + Spacebar allows capturing an active window. For even more control, Mac’s Screenshot utility (Command + Shift + 5) offers screen recording and delay options. This built-in feature is perfect for quick, precise captures without needing third-party apps. The ease of use and built-in annotation via Preview make it a preferred choice for Mac users looking for a flexible screen capture solution.
30. Shutter (Linux)
Shutter is a powerful screenshot tool for Linux, designed for users who need advanced capturing and editing options. It supports full-screen, window, selected area, and delayed screenshots, making it highly versatile. One of its key features is the built-in image editor, allowing users to annotate, highlight, and blur sensitive information. Screenshots can be automatically saved or copied to the clipboard for quick sharing. Shutter also supports FTP/SFTP upload, making it useful for developers and bloggers. Despite its rich feature set, newer Linux distributions may require additional steps for installation. However, its ease of use and customization options make it one of the most powerful screenshot tools available for Linux users.
Flameshot is an advanced, open-source screenshot tool for Linux, known for its customizable UI and built-in annotation tools. It allows users to capture full-screen, window, or a selected area and instantly annotate it with arrows, text, and highlights. Unlike many other Linux screenshot tools, Flameshot offers a real-time editing panel immediately after capturing an image. Users can save screenshots locally or copy them to the clipboard for quick sharing. It also supports DBus integration for automation and scripting. The lightweight nature of Flameshot, combined with its extensive customization options, makes it a favorite among developers, designers, and technical writers looking for a professional yet easy-to-use screenshot utility on Linux.
