Microsoft is making it super-easy to take screenshots in Windows 10

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Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build includes several new features, including a much-awaited and much-needed new screenshot experience. Though the Windows 10 users currently have a few options to take a screenshot, with the latest Windows 10 screenshot tool, Microsoft wants to give users a better way to take screenshots and share them.

Until now, users had third-party apps like ShareX and Lightshot for taking screenshots on Windows 10. Not to mention also the aged Print Screen button on your keyboard. However, Microsoft aims to give users an easy way to take screenshots and also annotate them.

For the same, Microsoft has now made Screen Sketch a separate app, which takes screenshots and allows users to annotate them. Screen Sketch was previously included in the Windows Ink feature of Windows 10. To summon the new Windows 10 screenshot tool, one can use the winkey + shift + S keyboard shortcut.

“The new modern snipping experience is here to help you effortlessly capture and annotate what you see on your screen,” Microsoft says in a blog post.

The Microsoft Windows 10 screenshot tool will now show an area select tool to take a screenshot, and also instantly share it from the clipboard itself. Further, users will also be prompted to annotate the screenshot.

“Want more, though? Immediately after taking a snip you’ll now get a notification that will take you and your snip to the Screen Sketch app where you can annotate and share away!” the tech giant says.

Microsoft is also giving users an option to replace the print screen button on a keyboard with the latest Windows 10 screenshot tool. For this, go to the Keyboard Settings and enable “Use the Print Screen key to launch screen snipping.” Doing this will also add a Screen Snip quick-action button in the Action Center.

Further, the tool has also been made compatible with the stylus pen. For the devices supporting the Pen, the latest update will allow opening Screen Sketch with a single click. Users, however, will have to enable this option from the “Pen and Windows Ink Settings” menu.

The Microsoft Windows 10 screenshot tool will get more new features, and will be updated regularly. More details on the Screen Sketch app can be expected at the company’s Build developer conference next week. According to the Windows team, the new screenshot tool is based on feedback from the users. So, if you want more functionality or any change in the Screen Sketch tool, just speak up and you might get heard.

“Tell us what you want to see next via the Feedback Hub under Apps > Screen Sketch – just click the ellipsis in the Screen Sketch app and it will take you straight there,” Microsoft says.

Further, the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build (17661) also brings a more fluent design with the Task View background getting a soft blur effect to complement other effects added previously. Also, the Windows Defender Security Center has been renamed to Windows Security.

Another change accompanying the Windows 10 Insider Preview build is that focus assist, a feature that disables notifications, will now be turned on automatically when gaming. Though it will be enabled by default, users have the option to turn it on or off by going to Settings => System => Focus assist => “When I’m playing a game.”

Further, the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build also improves support for the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) in the File Explorer. With the Windows 10 April 2018 update, the company shifted the Sound settings to the Settings app. Now it is adding Device properties into Settings as well. Users will now be able to name the device and select the preferred spatial audio format.

For those who write in Chinese, Microsoft has updated the Pinyin IME with a new logo, new IME toolbar, and dark theme support. Apart from these, the company has introduced several general changes, improvements and fixes as well. Users who wish to check out these new features including the Screen Sketch app will have to sign up for the Windows Insider program.

Separately, Microsoft said it is working to fix the crashing and freezing issues with the Chrome browser after the Windows 10 April 2018 update. After installing the update, several users complained of the bug. Microsoft assured the users that it is aware of the issue, and will soon come up with the fix. Till then, the company has suggested the affected users try a workaround key sequence.

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