Online screenshot tool
Press Capture, choose the screen, window or tab to share, and the tool takes the picture after the wait you set. Mark it up, hide anything private, then download it or copy it.
Free · no signup Runs in your browser
How do I take a screenshot online?
Press Capture the screen, choose what to share (the entire screen, one window or a browser tab) and the page grabs one picture of it after the wait you set, so you have time to switch to the right window. The screenshot opens in an editor where you can add arrows, boxes, text and numbered steps, highlight, crop, and pixelate, blur or hide private details. Then download it as PNG, JPG or WebP, or copy it to the clipboard. Nothing is uploaded.
Why we built this tool
A screenshot is the fastest way to show something: a bug, a setting, a step in a guide, a receipt, an error message. Most of us already have shortcuts for it, but a shortcut gives you a flat file, and the next step is almost always editing: an arrow to point at the button, a box around the error, a blur over the account number. That usually means opening a separate program, or an online service that uploads your picture to its servers. This tool does both in the page: it captures the screen with the browser's own screen-sharing feature, and gives you the markup tools to finish the job, all on your device. It also works on a computer where you are not allowed to install software.
It is built for people who write instructions, report problems, make tutorials, keep records or send pictures for support. The numbered-step tool is there for guides, the pixelate and hide tools for privacy, and the delay so you can capture a menu that closes when you click elsewhere.
The picture is made and edited in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no watermark.
How it works in detail
The tool asks the browser for screen capture with getDisplayMedia, the same feature that video calls use to share a screen. The browser shows its own picker, so you always choose what is shared; a web page cannot capture your screen without your say-so. Once you choose, the page plays the stream in a hidden video element, waits for the delay you set, draws one frame onto a canvas and stops the sharing at once. That canvas becomes your picture.
Every mark you add is stored as an instruction (for example 'arrow from here to there, red, medium') rather than painted into the picture, and the picture is redrawn from the original plus the list each time. That is why Undo and Redo work for every step, and why cropping is not destructive: the crop is only applied when you download or copy. The pixelate and blur tools work on the picture beneath them, so they hide the original pixels in the saved file, not just on screen. Saving uses the canvas's own encoder for PNG, JPG or WebP.
How to use it
- Set the wait (3 seconds is a good start) and whether to include the mouse pointer, then press Capture the screen.
- Choose the screen, window or tab in the browser's picker. Switch to the window you want during the wait. The shot is taken at zero.
- Pick a tool and drag on the picture: Arrow, Box, Circle, Line, Pen, Highlight, Text, Step number, Pixelate, Blur, Hide or Crop. Click a colour, and choose the thickness.
- Use Undo (Ctrl+Z) and Redo (Ctrl+Y) freely. Clear marks removes everything you added.
- Choose PNG for sharp text, JPG for smaller photos, then press Download, or Copy to clipboard and paste it straight into a message or document.
The tools in the editor
What each tool is for.
| Tool | Use it to |
|---|---|
| Arrow, Line | Point at a button, a setting or an error |
| Box, Circle | Draw attention to an area without hiding it |
| Pen, Highlight | Underline, circle freehand, or mark text as with a highlighter |
| Text | Add a label or a note; click, type and click away |
| Step number | Number the steps of a guide; each click adds the next number |
| Pixelate, Blur | Obscure names, numbers, faces and addresses while keeping the layout visible |
| Hide | Cover an area with a solid black box so nothing can be recovered |
| Crop | Keep only the part you need; applied when you save or copy |
Use cases
- Bug reports and support requests: show exactly what you see, with the error circled
- Step-by-step guides and training material, with numbered markers
- Saving proof of a page, a receipt, a confirmation or a payment screen
- Sharing a setting or a menu with a family member who needs help
- Design feedback: point at spacing, colours or text that needs changing
- Blurring a name, address, account or order number before posting a picture online
- Capturing a menu or tooltip that disappears, using the delay
Problems you may run into
Most trouble comes from what the browser and apps allow.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The browser never shows a picker | It is a phone or tablet, or screen capture is blocked for this site | Use Chrome, Edge or Firefox on a computer. On a phone use the built-in screenshot buttons, then open the picture in the annotator |
| The capture shows my browser tab, not what I wanted | You chose the tab or window of this page in the picker | Press Capture again and pick the other window or the entire screen; the wait lets you switch first |
