ShareX

{{Short description|Free and open-source screenshot and screencast software}}

{{Infobox software

| name = ShareX

| logo = ShareX Logo.png

| screenshot = ShareX Screenshot.png

| developer = ShareX Team

| released = {{Start date and age|2007|08|22|df=yes}}{{cite web |url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ShareX/ZScreen_Google_Code/master/ZScreenLib/Documents/VersionHistory.txt |title=ZScreen 1.0 has been released |date=22 August 2007 |access-date=19 May 2015 |publisher=ShareX}}

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q2804309}}

| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}

| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q51930650}}

| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}

| repo = {{URL|https://github.com/ShareX/ShareX}}

| programming language = C#

| operating system = Windows 7 SP1 or later

| platform = .NET Framework 4.8

| language count = 13

| language = English, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Hungarian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese

| genre = Screenshot software, screencast software, raster graphics editor, file verifier

| license = GNU GPLv3

| website = {{URL|https://getsharex.com/}}

}}

ShareX is a free and open-source screenshot and screencast software for Windows. It is published under the GNU General Public License. The project's source code is hosted on GitHub.{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/ShareX/ShareX|title=ShareX/ShareX|website=GitHub|language=en|access-date=13 March 2017}} It is also available on the Microsoft Store{{Cite web|url=https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nblggh4z1sp|title=ShareX - Microsoft Apps|website=Microsoft Store|language=en-US|access-date=2024-03-17}} and Steam.{{Cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/400040/ShareX/|title=ShareX on Steam|website=Steam|language=en-US|access-date=2024-03-17}}

Features

=Screenshots=

ShareX can be used to capture full screen or partial screenshots (which can be exported into various image formats), such as rectangle capture and window capture. It can also record animated GIF files and video using FFmpeg.

An included image editor lets users annotate captured screenshots, or modify them with borders, image effects, watermarks, etc. It is also possible to use the editor to draw on top of the windows or desktop before taking the screenshot.{{Cite web |last=Carrasqueira |first=João |date=2024-08-14 |title=ShareX is the best tool for taking screenshots on Windows, and that includes the new Snipping Tool |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/sharex-best-tool-taking-screenshots-windows-including-snipping-tool/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=XDA |language=en}}

=Sharing=

After capture, a screenshot can be automatically exported as an image file, email attachment, exported to a printer, to the clipboard, or uploaded to a remote host via FTP. Many popular image and cloud hosting services support ShareX integration, and some offer scripts to automatically upload using an account. If the image is uploaded to a remote host, the URL generated by it can be copied to the clipboard.

Dragging other file types into the program will upload them to a destination based on type, such as a text file being saved to Pastebin and a ZIP file saved to Dropbox.

=Other tools=

There are a variety of desktop image capabilities including screen color picker and selector, checksum tool (hash check), on-screen ruler, image combiner, thumbnails for images and video, and many more.

The program also includes some basic automation. For example, taking a screenshot, adding a border and watermark, and then saving to a specific folder.

Development

Work on a project called ZScreen began in 2007, hosted on SourceForge and moved to Google Code in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://code.google.com/p/zscreen/ |title=ZScreen on Google Code |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213205441/http://code.google.com/p/zscreen/ |archive-date=13 February 2009 }} In 2010, a parallel project called ZUploader was started to rewrite ZScreen's core from scratch.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/archive/p/zscreen/downloads |title=ZScreen releases |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517122818/https://code.google.com/p/zscreen/downloads/list?can=1&q=&colspec=Filename+Summary+Uploaded+ReleaseDate+Size+DownloadCount |archive-date=17 May 2014 }} In 2012, all of ZScreen's features had been ported to ZUploader which was subsequently repackaged and released as ShareX.{{cite web|url=http://code.google.com/p/zscreen/ |title=Active development has been ceased for ZScreen and ZUploader in favour of ShareX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210044534/http://code.google.com/p/zscreen/ |archive-date=10 December 2013 }} In 2013, the project was moved to GitHub due to Google Code dropping support for hosting downloads.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/archive/p/zscreen|title=We have a new web site getsharex.com and we have also moved to GitHub |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222202452/http://code.google.com/p/zscreen/ |archive-date=22 December 2014 }}

Reviews

TechRadar gave the program 4.5 out of 5 stars{{cite news |last1=Wyciślik-Wilson |first1=Sofia |title=ShareX review |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/sharex |access-date=25 July 2021 |date=2020-01-31}} and listed it among their 2021 Best Screen Recorders.{{cite news |last1=Baxter |first1=Daryl |title=The best free screen recorders in 2021 |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-screen-recorder |access-date=25 July 2021 |date=2021-07-20}}
The Guardian's 2018 article on the "best replacement for the Windows 10 Snipping Tool" lists ShareX first,{{cite news |last1=Schofield |first1=Jack |title=What's the best replacement for the Windows 10 Snipping Tool? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2018/oct/25/what-is-best-replacement-for-windows-10-snipping-tool |access-date=25 July 2021 |date=2018-10-25}} with the caveat that it's powerful and probably "overkill for most users".
The Verge's article listed ShareX among the 2021 great apps to have for Windows 11.{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2021-12-30 |title=11 of the best apps for your new Windows 11 PC |url=https://www.theverge.com/22837232/windows-11-pc-best-apps-microsoft-2021 |access-date=23 March 2022}}
Lifehacker made a 2022 article about ShareX being the Best Screenshot Tool for Windows with a complete usage guide.{{Cite news |last=Parab |first=Pranay |date=2022-03-23 |title=This Is the Best Screenshot Tool for Windows |url=https://lifehacker.com/this-is-the-best-screenshot-tool-for-windows-1848690325 |access-date=23 March 2022}}
Microsoft listed ShareX as the best Utility App in the 2022 Microsoft Store Community Choice Awards.{{Cite web |last=Blog |first=Windows Developer |date=2022-05-27 |title=Announcing the Microsoft Store App Awards Winners! |url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2022/05/27/announcing-the-microsoft-store-app-awards-winners/ |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=Windows Developer Blog |language=en-US}}