How to Use the Excel Screenshot Option (Take, Edit and Copy)

To take a screenshot in Excel, first, go to the Insert tab and then select the Screenshot option from the Illustrations group.

Excel screenshot feature

There are two options available for taking screenshots in Excel.


Method 1 – Taking a Direct Excel Screenshot of an Available Active Window

Steps:

  • To take a screenshot of an active window (i.e., a Word Document), go to the screenshot option from the Insert tab and select the Word document window.

taking Excel screenshot of an active window

  • Excel will insert the screenshot into the spreadsheet. You can also adjust the size or apply cropping as needed, ensuring a professional appearance.

screenshot of an active workbook in a spreadsheet


Method 2 – Using the Screen Clipping Feature

Steps:

  • Go to the Insert tab.
  • Select Screenshot.
  • Choose Screen Clipping. This tool allows you to select a specific portion of your Excel window to capture only the relevant information.

navigating to the screen clipping option

When you opt for the Screen Clipping feature, Excel displays a faded background to indicate it’s ready to capture a screenshot.

Your cursor will transform into a crosshair icon.

faded background indicating ready for a screenshot

  • Click and drag your mouse to create a box around the desired portion.
  • Release the mouse button; Excel will insert the screenshot of the selected area into your spreadsheet.

screenshot in the spreadsheet using screen clipping

Excel will insert the captured content into your spreadsheet, allowing you to include the desired information without additional editing. For instance, we captured a section of a webpage.


How to Copy Data As a Quick Excel Screenshot: 3 Methods

  • Select the data range or chart you want to copy.
  • Navigate to the Home tab.
  • Click the drop-down menu of the Copy option. Choose Copy as Picture.

This action will open the Copy Picture window, allowing you to select the desired format for your image

copy picture window


Method 1 – Copy As an Image

If you choose the As shown on Screen option and format it as a picture, the result you’ll achieve upon pasting will be as follows.

While this preserves the image quality, remember that the image won’t be editable. This method provides a sharper appearance in comparison.

paste as picture

NOTE: If you have a large dataset, use CTRL+A to copy. Ensure no blank rows are present between the data cells.

Method 2 – Copy As Bitmap

Copying data as a bitmap offers another rapid solution for capturing Excel content. The data is transformed into an image format that retains its visual clarity. However, the image might appear less sharp when scaled up.

copy and paste as bitmap


Method 3 – Copy As Shown in the Print

When you choose As shown when printed, the Format option becomes unavailable, and the content will be automatically pasted as a picture. This method is particularly useful when preserving the exact layout, including page breaks and headers.

copy as shown when printed output


Things to Remember

  • For Large Dataset: To take a screenshot of a large dataset, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+A to copy.
  • Data Integrity: While screenshots are useful for visual representation, they are static images. Changes to the underlying data won’t be reflected in the screenshot.
  • Context and Explanation: Always provide context and explanations if necessary when sharing screenshots. A clear description of the screenshot will help others understand the information better.

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Ishrak Khan
Ishrak Khan

Qayem Ishrak Khan, BURP, Urban and Regional Planning, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, has been working with the ExcelDemy project for 1 year. He wrote over 40+ articles for ExcelDemy. He is an Excel and VBA Content Developer providing authentic solutions to different Excel-related problems and writing amazing content articles regularly. Data Visualization, DBMS, and Data Analysis are his main areas of interest. Besides, He has passions about learning and working with different features of Microsoft... Read Full Bio

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