Taking screenshots of your desktop is infinitely useful (including when you get a strange error that you can't seem to repeat when IT is standing by).. Although the process of taking a screenshot has always felt a bit more cumbersome than it needs to be due to the additional steps of opening editing software, formatting the image, and saving the file. Lightshot is a solution that simplifies the entire screenshot process.

Lightshot allows you to edit your screenshot from the moment that you hit the Print Screen button on your keyboard. With Lightshot, as soon as you hit PrtScn a transparent layer automatically overtakes your screen along with cropping tools. You can now drag and select the precise area of your screen for your image, this saves you from having to open and use image editing software.

Easily cropping screenshots is just one of the handy features of Lightshot, after you have your image selected and saved, you can now use Lightshot's online photo editing tools to perform a variety of edits. This online feature works great from any device or platform, and is especially nice if the only image editing software you have at your disposal is Microsoft Paint. Additional Lightshot features include:

Using the Lightshot website to upload your image and share it with anyone.

• Having the ability to save your screenshot as multiple image formats.
• Instantly printing your screenshot.
• Deleting your current screenshot in favor of selecting a different one.
• Copying the screenshot to your clipboard.

After you select and save your screenshot, Lightshot gives you the option to immediately email it or post it to your favorite social media account. All of these features will save you a total of 3-5 steps to edit and share your image, making your day that much more productive. Another cool feature for Lightshot is a search feature that allows you to instantly look for similar images from both Google and Tineye.

Lightshot is designed to work on both Mac and Windows, and the online capabilities allow you to use the many features of Lightshot on most web browsers and devices.

And the best part about Lightshot is that it is free. Download the Lightshop app for yourself at http://app.prntscr.com/.