# PRT SCREEN _ Can I change resolution?



## boblalux (Aug 6, 2012)

The few times I wish to print the screen of my Sonly laptop, I save it in a .bmp file, which, when I open with Photoshop, I see the resolution is fixed (?) at 72 pixels/inch, which is rather a low resolution. Can I print the screen at a higher resolution?
Bob


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

Hi Bob,

Could you post a screenshot here please? I have Photoshop, perhaps I can have a look to see what may be the problem.

Why do you save as bmp? The most common format is jpeg, which I normally use and sometimes png.

Can you tell me, step by step, how you grab the screenshot?

The way I do it is, press PrtScr which puts the image in your clipboard. Then, simply open PS and paste into a new project, or whatever its called. This is the point where you should be changing the resolution or whatever else you need to do. Only after thats all done, should you be choosing the format to save the image.


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

I moved your thread to the Design Forum, you may get more experts looking at it there.


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## boblalux (Aug 6, 2012)

Deejay100six said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> Could you post a screenshot here please? I have Photoshop, perhaps I can have a look to see what may be the problem.


I attach a file for reasons of space, as a .jpg file (usually I save as bmp, because the files I often edit/correct. Each time you save a jpg file, it loses quality).
I press CTRL PRI, open a MSPaint page, CTRL V puts it on the page, which I then save. When I then open the file with Photoshop, under resize I see that the file has 72 pixels/inch.


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## zuluclayman (Dec 16, 2005)

72dpi is Photoshop's default resolution when an image is captured other than by a camera that has a specific resolution marker in the exif file...it is, or was, the most common screen resolution...though 96dpi is now more common.
Screen captures can only come into Photoshop with the dpi of the screen....once in Photoshop, as Deejay100six says above, the resolution can be changed but be aware all that is going to do is allow Photoshop's algorithms to work out what they think should be in the extra pixels...it won't always end up being any more clear/sharp.

see here for monitor dpi resolutions


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

Koala.........where?? :laugh:


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

try the snipping tool that comes with win7 to save your screens instead of the keyboard method. you will get better results.


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## zuluclayman (Dec 16, 2005)

@ Deejay...oops! sorry have corrected my post...don't know where that came from...put it down to a senior moment :laugh:


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## boblalux (Aug 6, 2012)

sobeit said:


> try the snipping tool that comes with win7 to save your screens instead of the keyboard method. you will get better results.


Don't quite understand. What is the snipping tool and how do I access it?
Bob


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

If you're using Windows 7, click the Start button and type 'snipping' in the search box. The tool should appear at the top of the list. Run it and wait a few seconds for the window to appear.

Click the arrow next to 'New' at the top-left of the window and select 'Full-screen Snip'. It will take a screenshot at 96dpi which you can then save as a PNG or JPG image.


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

Hi Bob,

The snipping Tool is in the same location as Paint.

Click Start > All Programs > Accessories and you will find it in the list there.

Read more here.

Edit, Koala's way is good too. :smile:


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

zuluclayman said:


> @ Deejay...oops! sorry have corrected my post...don't know where that came from...put it down to a senior moment :laugh:


Hahaha, thats ok, I just thought it was funny. :grin:


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## bthiels (Apr 12, 2007)

I followed your instructions. Opened a page, then PrtScr. I opened PS, File>New (which gave me a page the same size as what's on the Clipboard). Then on that new document, I hit Crrl V. The page showed up as a 72 dpi; then I went to Image > Size > Inserted 300 dpi and checked Resample Image > OK. It looks fine.



Deejay100six said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> Could you post a screenshot here please? I have Photoshop, perhaps I can have a look to see what may be the problem.
> 
> ...


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## ttocsmij (Aug 14, 2008)

The DPI setting primarily relates to the display of text on the screen. Every screen model has different dots-per-inch physically so a standard had to be developed so text of different sizes would appear uniformly from one computer to the next. In the interest of standardization, Microsoft chose to make the default resolution nn DPI at a given font type and size. For Win7 on a flat screen, the default is 96 DPI and 9 pt Segoe UI.

Historically, 72 DPI was the standard for basic CRTs so it was held over in the beginning for early flat screens. Special purpose CRTs could be programmed for any reasonable DPI. My original $4,500 Dell 20" CAD Monitor could be programmed up to 240 DPI as I recall (tho Microsoft-de-jour was hard pressed much above 192 DPI).

But with today's flat screen's typical higher resolution, 96 DPI is the current standard for flat screens.

Current Win7 (and probably Win8) users can change screen DPI setting from 100% (96 DPI) to 125% (120 DPI) or 150% (144 DPI) or 200% (192 DPI):

Go to Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display and click on Custom DPI link at left.

All that really happens is that the text on your screen gets larger and larger. Good if you need larger print. I am not sure all programs adhere so it would have be tested on a case-by-case basis.

P.S. I use PrintNow or ABBYY Screenshot Reader ($9 for full version) to copy [whatever] to the Clipboard and then Adobe Photoshop Elements to adapt the resulting image to whatever pixel density is needed. Keep in mind that changing pixel density is not a panacea. No one is taking screen prints of avatar pics and printing them as 4"x6" photos with any real success.


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## Bednacourt (Jul 25, 2009)

Pardon me if I'm just repeating something that's already been said.
It seems that the task at hand is to add resolution that isn't already there. If the application in question seems to be able to do that, it must be via some kind of interpolative in-filling - that can only produce acceptable results in portions of the graphic file where such a method will adequately bridge the gap across absent data; if the region being processed is occupied by changes of line or colour with finer "grain" than the source file could capture, then the result can only be an estimate of the original. Unless the application - Photoshop or whatever - "knows" what the missing data was. 

By example: a picture of a forest captured by means that can only resolve a three-tree element may represent a location that has a structure smaller than three trees. You know it's there, but the program used to add resolution will only be able to add trees.

So the result of "adding resolution" may tone-up the image, but the added resolution won't result in added information.

You do the same thing when you plot a curve through graphed data points. In fact, there is no data on most of the curve, but there is enough data close to the curve to allow the curve to describe the data.

Or am I missing something?


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## ttocsmij (Aug 14, 2008)

No. You are correct, Bednacourt. While the screen is a fixed resolution device (72 or 96 or whatever -- as I mentioned -- DPI the monitor driver can be set for), there is no way to change the "resolution" or DPI, if you will, of the screen print itself. However, some software can make intelligent analysis of the graphic elements that are there and "add" graphic information, so to speak. Adobe Photoshop is rather famous for this and quite frankly the results are limited even with an expert at the controls. I routinely use Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 -- yes I know, an ancient version -- to lightly doctor and enhance photos for my web site work. But, fancy processes like the "facial recognition" games one sees on NCIS, for example, are for the most part camera tomfoolery for the show. Not to say it can't happen and a lot of progress is being made. Most current digital cameras can tell if you smile (so they can take the shot) but they cannot tell you from your cousin so ...

I, for one, am not a big fan of using facial or fingerprint features for security ... unlike a password, once hacked or shared you cannot change your face or fingerprints without extensive, expensive surgery. Facebook just ain't that important. ^_^


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