Evernote Skitch: free screenshot taking app for Windows

By Martin Brinkmann on October 26, 2012 - Tags:screenshots, Windows software

I have used a number of screenshot taking programs since I started blogging here on Ghacks Technology News. From using print and an image editor over MWSnap and Screenshot Captor toSnagIt which I use currently.

Evernote Skitch is a free screenshot taking app that has been available for Apple Macintosh systems for quite some time. The developers finally have ported the program over to Windows and created both a desktop program compatible with all recent versions of the Windows operating system and a Windows Store app compatible only with the Windows 8 operating system.

The program handles things different than other screenshot taking apps when it comes to the shortcuts it makes available. The first difference is that it does not map the print key to take screenshots. It instead uses keyboard shortcuts or buttons that you need to press when the application window is active to take screenshots.

• Rectangle screenshot: Ctrl-Shift-5
• Full screen screenshot: Ctrl-Shift-6

You will notice immediately that it does not provide the same level of functionality that many Windows screenshot tools offer. Among the screenshot profiles it is missing are free hand, scrolling window or window screenshots.

Screenshots that you take are automatically displayed in the program interface where you can make basic modifications to them before they are saved on the PC. Here you can add text or arrows to the screenshot or highlight certain areas with background color. You can furthermore change the size of the screenshot before you save it to the local system.

Evernote Skitch is sufficient for the majority of screenshot taking tasks, but fails in a few areas where other - free - programs provide better functionality. What I'm missing settings-wise is an option to remap the keyboard shortcuts and to change the interface language. Actually, I could not find preferences at all in the program. An option to change the quality of the output, png, bmp and jpg are supported, is missing as well.

For now, I'd recommend MWSnap or Screenshot Captor over Evernote Skitch as the two programs offer a superior functionality to the latter. If you are on the other hand looking for an easy to use program and do not mind the shortcuts then this is certainly worth a trial run on your system.

Some users of the program have noted that it is not compatible with multi-monitor setups. Can anyone confirm that? (via Caschy)