Lightshot is software we reviewed that has a variety of screenshot-related uses, including gaming. Since lots of people use it to take screenshots of their desktop or web browsers, it’s logical that some may want to capture their in-game screen. Thanks to the built-in editing tools, it’s easier than ever to highlight, circle, point to with an arrow, or add text. Add straightforward cropping capabilities, compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux, and small size, and you have an ideal screenshot app for video games. With that in mind, all that remains is to show you how to use Lightshot in games.
1. Set a custom Lightshot key for use in games
Before we dive into the procedure, we want to clarify that you cannot use Lightshot directly inside a game, i.e., it does not integrate or become an overlay. Instead, it runs in the background, waiting for the user to press the right key. After that happens, Lightshot is launched to the foreground and takes a screenshot of a video game on the screen. We’ll demonstrate that process in the next step.
For now, it’s important to note that you should stay away from the default key, which is Print Screen on PC and usually Shift + Command + 3 on Mac (Shift + Command + 4 permits users to capture part of the screen). Though it may work flawlessly, there’s a strong chance it will conflict with another software for screenshot-taking. For instance, both Lightshot and Snipping Tool (on Windows) may launch simultaneously. If so, you may get a duplicate screenshot or cause both to stop working, neither of which is desired behavior. Plus, both photo editing user interfaces may appear on-screen, causing similar issues. Finally, many games have built-in functionality for taking and saving screenshots.
The other common way, left-clicking the Lightshot icon in the taskbar or the dock will only work if the game is in “Windowed” or “Windowed (Full-screen)” mode. Otherwise, you have to go to, say, desktop, and select the icon, making it impossible to relaunch the game until you exit the Lightshot screenshot-taking user interface. In both cases, we strongly advise you utilize our guide on changing the Lightshot hotkey.
2. Press the custom Lightshot key in-game
Although taking a screenshot is as simple as pressing the button or a key combination, you still have to determine the method. We showed this in our Lightshot setting tutorial, under “Options”, tab two—the “Hotkeys” section. As you can see, there are three types of hotkeys you can configure:
1. General screenshot key for Lightshot
It will launch the Lightshot user interface, therefore “freezing” your game to offer the usual array of editing options. While undoubtedly useful for editing the screenshot, it can prove detrimental in any game you cannot afford to pause. Therefore, only use it when you ensure a brief break to edit and save a screenshot won’t affect your in-game events negatively.
2. Key for the instant saving of a screenshot
An ideal Lightshot option, in our opinion, for use in games. When users press the key or the key combination, it pauses the game for less than a second to capture the screenshot. While that means users must manually edit screenshots afterward, it interrupts the gaming sessions minimally. Moreover, it lets you capture multiple screenshots and examine them after the heat of the battle dies down.
3. Instant uploading of screenshots hotkey
Identical to the option above in terms of lack of editing. However, it will automatically upload the screenshot to Lightshot’s image sharing site, prnt.sc. Unless you’re playing in Windowed with a browser open next to the game or have two monitors, this may be annoying. That’s because it can pause the game and send it to the background to bring the upload browser tab to the forefront. Otherwise, it’s a superb way to share your screenshots online with minimal effort.
Note. Though not mandatory if storage isn’t a problem, users who take lots of screenshots should configure the file extension and image quality to balance quality and file size in the “Formats” tab (option 3 in the tutorial).
3. Check the Lightshot screenshot folder for files
Barring the automatic upload, if you want to view the screenshots you made during or after the session, you need to open the configured save location. If you haven’t changed it, it’s at “C:\Users\Username\Documents\Lightshot” on Windows and the desktop on Mac. If you followed our instructions for changing the Lightshot save location, it’s elsewhere, and you can use them to find the data path.