How to Send a Screenshot

To send a screenshot, you capture what is on your screen and then share that image with someone. The capture is the easy part. The choice that matters is how you send it, as a file you attach or as a link you paste.

This guide covers both. It walks through taking the screenshot, sending it on a computer and a phone, and turning it into a link when a file is too much.

First, take the screenshot

If you do not have the shot yet, here are the quick ways to grab one.

• Windows: press Windows + Shift + S, then drag to select the area. It copies to your clipboard, and you can also save it.

• Mac: press Cmd + Shift + 4, then drag over the area. It saves to your desktop. Add Control to copy it to the clipboard instead.

• iPhone: press the side button and volume up together.

• Android: press the power and volume down buttons together.

On phones the screenshot lands in your photo gallery. On a computer it goes to your clipboard or a folder, depending on the keys you used.

How to send a screenshot on Windows and Mac

Once you have the shot, you have two easy ways to send it.

Paste it straight in. If the screenshot is on your clipboard, open the chat or email and press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac). The image drops into the message, with no file to save first. This works in Gmail, Outlook, Slack, WhatsApp Web, and most chat apps.

Save it, then attach it. If you would rather send a file, save the screenshot first. Then use the attach or paperclip button to add it. This is the way to go when the app does not accept a pasted image.

For a quick send, pasting is faster. For a record you can keep, save and attach.

How to send a screenshot from your phone

Phones make this quick with the share button.

On iPhone:

1. Open the screenshot in the Photos app.

2. Tap the share icon in the bottom corner.

3. Pick the app you want, like Messages, Mail, or WhatsApp, and send.

On Android:

1. Open the screenshot in Photos or your Gallery.

2. Tap the share icon.

3. Choose the app and send.

Right after you take a screenshot, a small preview also pops up. Tap it and you can often share it straight away, without opening your gallery at all.

How to send a screenshot as a link

Sometimes a file is too big for email, or you want one link that anyone can open. In that case, turn the screenshot into a link.

1. Take or copy the screenshot.

2. Open imagepaste and press Ctrl+V to paste it, or upload the file.

3. Copy the link it gives back.

4. Paste that link into any chat, email, or ticket.

The link opens the screenshot for anyone, on any device, with no attachment to download. It is handy for large images, group chats, and bug reports. For the full paste-to-link steps, see our guide on how to paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V.

Fixing common problems

A few things can trip up a screenshot send. Here are quick fixes.

The file is too big. Email often blocks large attachments. Send the screenshot as a link instead, or crop it to just the part you need before sending.

It won't paste into the app. Some apps do not accept pasted images. Save the screenshot as a file and attach it, or send it as a link.

The screenshot looks blurry. A shot is only as sharp as the screen it came from. Capture at full size and avoid shrinking it before you send.

You are sharing too much of the screen. Crop the screenshot first so the other person sees only what matters, not your whole desktop.

If one method gives you trouble, switch to another. A link works when a file will not, and a file works when an app blocks pasting.

Conclusion

Sending a screenshot comes down to two steps. Take the shot, then pick how it goes out. Pasting it straight into a chat or email is the quickest way for everyday messages. When the file is large or you are sending to a group, a link works better, since it opens for anyone with no download.

Once you know these few ways, you can send any screenshot in seconds, on a computer or a phone.