How to screenshot on ThinkPad laptop? Taking screenshots can be incredibly useful for work, school, or personal use.
Fortunately, capturing a still image of your display on a ThinkPad is a simple process that can be done in several ways.
One way to take a screenshot on a ThinkPad is by using the Snip & Sketch tool or the SnippingTool.
These built-in Windows applications allow you to capture a portion of your screen or the entire screen and save it as an image file.
Additionally, you can use the PrtSc key on your keyboard to take a screenshot. If you’re using Windows 10, you can also use the Windows logo key + PrtScn key to capture a screenshot and save it as a PNG file in the “Screenshots” folder.
How To Screenshot On ThinkPad Laptop
If you want to take a screenshot on your ThinkPad laptop, you can easily do so using the keyboard.
There are three different types of screenshots you can take: a full screen screenshot, an active window screenshot, and a custom screenshot. Here’s how to take each type:
Full Screen Screenshot
To take a full screen screenshot on your ThinkPad, follow these steps:
- Press the “PrtSc” key on your keyboard. This key is usually located in the upper right corner of the keyboard.
- Your screenshot will be saved to the clipboard.
- Open an image editing program, such as Microsoft Paint.
- Press “Ctrl” and “V” on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the program.
- Save the screenshot as a file.
Active Window Screenshot
To take a screenshot of the active window on your ThinkPad, follow these steps:
- Click on the window you want to capture.
- Press “Alt” and “PrtSc” on your keyboard. This will capture only the active window.
- Your screenshot will be saved to the clipboard.
- Open an image editing program, such as Microsoft Paint.
- Press “Ctrl” and “V” on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the program.
- Save the screenshot as a file.

Custom Screenshot
To take a custom screenshot on your ThinkPad, follow these steps:
- Press the “Windows” key and “Shift” and “S” on your keyboard.
- Your screen will dim, and a toolbar will appear at the top of the screen.
- Click and drag your cursor to select the area you want to capture.
- Release the mouse button to take the screenshot.
- Your screenshot will be saved to the clipboard.
- Open an image editing program, such as Microsoft Paint.
- Press “Ctrl” and “V” on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the program.
- Save the screenshot as a file.
Taking a screenshot with your ThinkPad keyboard is a quick and easy way to capture images on your screen.
Whether you need to capture a full screen, an active window, or a custom area, these steps will help you get the job done.
Using the Snipping Tool to Take a Screenshot
If you own a ThinkPad laptop and want to take a screenshot, the Snipping Tool is a built-in feature that can help you do so.
Here’s how to use the Snipping Tool to take a screenshot on your ThinkPad laptop.
Opening The Snipping Tool
To open the Snipping Tool, click on the Windows Start button and search for “Snipping Tool.”
Once you find it, click on it to launch the app. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows logo key + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool.
Taking a Screenshot with the Snipping Tool
Once you have the Snipping Tool open, you can take a screenshot by following these steps:
- Click on the “New” button in the Snipping Tool window.
- Select the type of snip you want to capture (free-form, rectangular, window, or full-screen).
- Use your cursor to select the area of the screen you want to capture.
- Release the cursor to take the screenshot.
Editing and Saving the Screenshot
After taking the screenshot, you can edit and save it using the Snipping Tool. Here’s how:
- Use the editing tools to annotate, highlight, or crop the screenshot as needed.
- Click on the “Save” button to save the screenshot to your computer.
- Choose a file name and location for the screenshot.
- Select the file type (PNG, GIF, JPEG, or HTML) and quality.
- Click on “Save” to save the screenshot.
That’s it! You’ve successfully taken a screenshot on your ThinkPad laptop using the Snipping Tool.
Using A Third-Party Tool To Take A Screenshot
If you’re not satisfied with the built-in screenshot tools on your ThinkPad laptop, you can use a third-party tool to take a screenshot. Here’s how:

Choosing A Third-Party Tool
There are many third-party tools available for taking screenshots, but one of the most popular is Snagit.
Snagit is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that allows you to capture screenshots of your entire screen, a specific window, or a selected area.
It also offers a range of editing tools that allow you to annotate and enhance your screenshots.
Taking a Screenshot with the Third-Party Tool
To take a screenshot with Snagit, follow these steps:
- Install Snagit on your ThinkPad laptop.
- Launch Snagit and select the Capture button.
- Choose the type of screenshot you want to take (e.g., full screen, window, or selected area).
- Select the area of the screen you want to capture.
- Click the Capture button to take the screenshot.
Editing And Saving The Screenshot
Once you’ve taken the screenshot, you can use Snagit’s editing tools to annotate and enhance it.
For example, you can add text, arrows, and shapes to highlight specific areas of the screenshot.
When you’re done editing the screenshot, you can save it in a variety of formats, including PNG, JPEG, and GIF.
You can also share the screenshot directly from Snagit by email or by uploading it to a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive.
Using a third-party tool like Snagit can be a great way to take more advanced screenshots on your ThinkPad laptop.
With its powerful editing tools and flexible capture options, it’s a great tool for anyone who needs to take screenshots on a regular basis.
Key Points
When it comes to taking screenshots on your ThinkPad laptop, there are a few key points to keep in mind. Here are some tips to help you take a screenshot quickly and easily:
- Locate the “PrtSc” key on your keyboard. This is usually located near the top right-hand corner of your keyboard.
- Press the “PrtSc” key to capture a screenshot of your entire screen. If you only want to capture a specific window, press the “Alt” key and the “PrtSc” key at the same time.
- Once you have captured your screenshot, you can find it in the “Screenshots” folder. To access this folder, open the File Explorer and click on “This PC.” From there, you can navigate to the “Screenshots” folder to find your screenshot.
- If you want to edit your screenshot, you can use the built-in Paint app. Simply open the Paint app and press “Ctrl” and “V” at the same time to paste your screenshot into the app. From there, you can crop, resize, and make other changes to your screenshot as needed.
- If you want to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen, you can use the built-in Snipping Tool. This tool allows you to draw a box around the area you want to capture, and then save the screenshot to your computer.
By keeping these key points in mind, you can quickly and easily capture screenshots on your ThinkPad laptop.
Whether you need to capture an image for work, school, or personal use, these tips will help you get the job done with ease.