A screenshot is often the simplest way to show a website problem. On current Windows versions you can capture the relevant area without installing a browser extension.
Capture the part you need
Press Windows + Shift + S to open the screen-capture controls. Choose a rectangular area, a window or the full screen. Drag over the relevant area when prompted, then open the capture if you want to mark it up or save it.
You can also search for Snipping Tool from Start. The Print Screen key’s behaviour depends on your Windows settings and keyboard, so the dedicated shortcut is usually the clearest instruction.
Save it or send it by email
Paste the capture into an email or image editor with Ctrl + V, or save a file from Snipping Tool and attach it. If your mail app does not accept a pasted image, use the saved-file option. Explain what you expected to happen and what happened instead.
Check what you are sharing
Crop out passwords, customer information, account details and private browser tabs. Keep the error message and enough context to make it useful. Do not send a whole desktop when one small window shows the problem.
What about a whole web page?
A screen capture only shows the captured area. A long scrolling page may need the browser’s own page-capture facility, printing to PDF or several clearly labelled images. Check the output before sharing it; avoid installing an unfamiliar extension just to take one screenshot.
The earlier version of this guide described an old Chrome extension and its spanner menu. Those instructions have been removed; the built-in Windows tool is the starting point described here.
Sources and further reading
Guidance checked 26 October 2026: Microsoft’s Snipping Tool instructions.
Illustrations
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