How Do I Print a Screenshot: A Simple Guide for All Devices

In today’s digital age, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for capturing and sharing information displayed on our screens. Whether it’s a funny chat, an important error message, or a memorable moment in a game, screenshots allow us to preserve and communicate visual data quickly. But what if you need a physical copy of that screenshot? You might be wondering, “How Do I Print A Screenshot?”

Fortunately, printing a screenshot is a straightforward process across most devices. This guide will walk you through the various methods to print your screenshots, ensuring you can easily get a hard copy whenever you need one.

Printing Screenshots Directly: The Share Icon Method

One of the easiest ways to print a screenshot, especially on mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, is by using the “Share” icon. This method often provides a direct “Print” option, streamlining the process. Let’s explore how this works:

For iPhone and iPad:

1. Locate your Screenshot: First, find the screenshot you wish to print. Screenshots are typically saved in your Photos app, usually within the “Screenshots” album.

2. Open the Screenshot: Tap on the screenshot to open it in full view.

3. Tap the Share Icon: Look for the “Share” icon, which is usually located at the top right or bottom left corner of the screen. It’s represented by a square with an arrow pointing upwards.

   Share icon on iPhone for printing screenshot

4. Scroll and Find “Print”: In the Share Sheet that appears, scroll down the list of options. You should find the “Print” option among them.

5. Select “Print”: Tap on “Print”. This will open the Printer Options screen.

6. Choose Printer and Settings: Select your printer from the list of available printers. Adjust settings like paper size, number of copies, and color if needed.

7. Print: Finally, tap the “Print” button to send your screenshot to the printer.

This direct “Share” and “Print” method is often the quickest way to get a physical copy of your screenshot, especially from an iOS device.

Saving and Printing Screenshots: Alternative Methods for All Devices

While the “Share” icon method is convenient, it might not always be available or the most suitable option for all devices and situations. Another reliable approach is to save your screenshot first and then print it as an image file. This method works universally across smartphones, tablets, computers, and various operating systems.

Let’s break down how to save and print screenshots on different platforms:

Printing Screenshots on iPhone and iPad (Saving Method)

If the direct “Share” to “Print” option isn’t working or preferred, you can save the screenshot and print it from the Photos app.

1. Take a Screenshot: Capture your screen as usual on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Open Photos App: Go to your Photos app and find the screenshot in the “Screenshots” album or “Recents”.

3. Select the Screenshot: Tap the screenshot to view it.

4. Tap the Share Icon: Again, tap the “Share” icon.

5. Choose “Save to Files” or “Save Image”: You can either “Save Image” to keep it in your Photos or “Save to Files” to store it in your Files app as a PDF or other image format. Saving to “Files” as PDF can be useful for maintaining document format when printing.

6. Open the Saved Screenshot: If you saved to “Files”, open the Files app and locate your saved screenshot. If you saved as an image, it remains in your Photos app.

7. Print from Files or Photos:

   • From Files: Open the screenshot file, tap the “Share” icon, and then select “Print”.
   • From Photos: Open the screenshot in Photos, tap the “Share” icon, and then select “Print”.

8. Adjust Printer Settings and Print: Select your printer, adjust settings, and tap “Print”.

Printing Screenshots on Android Devices

The process on Android is very similar to iOS, leveraging the share functionality or printing from the Gallery or Photos app.

1. Take a Screenshot: Capture a screenshot on your Android phone or tablet. The method varies by device, but often involves pressing the power and volume down buttons simultaneously.

2. Access Screenshot: Screenshots are typically found in the “Gallery” app or “Photos” app, often in a “Screenshots” folder.

3. Open the Screenshot: Tap to open the screenshot.

4. Tap the Share Icon: Look for the Share icon, which might be three connected dots or a similar symbol, and tap it.

5. Find “Print” or “Save as PDF”: In the Share menu, look for a “Print” option. If you want to save it as a document first, you might also have an option like “Save as PDF”.

6. Select “Print” or Print from Saved File:

   • Direct Print (if available): Select “Print”, choose your printer, adjust settings, and print.
   • Print from Saved File: If you saved as PDF or image, open the file from your Files app or Photos app, use the Share icon (if needed), and select “Print”.

7. Print: Finalize your printer settings and tap the print button.

Printing Screenshots on Windows Computers

Printing screenshots on Windows PCs is also quite easy, with multiple methods available.

1. Take a Screenshot:

   • PrtScn Key: Press the “PrtScn” (Print Screen) key to capture the entire screen and copy it to the clipboard.
   • Alt + PrtScn: Press “Alt” + “PrtScn” to capture only the active window to the clipboard.
   • Windows Key + Shift + S: Press “Windows Key” + “Shift” + “S” to use the Snipping Tool, allowing you to select a specific area to screenshot.

2. Open an Image Editor (Paint, Paint 3D, etc.): Paste the screenshot from your clipboard into an image editing program like Paint (pre-installed on Windows). For Snipping Tool, the screenshot usually opens in a small editor window.

3. Paste the Screenshot (Ctrl + V): In Paint or your chosen editor, press “Ctrl + V” to paste the screenshot.

4. Save the Screenshot (File > Save As): Save the screenshot as an image file (JPEG, PNG, etc.) to a location you can easily find.

5. Open the Saved Screenshot: Locate the saved image file and open it with an image viewer or editor.

6. Print (Ctrl + P or File > Print): Use the “Print” command, usually found under “File” in the menu or by pressing “Ctrl + P”.

7. Adjust Printer Settings and Print: Configure your printer settings in the print dialog and click “Print”.

Printing Screenshots on macOS Computers

Printing screenshots on Macs is similar to Windows, using built-in tools and the print functionality.

1. Take a Screenshot:

   • Shift + Command + 3: Press “Shift” + “Command” + “3” to capture the entire screen and save it as a file on your desktop.
   • Shift + Command + 4: Press “Shift” + “Command” + “4” to select a specific area to screenshot and save as a file on your desktop.
   • Shift + Command + 4 + Spacebar: Press “Shift” + “Command” + “4” + “Spacebar” to screenshot a specific window. Click on the window you want to capture; it will be saved to your desktop.

2. Open the Screenshot: Screenshots are saved as PNG files on your desktop by default. Double-click the screenshot file to open it, usually in Preview (the default image viewer on macOS).

3. Print (Command + P or File > Print): Use the “Print” command, either by pressing “Command + P” or going to “File” in the menu bar and selecting “Print”.

4. Adjust Printer Settings and Print: Configure your printer settings in the print dialog and click “Print”.

Tips for High-Quality Screenshot Printing

To ensure your printed screenshots look their best, consider these tips:

• Image Quality: Screenshots are generally low-resolution images. For better print quality, try to capture the screenshot at the intended print size if possible.
• Printer Settings: Experiment with your printer settings. Using “photo paper” settings or adjusting the print quality to “high” can improve results, especially for detailed screenshots.
• Cropping: Before printing, crop unnecessary parts of the screenshot using an image editor to focus on the essential content and maximize print size for the important area.
• Test Print: If you’re printing something important, do a test print on plain paper first to check layout and clarity before using more expensive photo paper.

Conclusion

Printing a screenshot is a simple task once you know the steps. Whether you are using a smartphone, tablet, Windows PC, or Mac, the methods outlined in this guide will help you easily convert your digital screenshots into physical copies. From utilizing direct “Share” options to saving and printing as image files, you have multiple ways to answer the question, “How do I print a screenshot?” Choose the method that best suits your device and needs, and start printing your screen captures today!