3 Ways to Take Long Screenshots on a Windows Laptop

Screenshots are a useful way to save images, text, or other information displayed on your laptop screen.

However, there are times when a standard screenshot isn't enough—especially when you need to capture content that extends beyond the visible screen, such as a full webpage, a long WhatsApp Web conversation, a Word document, or a PDF file.

A long screenshot allows you to share articles or chat history more conveniently. Instead of uploading Word or PDF documents to Google Drive, you can convert them into image format and store them on Google Photos.

There are several ways to take long screenshots on a Windows laptop. Below are some methods you can try.

Using Google Chrome

Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers, and it comes with a built-in feature that makes capturing long screenshots easy. Follow these steps:

1. Open Google Chrome

Launch Google Chrome and navigate to the webpage you want to capture. Then, press Ctrl + Shift + I or right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect.

2. Adjust the screen size

In the top right corner, click the Toggle device toolbar icon to switch the display to mobile mode. You can also adjust the resolution and screen size as needed.

3. Capture the screenshot

Click the three-dot icon at the top right, then select Capture full-size screenshot. The screenshot will be automatically downloaded and saved in your Downloads folder.

Once the screenshot is taken, a download notification should appear. If you don’t see it, click the recent downloads icon and open the file from there.

The captured screenshot will look like the example below, and you can zoom in to read the content more clearly.

Using Mozilla Firefox Quantum

Mozilla Firefox Quantum is an updated version of the Firefox browser, offering faster performance and new features. One of these features is the built-in ability to capture long screenshots easily.

Compared to the previous method, taking long screenshots in Firefox Quantum involves fewer and simpler steps.

However, the version of Firefox Quantum you are using may differ from mine, so the steps might not be exactly the same. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Install and Open Mozilla Firefox Quantum

First, download and install Mozilla Firefox Quantum from the official website. If you already have it installed, open the browser and go to the webpage you want to capture.

2. Take a screenshot

Right-click on a blank area of the webpage and select Take Screenshot from the menu.

3. Select a Screenshot Option

At the top right corner, you will see two options: Save full page and Save visible. Choose Save full page to capture a long screenshot, then click Download.

Wait for the download to complete. To access the screenshot, click the recent downloads icon and open the downloaded image file.

The screenshot will appear as a vertically extended image. You can zoom in to read the content more clearly.

Using ShareX

ShareX is a free tool that makes capturing long screenshots on your laptop quick and easy. I personally use this app frequently to take screenshots for the articles I write.

Besides taking screenshots, ShareX also offers features like video recording, image editing, and file uploads to various online services. Here’s how you can use it to capture long screenshots:

1. Download and Open ShareX

First, download and install the latest version of ShareX from its official website.

Once installed, open ShareX and navigate to Hotkey Settings. In the window that appears, click the dropdown menu next to Alt + Print Screen, select Screen capture, and then choose Scrolling capture. (Note: You can assign a different shortcut if you prefer.)

2. Activate Immersive Reader Mode

Open the webpage or document you want to capture. If you’re using Microsoft Edge, press F9 to enable Immersive Reader mode for a cleaner reading view. (Depending on your laptop, you might need to press Fn + F9 instead.)

3. Capture the Screenshot

While in Immersive Reader mode, press Alt + Print Screen, then click on the area you want to capture. An interactive window will appear—click Start scrolling capture.

Once the capture is complete, select Upload/Save..., then click Save. You can find the screenshot in the Documents\ShareX\Screenshots(year_month) folder.

And that’s it! Pretty simple, right? While this method is quick and efficient, it only works on pages without static images. That’s why using Immersive Reader mode in Microsoft Edge can be helpful.

Now you know how to take long screenshots on a laptop with ease. Hopefully, this guide helps you gather materials in image format for easier access anytime, anywhere. Good luck!