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Helpful software for taking and editing screenshots

Helpful software for taking and editing screenshots

Vote: (38 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: getfireshot.com

Version: 0.98.98

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(38 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

getfireshot.com

0.98.98

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Takes moments to install
  • Compatible with many web browsers
  • An easy to use software extension
  • Features a free Lite version
  • Save as JPEG/PNG or PDFs

Cons

  • The editing features are only available on the Pro edition
  • Pro edition trial only lasts 10-days

Fireshot is a fully-featured webpage capturing program. The utility is compatible with Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and Internet Explorer. It integrates with each of these browsers, so it comes in the form of an easy-to-install extension. Once that browser plugin is installed and active, the webpage screenshots are saved as PDFs or an image file. Better yet, after the screenshots are captured, they can be edited. That's a handy feature, one that quickly proves its worth when a user decides to share a screenshot.

The Fireshot Lite icon blinks into life on a compatible browser's toolbar. It's a blue square, with a large "S" contained inside. Press CTRL+SHIFT+Y to capture an entire webpage, top to bottom. Alternatively, there's an option to screenshot what's currently visible on the computer screen. If neither of those options fits the bill, hit the third and final menu entry, which calls up a crosshair instead of the mouse pointer. This feature cleverly brings up a resizeable boundary box, one that precisely marks the capture zone. Finally, upon leaving the capture command, a second window pops up to provide more information. It's in here that the screenshot is saved as a JPEG or PNG image file. Next line down, there's also an option to save the capture as a PDF.

One of the much-vaunted features, the advanced capturing and editing tools, doesn't come installed when the Fireshot Lite plugin is selected from a browser's extensions panel. For this level of functionality, the computer user needs Fireshot Pro. Now, while there is a 10-day trial version available, a full upgrade isn't free. To stick with a free and mostly functional plugin, the Lite version should serve most needs. However, if a drawing tool, text boxes, and other editing tools are desirable, then a one-time payment will need to be paid. In summary, there's the Fireshot Lite extension, which is free, then there's Fireshot Pro, the version that's loaded with editing tools. While there's a free to use version of the Pro software, it expires after 10-days, at which point the user must make a payment for a lifetime license, or the user must revert to the Lite edition.

Using Fireshot Lite, for free, the webpage capturing extension takes high-definition shots of entire pages, visible sections, and user-defined page section. From here, the next window allows the page to be saved in different image and file formats. For Fireshot Pro, the software adds tab saving, page element captures, scrolling DIV captures and frame saves, text annotations, and more. Then, once the images are stored, the software also provides an uploading feature, one that seamlessly adds the webpage captures to Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and other software-compatible web platforms.

Pros

  • Takes moments to install
  • Compatible with many web browsers
  • An easy to use software extension
  • Features a free Lite version
  • Save as JPEG/PNG or PDFs

Cons

  • The editing features are only available on the Pro edition
  • Pro edition trial only lasts 10-days