I often create screenshots of systems or pages for this blog. So far, I have always used addons for this. Especially when the whole page (including the entire scrollable area) should be visible in the screenshot.

The big disadvantage of addons, however, is that they usually want at least read access. Whether they do anything with the data, I don't know. But theoretically, these add-ons would have the option of collecting usage data and selling it to data brokers, and I don't really want that.

Luckily, Microsoft Edge offers the "web capture" feature for this, which you can call up with the key combination CTRL+ SHIFT + S. The interface is very similar to that of the "Snipping Tool". Entire pages can be screenshotted with "Capture entire page" and individual areas with "Capture area".

Another window then opens where you can mark or delete things. Sharing, copying and saving is of course mandatory:

Et voila. So now you can take screenshots of entire pages without add-ons and no longer have to worry about providers creating usage profiles of your surfing behavior.

Why you don't need screenshot addons

Screenshot addons for browsers can pose a significant security risk. Many of these extensions require extensive permissions to access page content – and thus theoretically also sensitive data like passwords or form data. Edge's built-in Web Capture feature completely bypasses this problem as it's implemented directly in the browser.

Comparison with other browsers

Other browsers now also offer similar features. In Firefox, you can find the screenshot function via CTRL + SHIFT + S or through the context menu. Chrome has also offered a built-in screenshot function since version 104 via DevTools (CTRL + SHIFT + I, then CTRL + SHIFT + P and type "Screenshot"). However, Edge has the advantage of better integration and easier handling.

Tips for better screenshots

For professional screenshots, it's recommended to set the browser zoom level to 100% first and possibly disable dark mode if the page offers one. This way you get consistent and legible results. For long pages with lazy loading, it can also be helpful to scroll all the way down first before taking the screenshot.

Further reading

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