Windows operating system has approximately 10 ways to capture a screenshot, not counting the numerous programs available to do the task with more features. In several articles, we have explained some of these methods, whether alternatives to the PrtScr key or the magic shortcut in Windows 10 to capture a screenshot of a specific area on the screen. However, these traditional methods can be cumbersome when it comes to quickly taking snapshots, as each time you have to paste them into an image editing program and then save them anywhere, or specify the save location after taking the snapshot directly. This is a waste of time, while there are other ways to automatically save screenshots in a specific location once they are taken. Here we present to you three methods that achieve that… Let’s get started.
First Method: Using Keyboard Shortcut
Starting from Windows 8, Microsoft introduced a new way to capture screenshots, but with a feature and a drawback. The feature of this method is that the images are automatically saved in a specific path, while the drawback is that screenshots are captured for the entire screen and not just a specific window. Anyways, it will serve the purpose better than traditional methods that require additional steps after taking the snapshot, such as specifying the save location. All you have to do is press Windows key + PrtSc simultaneously on the keyboard, and you will notice that the screen darkens for a moment as a sign from Windows that a screenshot has been taken and saved.
These screenshots are stored in a folder called Screenshots created in the path “C:\Users\\My Pictures\Screenshots“, allowing you to take multiple quick snapshots through this shortcut and access them all from one place. Note that the images are saved in PNG format and with the original screen resolution.
Second Method: Using OneDrive
If you are using Windows 10, the integration between it and the OneDrive cloud storage service provides you with very useful features such as the Free Up Space feature to save space on the hard drive. You can also take advantage of OneDrive to automatically save new screenshots to your account on the service, so you can access them from another device if you wish. To activate this feature, run the OneDrive app from the Start menu, then right-click on its taskbar icon, then click on Settings from the drop-down menu as shown in the image above.
In the settings window that will now appear on the screen, go to the Auto Save tab, then check the box next to Automatically save screenshots I capture to OneDrive under the Screenshots section. Once done, click OK to save the new setting.
Now when you press the PrtSc key on the keyboard, a screenshot will be taken and automatically saved to your OneDrive account, and you will see a Screenshot saved notification to confirm that. However, pressing the PrtSc key as you know will take a snapshot of the entire screen, while if you want to take a snapshot of the currently active window on the screen, press Alt + PrtSc together.
Once you have taken all the necessary screenshots, you can find them all by opening File Explorer and go to the OneDrive section in the left sidebar, then open the “Photos” folder, where you will find another folder named “Screenshots” where the screenshots are stored. Note that you must leave OneDrive running in the background for this method to work, otherwise the screenshots will not be saved automatically in the specified path.
Third Method: Using Cropper Software
If you are looking for a simpler and more straightforward method than the ones mentioned above, this is where we rely on an external program called Cropper, which is open source and you can download for free from the GitHub repository. After installing it on your device and running it for the first time, right-click on its taskbar icon at the bottom, and select Options from the drop-down menu to open the settings window. In this window, go to the Capturing section in the left sidebar menu, then uncheck the box next to “Keep Print Screen image on clipboard after” and leave only the “Use Cropper to process print” option activated as shown in the image above.
Next, go to the Output section of the same sidebar menu, then in the Save screenshots to this folder field, select the folder or location where you want the screenshots to be automatically saved, you can either paste the path or click the [..] button to specify the location yourself. Note that you can also set a default name for the screenshots after they are automatically saved through the Full image file name field. After completing these steps, click OK to save the changes.
As for the shaded area on the screen belonging to the Cropper software, you can hide it by right-clicking on it and selecting Hide from the drop-down menu. The Cropper program will continue to run in the background, and now when you press the PrtSc key on the keyboard to take a full screen capture or Alt + PrtSc for a snapshot of the active window on the screen, the image will be automatically saved in the specified folder.
By default, the screenshots are saved automatically in the path C:\Users\YOURNAME\Documents\Cropper Captures replacing YOURNAME with your Windows username. This method is the best because you can specify the save location yourself, and the program includes some useful features such as changing the image format, size, and dimensions after taking the screenshot.
