Take Screenshots with Greenshot

For taking screenshots on my Windows PC, I’ve been using the free software from Jing, which lets me use a hotkey combination to take a screenshot then save it to my computer or quickly upload it to either Flickr or a web site via FTP. However, I’m always on the lookout for any utilities that could improve on the screenshot-taking experience. That’s why I’m now giving Greenshot a try.

This new, open source screenshot application runs from a small executable file – no installation required. After it’s up and running, you can use keyboard shortcuts to take a shot of either a region (hit the Print button), a window (Alt+Print), or your entire screen (Ctrl+Print).

Unlike Jing, which saves all images as .PNG files, Greenshot lets you specify your image file format along with name and storage location. In addition, you can choose to just copy the image to the clipboard instead so you can paste it elsewhere.

After your screenshot has been copied, you can then add objects including rectangles, circles, and text boxes. A unique feature lets you select an element within the picture and resize it, move it, copy it, cut it, or delete it.

Unfortunately, Greenshot doesn’t let you upload photos to the web like Jing does, but you can always use Windows Live Photo Gallery or your favorite FTP program for that. Greenshot may not replace Jing for me, but it definitely has some useful features that make it a worthy addition to my everyday toolkit.