| Parts of the window are black | The app or video player blocks capture (copy protection), or hardware acceleration hides it | Capture the entire screen instead of the window, or turn off hardware acceleration in that app |
| The picture is blurry or small | The window was captured at a lower size than the screen | Choose the entire screen, or enlarge the window before capturing; the capture uses the size the browser provides |
| Copy to clipboard does not work | The browser does not let pages copy pictures, or permission was denied | Use Download, then insert the file; Chrome and Edge usually allow copying |
| The pointer is missing | The 'Include the mouse pointer' box was off, or the browser hides it | Tick the box, capture again; some browsers decide this themselves |
| My notification or private message appears in the shot | It was on the screen when the picture was taken | Use Pixelate, Blur or Hide on the area before you download |
Privacy: hide what should not be shared
Before you send or post a screenshot, look at everything in it, not just the part you meant to show: names in tabs, notifications, email addresses, account and card numbers, order numbers, addresses, faces and anything in the background. For personal details, use Pixelate or Blur on a large area, or Hide for a total cover; a thin blur over small text can sometimes be read back, so choose a large block size or a solid box for anything sensitive, such as a number or a password. The marks are baked into the saved picture, so nobody can remove them. Organizations in Canada are expected to protect personal information, and it is good practice to remove it from pictures you share even as an individual. This is general information, not legal advice.
How it works
Capture one frame, mark it up, save it.
1. You press Capture; the browser shows its picker (getDisplayMedia) and you choose a screen, window or tab.2. After the wait you set, one frame of the stream is drawn onto a canvas and the sharing is stopped.3. Each mark is stored as an operation and drawn over the picture; Undo removes the last one; Crop is applied when you save.4. Download or copy the result as PNG, JPG or WebP. Nothing is uploaded.
Screen capture needs a secure page (HTTPS), which this site uses. The picture has the pixel size the browser provides for what you share, up to 8,192 pixels on its longest side. PNG is lossless and best for text; JPG and WebP are smaller but lossy. The pointer is included only if you ask and the browser supports it. Pictures larger than 8,192 pixels are reduced.
Example: a step-by-step guide picture
You need to show a colleague where to click in a settings page.
- Capture3-second wait, then pick the browser tab
- MarkStep number 1 on the menu, 2 on the toggle, an arrow to Save
- HideBlur your email address in the corner
- SavePNG, about 200 to 800 KB
A clear picture with numbered steps and no private details
Paste it into an email or document with Copy to clipboard.
Terms on this page
- Screenshot
- A still picture of what is on a screen.
- Pixelate
- Replace detail with large blocks so text cannot be read.
- Annotation
- A mark or note added to a picture, such as an arrow or label.
Common questions
Is it free, and is there a watermark?
Yes. It is free, with no watermark and no sign-up.
Is my screenshot uploaded?
No. It is captured and edited in your browser and never sent anywhere.
Can I capture the whole screen?
Yes. In the browser's picker choose 'Entire screen' (or the monitor, if you have several), or one window or browser tab.
Why do I have to choose what to share each time?
Browsers require your permission for every screen capture, so no site can capture your screen without you knowing.
How do I take a screenshot of a menu that closes when I click?
Set a wait of 5 or 10 seconds, press Capture, choose the window and open the menu before the countdown ends.
Can I blur personal information?
Yes: use Pixelate, Blur or Hide. For numbers and passwords, use Hide or a large pixelated area.
Can I use it on my phone?
Phones do not let a page capture the screen. Take the screenshot with your phone's buttons, then open it in the image annotator on this site to mark it up.
Is anything I enter sent to a server?
No. The calculation happens in your browser and nothing you type leaves your device.
Where these numbers come from
- MDN Web Docs — MediaDevices.getDisplayMedia() How a page asks permission to capture a screen, window or tab, and why a picker is always shown.
- MDN Web Docs — Canvas API The drawing surface the marks are painted on, and how a canvas is saved as PNG, JPEG or WebP.
- MDN Web Docs — Clipboard API How a page copies a picture to the clipboard, and why some browsers limit it.
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada — Personal information (privacy basics) Why names, account numbers and similar details should be removed from pictures you share.
Last verified 2026-10-25 The method on this page is checked against the sources above at least once a year. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
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