Inside ShareX
1 / 1ShareX capture and sharing interface
ShareX: pick a build, then tame what happens after each capture
ShareX looks like a screenshot tool, and it is one, but its real trick is what happens after you press the key. Each capture can be saved, copied, opened in an editor, run through text recognition or uploaded, in an order you decide. Set that up once and a capture that used to take five clicks takes none.
It is free and open source under the GPL, with no account and no paid tier.
The ShareX downloads, compared
The ShareX home page offers five ways in:
- Setup: the normal installer, from the project's GitHub releases. It is a 64-bit (x64) build.
- Portable: a zip of the same x64 build. Unpack it to a folder or USB stick and run it from there.
- Microsoft Store: the same program with Store updates. The changelog notes that native ARM64 support arrives through the Store, so this is the one to choose on a Windows on Arm laptop.
- Steam: identical again, updated by Steam.
- Dev build: test builds for people who want fixes early and can live with rough edges.
ShareX is Windows-only. The download page does not state a minimum Windows version, and the installer and portable files are 64-bit only, so a 32-bit Windows installation is out.
The keys it claims
Out of the box ShareX registers these shortcuts:
- Print Screen: the whole screen.
- Ctrl+Print Screen: a rectangle you drag out.
- Alt+Print Screen: the active window.
- Shift+Print Screen: start or stop a screen recording.
- Ctrl+Shift+Print Screen: a recording saved as a GIF.
If another program already holds one of these keys, ShareX cannot register it. Open Hotkey settings in the main window to see which ones failed and pick something else.
Decide what happens after a capture
Before your first real capture, open After capture tasks in the main window. This menu is a list of ticks: save the image to a file, copy it to the clipboard, open it in the image editor, pin it to the screen, recognise text (OCR), and upload it. Untick anything you do not want. If you only want local files, make sure the upload option is off, so nothing leaves your PC by accident.
After upload tasks works the same way for the link you get back, for instance copying the URL to the clipboard. Destinations chooses where uploads go. ShareX supports a long list of image, file and text hosts, plus custom uploaders for a server of your own.
Recording and text recognition
Screen recording sits next to the screenshot modes and uses FFmpeg under the hood. A GIF is handy for a short demo in a bug report; for anything longer than a few seconds, an MP4 recording will be far smaller.
The OCR tool reads text from a region of the screen, which saves retyping an error message from a dialog that will not let you copy it.
Common questions
Is ShareX free?
Yes. It is open source under the GNU GPL, with no account required and no paid edition.
Should I use Setup, Portable or the Store version?
Setup for a normal PC, Portable if you want everything in one folder you can move, and the Store if you are on a Windows on Arm device or prefer Store updates.
Why does Print Screen still open the Windows tool?
Windows or another app has claimed the key first. Change the conflicting setting, or give ShareX a different shortcut under Hotkey settings.
Does ShareX upload my screenshots automatically?
Only if the upload task is ticked under After capture tasks. Check that list once and you will know exactly what happens to each capture.
Can it run on a Mac?
No. ShareX is built for Windows only.
- Best for
- People who take a lot of screenshots or short recordings and want each one saved, edited or shared the same way every time.
- Good to know
- The number of options is the main hurdle; check the after-capture and upload settings before you rely on it.
More capture tools
If all you need is an animated recording of part of the screen, ScreenToGif is simpler. The rest of the capture apps we list are in our free screenshot software for Windows collection.
