A screenshot of an error message often tells an engineer more than a paragraph of description. Use these steps whenever you log a ticket about something you can see on screen.
On Windows
The quickest way is the Snipping Tool shortcut:
- Press Windows key + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
- Choose a mode (rectangle, window or full screen), then drag around the area you want, or click the window.
- The screenshot is copied to your clipboard and a notification appears. Click the notification to open it in the Snipping Tool, where you can save it.
- To add it to your ticket email, click in the body of the email and press Ctrl + V to paste, or attach the saved file.
You can also press Print Screen (sometimes labelled PrtSc). On current versions of Windows this usually opens the same snipping toolbar, depending on your settings.
On a Mac
- Press Command + Shift + 4, then drag to select the area you want. To capture a single window, press Space bar after the shortcut and click the window.
- Or press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar, which lets you capture the whole screen, a window or a selected area.
- By default the screenshot is saved to your desktop. A thumbnail also appears briefly in the corner of the screen, which you can drag straight into an email.
Microsoft and Apple have more detail: Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots and Take a screenshot on Mac.
If you can't take a screenshot
If your computer is frozen, won't start, or the error appears before you've signed in, take a photo of the screen with your phone instead. Keep the whole message in frame and avoid glare. Email it to support@synfo.com.au, or reply to your ticket email with it attached.
What to capture
- The whole error message, including any error code or number.
- Enough context to show which program or website it's in, such as the window title.
- The time, if it's visible, so we can match it against logs.
Check your screenshot before sending it. Crop or cover any passwords, MFA codes, bank details or private information that happen to be on screen.
Still stuck?
If you can't capture what's happening, log a ticket anyway and describe it in words. An engineer may start a remote session to see it for themselves.