title: How can I save a screenshot directly to a file in Windows?
body: <p>Is there a one button way to save a screenshot directly to a file in Windows?</p>
  <br>
  TheSoftwareJedi accurately answered above question for Windows 8 and 10.  Below original extra material remains for posterity.
  <blockquote>
  <p>This is a very important question as the 316K views shows as of 2021.
  Asked in 2008, SO closed this question around 2015 as being off-topic,
  probably because of the last question below.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <blockquote>
  <p>In Windows XP, one can press Alt-PrintScreen to copy an image of the
  active window, or Ctrl-PrintScreen to copy an image of the full
  desktop.</p>
  <p>This can then be pasted into applications that accept images:
  Photoshop, Microsoft Word, etc.</p>
  <p>I'm wondering: <b>Is there a way to save the screenshot directly to a
  file?</b>  Do I <i>really</i> have to open an image program, like
  Paint.net or Photoshop, simply to paste an image, then save it?</p>
  </blockquote>