How To Take A Screenshot On Asus Laptops (7 Free Methods)

Taking screenshots has become an essential thing for many of us because it has so many uses. For Screenshot on Asus Laptop, you have built-in ways to capture screenshots whether you’re using Asus Vivobook, ZenBook, ProArt Studiobook, ROG, ExpertBook, TUF, Transformer Book, Chromebook, or any other series. So, let’s get started!

7 Methods of Taking Screenshots on Asus Laptops (Windows 11, 10, 8.1, and 7)

1. The Print Screen Key (Prt Sc)
2. Snipping Tool
3. Snip & Sketch
4. Xbox Game Bar
5. Use the Physical Buttons on Asus Tablets and 2-in-1 Laptops
6. Install Screenshot Apps from the Web or Microsoft Store
7. Add A Browser Extension for Capturing Web Pages

1. The Print Screen Key (Prt Sc)

When there weren’t fancy tools to capture a snap of the screen, Print Screen was the best and easiest method for taking screenshots of the entire screen, and it’s still a solid method for many because it’s been improved as well.

Before Windows 8.1, when you captured a screenshot through Print Screen, you had to paste it to Microsoft Paint or to any other document to save it. But now, the screenshot is automatically saved in your Pictures folder (This PC > Pictures > Screenshots).

But where is the Print Screen key? You can find it in the top row of your Asus laptop’s keyboard. Mostly, it’s a shared key with SysRq. So, look for a Prt Sc/SysRq key on the keyboard. Moreover, the abbreviation of Print Screen could be different in some models. Some may label it as PrtScn, PrntScr, or PrtSc.

1.1 Take a Screenshot of Your Entire Screen

Before we begin, keep in mind that if you’re on Windows 7, you would need to paste the screenshot to Paint or any other application for saving. On Windows 8.1, 10, and 11, screenshots are saved automatically to the Pictures/Screenshots folder. 

• Go to the screen you want to capture.
• Press the Windows logo + Prt Sc keys together or the Fn + Prt Sc keys at once. (The Fn key is usually in the bottom row of the keyboard.)
• There won’t be a prompt on the screen that the screenshot is taken. Go to the This PC > Pictures > Screenshots folder to check if the screenshot was taken or open Microsoft Paint and press CTRL + V to paste the snapshot and then go to File > Save to save it if you’re on Windows 7.
• If you can’t find the screenshot, press the keyboard shortcuts again. This time, try the Windows logo + Fn + Prt Sc keys as well.

1.2 Capture a Screenshot of an Active Window

If you don’t need to capture the whole screen, the Print Screen method also lets you take a screenshot of your active window only.

• When you’re on the window you want to capture, press the ALT + Prt Scn key together.
• If you’re on Windows 7, go to Paint for pasting and saving it. On newer versions of Windows, navigate to the Pictures/Screenshots folder.

1.3 Use On-Screen Keyboard for Using the Print Screen Key

Some users may find that their Prt Scn key isn’t working. If you’re one of them, use the on-screen keyboard to take snaps or use other methods in this guide.

• Open the Start menu, type ‘onscreen keyboard’, and launch the app.
• Bring up the screen to be captured.
• Press the Windows logo + PrtScn keys or Fn + PrtScn keys to take a screenshot.

Should I the Print Screen Method?

Taking instant screenshots with Print Screen is easier once you learn how to use it. Because it doesn’t interrupt what you’re doing so you can keep doing what are and also keep taking screenshots.

It’s useful for full-screen applications like games and full-screen videos. Moreover, you can take screenshots of drop-down menus and other lists that are usually hard to take a screenshot of. 

But there are some flaws in this method as well. For instance, you can’t choose the folder location, format, and name of the screenshot. It’s directly saved to its default folder.

Apart from taking screenshots of the entire screen and the active window, it doesn’t offer any other way of taking screenshots. So, you can’t select a portion of the screen.

Furthermore, you can’t edit the screenshot before saving it. You can, however, access the saved screenshot from its folder and open it with any editing app you want.

If you’re looking for a screenshot-taking method that lets you select a portion of the screen and also lets you select its location, use the next two methods.

2. Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool is a built-in tool on Windows 7, 8.1, 10, and 11. On Windows 11, Microsoft merged Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch (another screenshot tool) and named it Snipping Tool. We’ll discuss that in the Snip & Sketch section (Method 3).

Here, we’ll use Snipping Tool for Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 to take a screenshot on Asus laptop.

2.1 Taking a Screenshot of a Portion of the Screen with the Snipping Tool

• Click the Start menu, type ‘snipping tool’, and open the first app.
• A small application will open.
• The default option for selecting a screenshot is the Rectangular Snip. It lets you select any part of the screen in a rectangular shape. If it isn’t selected, click ‘Mode’ and choose ‘Rectangular Snip’.

• Click ‘New’.

