Oh, we are the adventurers. We click and tap and swipe willy nilly, hoping something will transport us to our destination. And then we are lost. And our computer is mad at us and refuses to respond to our tiniest request. And the tech support person asks, “What were you doing before this happened?”
“Before what happened? When I was just trying to print that page four hours ago? And now I can’t find the file? And the program disappeared, too? I did exactly what that website told me to do. I don’t know which website! The one that tells you how to print when the color ink is out. This flashing warning sign is blocking my view.”
Have you ever tried to tell a tech support person what your cyber journey looked like? Did they hang up on you? Worse, did they say you imagined it?
What if you had proof? What if you could retrace your steps? Wouldn’t that be great? Let’s start that new life now.
If you have a Windows computer, you may have noticed that button on your keyboard that says prt scr or PrintScr or full-on Print Screen. You may have used it. It’s been there since before Microsoft Windows was conceived. That little button used to cause a picture of your computer screen to come rattling out of your dot-matrix printer. Get it? Print Screen.
In true American style, Microsoft gradually re-defined the term. Now, it should be called Photograph Screen. Nah. That’s just too darn long. But the button is still there – for Windows folk, anyway. Press it now. Nothing happened? Something happened. Your computer silently took a picture of what you’re looking at. But where did it put that picture?
In true American style, Microsoft just keeps moving with no explanation. It saved that picture on the fabled invisible “clipboard,” which also holds things you copy. You can paste that screenshot onto documents and emails and whatnot, just like other things you copied. And then it’s gone as soon as you copy or prt scr again.
But where were we? We were lost ten miles down a road of blind guesses. Tech support is about to hang up on us. Let’s turn back time and get the upper hand. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Some savvy pistols will say, “Yes! Open a Word document and keep pasting screenshots into it.” Yes. That is one option. But I’ll one-up you. What if those screen shots weren’t disappearing after all? What if you discovered a whole folder of them, with date-and-time stamps, even?
Yep. It’s a thing. Just hold down the Windows logo key W while you press prt scr. Next questionable screen, do it again. Every step along your path of good guesses, drop a little W + prt scr. When you want to see your last 30 minutes pass before your eyes, open up your Pictures folder. You’ll see a new one there. It’s called Screenshots.
Take that, tech support.
What about our Apple family? I’m sorry, guys. Mac never grew a prt scr button.