How to capture only the active window [supports Windows 11]: Tech TIPS-@IT

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Object OS:Windows 8.1/Windows 10/Windows 11, Windows Server 2012/Windows Server 2012 R2/Windows Server 2016/Windows Server 2019/Windows Server 2022

　When introducing the operation steps, it is difficult to understand if the content displayed on the screen of Windows OS is not captured as "screen capture" (hereinafter referred to as capture) of image data (screenshot). On the contrary, if there is a capture, even if it is just a simple description, you can accidentally know the steps.

　However, after searching for online reports, multiple explanations of capture methods under the Windows operating system will be hit. It is sometimes unclear which method can be used and which is appropriate in your own Windows environment.

　Therefore, in this Tech TIPS, several methods of capturing only windows in Windows OS are sorted out, and the strengths, steps, and precautions are summarized as simply as possible. No installation is required because it is aimed at features that are standard installed on the Windows operating system.

[object: all Windows operating systems]

　In the case of Windows PC, the keyboard should have a [Print Screen] key or a key labeled [PrtSc] [PrtScn]. If you simply press the key, the entire desktop is copied to the clipboard as an image.

　In the case of instructions, etc., usually only the active window or dialog box is needed, so in this case, hold down the [Alt] key while pressing the key. The active window is then copied to the clipboard as an image. The specific steps are as follows:

1. 他のウィンドウは脇に避けたり最小化したりして、対象ウィンドウに重ならないようにする
2. キャプチャーしたいアプリケーションのウィンドウやダイアログなどをクリックしてアクティブにする。それには［Alt］＋［Tab］キーでアプリケーションを切り替えたり、タスクバー上のタスクアイコンまたはプレビューサムネイルをクリックして選択したりする
3. ［Alt］キーを押しながら［Print Screen］キーを押す
4. 「ペイント」「ペイント3D」などの画像編集アプリを起動
5. 上記アプリで［Ctrl］＋［V］キーを押すなどして、スクリーンショットをクリップボードから貼り付ける
6. 必要なら画像を編集してから、画像ファイルに保存

　This capture method can be used in any Windows operating system. If you need to take screenshots in an unfamiliar version of the Windows operating system, you should try this method first.

　If you are synchronizing the file with the "OneDrive" stored online, the screenshot is automatically saved to the file (and copied to the clipboard) when you press the [Alt] + [Print Screen] key.

1. タスクバー端のインジケーター領域にある［^］アイコンをクリック
2. 雲を模したOneDriveアイコンをクリック
3. 表示されたウィンドウの右下にある［ヘルプと設定］アイコンをクリック
4. 表示されたメニューの［設定］をクリック
5. 表示された設定ダイアログの［バックアップ］タブを選択
6. ［作成したスクリーンショットをOneDriveに自動的に保存する］チェックボックスにチェックを入れて「オン」にする
7. ［OK］ボタンをクリックして設定ダイアログを閉じる

　The screenshot files will be saved in any folder in the < OneDrive folder > in Images\ Screenshots, Pictures\ screenshots, and Pictures\ Screenshots. In addition, full-screen screenshots taken when the [Print Screen] key is pressed separately are saved.

　If you are displaying remote desktops in a window, to run active window capture on the remote PC side, you must press [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [-] of the numeric key. On the other hand, in full-screen display, capture can be performed on the remote PC while holding the [Alt] + [Print Screen] key. In any case, the screenshot is copied to the local / remote clipboard.

　Please refer to the following TIPS for details.

　On laptops with narrow keyboards, the [Print Screen] key is not configured separately and is often used in conjunction with other keys. Moreover, the type of key used and the key allocation used as the [Print Screen] key, as shown in the following example, vary completely depending on the type of PC.

　In this case, confirm that the allocation of the [Print Screen] key is a shortcut in the PC instructions and so on. Please refer to Tech TIPS "[Windows 10 failure countermeasures] cannot take screenshots".

　For example, if you want to capture a window that contains a context menu displayed by right-clicking, the menu disappears when you press the [Alt] key. Continue to press the [Print Screen] key, and all you get is a screenshot of a window without a menu.

　In this case, it is best to use the [Windows] + [Shift] + [S] keys described later to capture rather than [Alt] + [Print Screen] keys.

[object: Windows 10 version 1809 or later / Windows 11]

　Windows11 and the latest Windows10 have another tool (application) to take screenshots. It is called "cut and sketch" in Windows10 and "Snipping Tool" in Windows11. After capturing, the image can be simply processed immediately, so it is very convenient to save or use the screenshot after processing.

　The steps to capture the window through this feature are as follows.

1. キャプチャーするウィンドウを準備する（アクティブにはしなくてもよい）
2. ［Windows］＋［Shift］＋［S］キーを押す
3. 画面上端に表示されたツールバーの左から3番目のアイコン（［ウィンドウの領域切り取り］アイコン）を選択する
4. キャプチャーしたいウィンドウをクリック
5. 画面右下にキャプチャーの通知ウィンドウが表示されるので、それをクリック
6. アプリが起動するので、必要なら加工後、保存したり共有したりする

　When you select a window after pressing the [Windows] + [Shift] + [S] key, if you click a menu or dialog box that overlaps with it, you may only snap to the clicked, not the entire window. To actually capture the entire window, it's best to click the part of the title bar without an icon.

　Although this is an informal method, whether it is Windows10's "cut and Sketch" or Windows11's "Snipping Tool", you can use a file to take out the captured screenshots.

　If you click the notification window in the previous capture step, the screenshot file is saved in the following folder:

% LOCALAPPDATA%\ Packages\ Microsoft.ScreenSketch_8wekyb3d8bbwe\ TempState

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