How to Screenshot a Video?

Wondering how to take a screenshot of a video, or how to turn a stack of screenshots into a video? This guide walks you through the full process using free tools. We will also cover how to capture a video playing on your computer in HD.

Three ways to take a screenshot of a video:

1. Hotkeys
2. Snipping tools
3. Chrome extensions

By "screenshot of a video" we mean capturing a still image of a single frame from a video playing on your screen.

A hotkey is a key combination that triggers an action when pressed together. Both Mac and Windows ship with built-in hotkeys to take screenshots. Pause your video at the right frame, hit the hotkey, and you have your screenshot.

Mac screenshot hotkeys

Shift + Cmd + 3: Full-screen screenshot

• Play your video in full-screen mode
• Pause at the frame you want
• Press the hotkey to take the screenshot
• The screenshot appears in the corner of your screen

Shift + Cmd + 4: Capture a section of your screen

• Pause your video at the right frame
• Press the hotkey, then drag the crosshair to select the area you want
• The screenshot appears in the corner
• Press Esc to cancel mid-selection

Shift + Cmd + 4 + Space: Capture a single window

• Press the hotkey combo, then tap Space. A camera icon appears. Click the window to capture it. The screenshot lands in the corner.

That covers full screen, a section, and a single window on Mac.

Windows screenshot hotkeys

Windows + PrtScn: Full-screen screenshot

• Pause your video, hit the hotkey. The screen dims briefly to confirm the screenshot. Files save to the Screenshots folder inside Pictures.

Alt + PrtScn: Capture the active window

• Same flow as above. Use Alt + PrtScn to capture only the window in focus.

Windows logo + Volume Down (Microsoft Surface)

On a Microsoft Surface, hold the Windows logo at the bottom of the screen and tap the volume down button.

Windows

Windows has a built-in Snipping Tool that supports timed screenshots. Open the Windows menu, search for Snipping Tool, click Delay, and set a timer. The tool will capture and save the screenshot when the countdown ends.

Mac

Mac has a built-in Screenshot tool with the same timed-capture feature. Open Finder, go to Applications, then Utilities. Click the Screenshot icon, set your timer, and capture.

For online videos, a Chrome extension is the cleanest way to capture full-resolution stills without the player controls in the frame.

The Vmaker Chrome extension can both record your screen and capture stills from any online video. Once installed, it sits in your toolbar and works across any streaming site.

Two ways to do this:

1. Drop your screenshots into a video maker tool and stitch them together.
2. Use a screen recorder to walk through the screenshots with audio narration and on-screen highlights.

The screen recorder route is more engaging. You can add a personal touch with annotations and voice-over, and even include your face in a webcam bubble while you narrate.

You can also add subtitles, music, and transitions to make the video more polished.

Here is how to do it with a screen recorder.

Best free screen recorders for the job

• QuickTime Player
• Microsoft Game Bar
• Vmaker

OBS often shows up on free screen recorder lists, but it has a real learning curve. For a task this simple, you do not need it.

Vmaker covers more than the others on this list. Here is what else you get with Vmaker:

• Screen and webcam recording
• AI-powered virtual backgrounds
• Frames and filters
• AI video editor
• HD video recording
• Unlimited recordings
• Cloud storage

• Step 1

Collect your screenshots in a folder and arrange them in the order you want.

• Step 2

Select all the screenshots and open them together.

• Step 3

A preview window opens. Now open Vmaker on your system.

Pick "Screen + Webcam" mode if you want a webcam bubble in the corner, or "Screen" mode for a standard screen recording.

• Step 4

Click "Start Recording" and maximise your preview window. If you slip up while recording, the AI video editor can fix it later.

Bonus Guide: How to film yourself without freaking out

• Step 5

Use the right arrow on your keyboard to advance to the next screenshot while you narrate.

Tip: Use the drawing tool to highlight key parts.

• Step 6

Click the red dock button to stop recording. The video uploads to your Vmaker cloud account, where you can edit, download, and share it.

That covers turning a stack of screenshots into a video.

Sometimes a screenshot is not enough. You might need to capture a video as it plays, show subtle motion, or save a video without downloading it. Here is how to do that.

You can use Vmaker's free screen recorder to capture any video playing on your screen. Here is how.

• Step 1

Open Vmaker, pick "Screen" mode, and click "Full-Screen Recording".

• Step 2

Open Options, then Preferences, and turn on "Use system audio". This lets you record internal audio.

• Step 3

Click "Start Recording" and play the video in full-screen mode.

• Step 4

When you stop recording, the file uploads to your private cloud account. Edit it from there.

Liked this guide? Here are a few more reads:

Five Screen Recorders Worth Checking Out for Creating YouTube Videos

10 Best Screen Recorder Chrome Extensions in the Chrome Web Store

How to Record Your Computer Screen (With Audio)

Best Screen Recorders for Mac