• Your screen will be grayed. Drag the crosshair cursor on the screen to take a screenshot.
• When it’s taken, the screenshot will open in Snipping Tool with some editing and annotating options. Use the Pen, Highlighter, and Eraser for editing.

• After that, press the flopping disk icon to save it or go to File > Save.

• Select a folder, name, and format for the screenshot.
• If unsure about the format, don’t select anything. It’ll use the default format on its own which is PNG. Click ‘Save’.
• But if you have knowledge of image formats, click the drop-down menu next to ‘Save as type’ and select from PNG, JPG, GIF, or MHT.

2.2 Use Modes in Snipping Tool to Your Advantage

Snipping Tool has four modes of taking screenshots.

• Free-form Snip: Select any portion of the screen without the restriction of it being a rectangle or any other shape. Select the screen in any shape.
• Rectangular Snip: Take screenshots by selecting an area of the screen in variations of a rectangle. Screenshots with this method are preferred because they don’t seem uneven like Free-form snips.
• Window Snip: Capturing screenshots of any window in front of your screen is easier with this. Select this mode and click the window you want to take a screenshot of.
• Full-screen Snip: If you’re looking to capture screenshots of the entire screen, choose this mode. Once you choose this mode, the screenshot of the whole screen is taken instantly.

2.3 Using Delay in Snipping Tool (Taking Screenshots of Drop-Down Menus and Lists)

We know that taking screenshots of certain menus and lists is difficult because they disappear if you click elsewhere. Although there are easier methods of capturing snapshots of these kinds of menus with Snipping Tool (on Windows 11), Print Screen, and Snip & Sketch, if you can’t use those, learn how to do it with Snipping Tool (on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10).

• Click the Start menu, type ‘Snipping Tool‘, and open the app.
• Click ‘Delay’ and choose the number of seconds it’ll take you to open the menu or list you need to capture.

• Lastly, select ‘New’.
• Now, quickly open the menu to be captured and wait for Snipping Tool to freeze the screen.
• When you see a gray overlay on the screen, it’s frozen. Click and drag the mouse cursor to take a screenshot (depending on the mode you selected)
• The screenshot will open in Snipping Tool. Edit and save it.

Should I Use Snipping Tool?

Snipping Tool on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 has some benefits.

• It’s useful for capturing a portion of the screen, screenshotting an active window, and taking snapshots of the full screen.
• It lets you select the folder location, format, and name of the screenshot.
• Editing the taken screenshot is easy as it gives you editing options before saving a screenshot.
• Sharing is also convenient because once you take a screenshot, it’s copied to your clipboard. So, you can share it even before saving it.

Does the Delay Feature Work?

Snipping Tool also lets you capture screenshots of drop-down menus and lists if you use the Delay option. The option is useful if you are on Windows 7 and don’t have any other option.

But if you’re using any recent version of Windows, you may not need it as there are better options such as Snip & Sketch and the updated Snipping Tool on Windows 11.

3. Snip & Sketch

Snip & Sketch is a pre-installed app on Windows 8.1, 10, and 11. It’s the best method of taking screenshots.

Update: On Windows 11, Snip & Sketch and Snipping Tool are the same. Whichever app you open, it’ll launch the updated Snipping Tool.

Here’s how to use Snip & Sketch:

• Open the Start menu, type ‘Snip & Sketch’, and launch the first app.
• When it opens, click ‘New’.
• Tip: A faster method to being up Snip & Sketch is by pressing the Windows key + SHIFT + S keys together.
• The screen will get a black overlay and you’ll see a few screenshot modes on the top center of the screen.

• From the right, the first option is Rectangular Snip. It enables you to take screenshots of a portion of the screen in a rectangular shape.
• The next is Freeform Snip which lets you capture screenshots without following any shape or pattern.
• Then, we have Window Snip. With it, taking a screenshot of any window is easier as you can just click the window to take a snap of that window. 
• Lastly, it’s Fullscreen Snip. Once selected, it’ll take a screenshot of your entire screen.
• Select the Mode you want. We’ll select Rectangular Snip.
• Click and drag the mouse pointer to choose the area of the screen for the screenshot.
• When the screenshot is taken, you’ll find a notification that the screenshot is captured. Click the notification to open the Screenshot in Snip & Sketch or open it later by going to the Notification Center.

• Once opened in Snip & Sketch, use the editing tools in the toolbar to annotate the snapshot. 

• When done, click the floppy disk icon or go to File > Save to save the screenshot.

• For sharing, click the share button (arrow icon) or select the copy button (two pages icon) and paste it to any document or chat.

Snip & Sketch does everything you require from a screenshot tool. 

• It lets you select a portion of the screen, and choose an active window or the full screen for a screenshot.
• You can choose any folder, name, and format for the screenshot.
• When a screenshot is taken, it’s automatically copied to the clipboard. This means you can paste the screenshot to any chat for sharing even when you haven’t saved the screenshot yet.
• For editing, you have basic editing tools for quick edits.
• It’s also good for taking screenshots of full-screen apps like videos and games.
• Moreover, capturing screenshots of drop-down menus and tricky menus is the easiest with Snip & Sketch.

