In my article How to Make a Screenshot I gave instructions on how to make a basic screenshot using the Paint tool that comes free with every PC. Paint is not the most elegant tool for making screenshots, but its big advantage is the price (free). And if you only make the occasional screenshot, it does the trick just fine.

However, if you make a lot of screenshots, you might want to consider purchasing screenshot software. I must admit that I don't use Paint anymore - I use SnagIt because it's so much easier. SnagIt costs 39.95 but you can get a free 30 day trial here. I've also tried WinSnap, which costs $19 or $29 (I can't remember exactly). Although WinSnap has some nice features, I prefer SnagIt because it seems more user-friendly to me.

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