Hi, I took some screenshots the way I used to do in games, by using Shift+Prt Sc. I am on PC, the sreenshot was in black/white and distorted a bit. Isn't it possible to take "normal" screenshots ?

This is weird, Alt Print Screen just grabs a bit map of the screen, if it's in color, the screen shot is in color. Do you have a third party tool that intercepts screenshots and makes them jpgs? For example, the Steam screenshots do this. Perhaps there is a setting in the program that is making it black and white.

To test this, do a screenshot of your desktop, it works the same way. Note, I use Alt Printscreen when taking screen shots of the desktop but that is to grab the focused window. I think just Printscreen grabs the entire screen. Then, paste into a Word document to see what it looks like.

I've seen this issue with Oblivion, and we didn't find any solutions. Do Steam screenshots save fine?

Hi, Moderator thanks, what happens is the usual print screen doesnt work, Shift + Prt SC, instead the Skyrim print screen comes in and save the file in the skyrim folder. How do I disable the Skyrim print screen option ? The file I find in Skyrim folder is around 3.5 Mb and a .bmp file, when I open it, its black and white and distorted. Is there an option to disable the Skyrim print screen option, if so please tell me how to do it.
PS I haven taken screenshots in Diablo 3, works just great, but that is using Shift + Prt Sc and then paste if from the clipboard.
I am using Shift + Prt Sc in Skyrim and get a message on the screen "screenshot XXX is saved". The file is saved to the Skyrim folder.
The default key in Skyrim is F12 according to the settings meny, but that key doesnt work.

F12 (or remapped screen shot) does not work if Steam is operating offline. FYI.

Thanks HallowenWeed, I didnt know that, i am playing offlline. Thanks for the info
Sorry doesnt matter whether I am online or offline, the F12 key for taking screenshots doesnt work'
I just checked.

From what I understand, F12 is the key for taking a screenshot within Steam, which converts it to a JPG and stores it in a folder somewhere in Steam. This is completely separate from how Windows does it. Printscreen is a Windows Function and puts the image on the clipboard that you have to them paste into something to see it. The only difference between Shift-Printscreen and Alt-Printscreen is grabbing the entire desktop or the window that is in focus.

If they image is stored as a JPG, then Steam is doing this. If it is being stored somewhere as a bitmap, then you have a third party tool intercepting the screenshots. If it is being stored as a jpg, then there is defiantly a third party tool doing this. If you have to Paste the image into something to see it, then Windows is handling this.

One thing I noticed was missing: have you tried just PrtSc and no other keys in combination with it?

Moderator: the default key for taking screenshots F12 doesnt work, if I am online or offline doesnt matter. I have no 3rd party program running in the background. I have tried to remap the screenshot key in the Steam settings, no matter what key I assign, it doesnt work. The only thing that works is either to press: Prt Sc or Shift + Prt Sc, When I do that I get a message on the screen, upper left hand corner saying: Screenshot: screenshot xxx created. When I check the file its stored in Steam/Steamapps/common/skyrim folder and its a .bmp file around 3 Mb large. Its black and white and distorted, kind of "leaning" towards the upper left hand corner of the picture.

Are you using a resolution other than your monitor's native resolution?
Have you tried using http://www.fraps.com/? The free version is enough to take screenshots.

I had this issue with Fallout 3, never found out what caused it. I started using FRAPS for screenshotting With Skyrim i've used Steam's screenshot feature without problems.

I have tried a few free screencapture programs, Screenhunter and some other, they dont work in Skyrim. No matter what key I assign as screen capture key, it work in other games, but not Skyrim, Screenhunter for example, you can configre a lot, the best thing is you can tell wich folder Screenhunter shall store the screenshots in, and also the naming policy, date, time, name etc. But why doesnt Skyrims builtin screen capture routine work, the way it works now, is a disaster, creating black/white distorted images, cant configure which key to use in Skyrim in the Steam settings. I have no unnecessary services running in the background. I work as IT technician and have slimmed down all unnecessary services, disabled and changed from auto to manual on around 15 services. Also disabled Aero its a resource eater, also slimmed down other graphic features. I run Win 7 64-bit, with 16 Gb memory and Nvidia Geforce 540 GT (2 Gb videmem) its a rather new laptop, Samsung RC 530.
Excuse my english, I am not a native english speaker

Fixed thanks to ghoulsrpeople2, Fraps works just great, no more fiddling trying to get Skyrims builtin screencapture to work, I will register and buy Fraps to get the benefit of getting updates and also getting the files as .jpg instead of the trials .bmp files.
Problem solved, thanks all of you for taking your time and helping me
Now back to Skyrim " just last week I was commenting to my fellow meadery worker, just how lucky we are, working for such a charitable family."