On a Windows system with a full-size keyboard:

• Press the "PrtScn" (Print Screen) key to copy the current screen into the clipboard
• Start Paint (under Windows Accessories in the Start menu)
• Press Ctrl+V or select the Paste button
• If desired, use the crop tool to select a specific area of the screenshot
• Save the picture in the PNG or JPEG format

On a notebook keyboard it may be necessary to press a "Fn" (function) or similar key together with the print screen key in order to achieve the desired effect.

If the Snipping Tool is associated with Print Screen, it can also be used to crop and save the file.