The only flaw we found in this app is that it’s not suitable for people who want to take multiple screenshots in a short amount of time. For example, if you’re gaming and you want to capture every second of the game for the next 1 minute, then it’s not possible with Snip & Sketch. You should use the Print Screen method for it. Or if you need it only for gaming, look into Game Bar.

4. Xbox Game Bar

Game Bar is for gamers as its name suggests. It’s a screen recording tool that also takes screenshots when required. Its screenshot feature is similar to the Print Screen method. Let’s know how to use it.

• Open the Start menu, type ‘Game Bar’, and launch the app.
• A few widgets open on your screen.
• If it’s only one widget, click the camera icon on the main widget (in the top center of the screen).
• Now, on the widget at the top left, click the camera icon to take a screenshot.

• It’ll show a notification that the screenshot has been saved.
• You can access your screenshots by going to This PC > Videos > Captures.

This method is useful for gamers who want to take dozens of screenshots and don’t want to pause the game. It becomes better if you use the shortcut key for it (press the Window logo + ALT + PrtScrn keys together).

There are other shortcut keys as well that you can read or reset by clicking the settings icon on the main Game Bar widget (in the top-center of the screen).

5. Use the Physical Buttons on Asus Tablets and 2-in-1 Laptops

If you’re using an Asus tablet (Android or Windows), you have another quick method for taking screenshots – the physical buttons.

• Bring up the window, video, or game to capture.
• Press the Power button and the Volume Down button together.
• The screenshot will be taken and saved to the Pictures/Screenshots folder on Windows and the Gallery on Android.

But this method has the same limitation as the Print Screen method. It only captures a screenshot of the entire screen. But you can crop the screenshot later with the Paint 3D or the Photos app.

6. Install Screenshot Apps from the Web or Microsoft Store

If you want options that aren’t in the above-mentioned tools or you like to explore new tools, there are many free screenshots apps you can try.

6.1 Search Screenshot Apps on the Web

• Launch your web browser and visit Google.
• Search ‘free screenshot tools for Windows.
• Go through a few lists to find free apps.
• Install them to test them out.

6.2 Install Search Apps from Microsoft Store

Microsoft Store also has screenshot apps and many are available for free.

• Open Microsoft Store
• Search ‘screenshot’.
• Find free apps and install them.

7. Add A Browser Extension for Capturing Web Pages

If you mostly take screenshots of websites and web pages, you can use a browser extension for this purpose as well. They are useful if you’re looking for a tool to capture the whole web page, not just the visible area of the web page.

Install extensions on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge with these steps:

• Open your web browser and go to the Chrome extensions page or navigate to the addons page for Firefox.
• Search ‘screenshot’.

• Find free extensions.
• Click ‘More Extension’ to get a full list of extensions.
• Add any extension you like to your browser.

For Microsoft Edge, before you perform the above steps, enable Chrome extensions on it:

• Open Edge.
• Click the three dots at the top right corner and choose ‘Extensions’.

• Now, select ‘Manage extensions’.

• On the left pane, switch on the toggle for ‘Allow extensions from other stores’.

How To Take a Screenshot on Asus Chromebooks?

Your lightweight and fast Chromebook has a built-in tool, Screen Capture, to cater to your needs of taking screenshots and recording your screen. Use these methods:

1. Using Screen Capture to Take Screenshots on Chromebooks
2. Screenshot an Active Window with a Shortcut Key

1. Using Screen Capture to Take Screenshots on Chromebooks

• On your Chromebook, click the time to access the Quick Settings panel and select ‘Screen Capture’ to open the tool.
• For quick access, press the CTRL + SHIFT + Show windows keys at once to bring up the Screen Capture toolbar.

• Once it opens, click the camera icon to take a screenshot.

• It takes screenshots in three different modes. Full-screen snapshot, rectangular snapshot, and active window snapshot.
• If you want to select a portion of the screen, choose the Rectangular screenshot option. Hover your mouse cursor over each option to see its name.
• Now, click and drag your mouse cursor to choose a portion of your screen. 
• When done, you’ll get a notification that the screenshot has been captured.
• To access the screenshot, go to the Downloads folder.
• If you want to change the default location of screenshots, bring up the Screen Capture toolbar and click the cogwheel icon > Select folder.

2. Screenshot an Active Window with a Shortcut Key

If you only need to take a screenshot of the active window, you can do it instantly without opening the Screen Capture toolbar. Use these steps:

• Open the window you want to take a screenshot of.
• On your Chromebook’s keyboard, press CTRL + Show windows keys together.
• The screenshot will be saved to your Downloads folder.

Conclusion

Taking screenshots on Asus laptops is the same as on any other Windows-powered laptop or computer. Use the above-mentioned methods and capture screenshots conveniently.

FAQs