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Screenshots

Screenshots are a specific type of image that show the contents of a computer screen or mobile device. Screenshots generally have the same benefits as other types of images. However, they do have special maintenance requirements, so it's important to use them only when they enhance the user's understanding of the subject matter.

When to use screenshots​

Use screenshots in the following situations:

  • To introduce specific sections of the user interface.
  • To help clarify a point or step in a task.
  • To show a specific setup in the user interface that is difficult to describe with text, for example, the node connections in the Shader Graph.
  • To refer to an unnamed UI element that the reader can't easily identify or find without a callout. For example, if the UI has a non-standard icon, you can place a 16 x 16 icon inline in the instructions and instruct the user to click the icon.

When not to use screenshots​

Don’t use screenshots in the following situations:

  • To track the user’s progress through various screens encountered in a workflow.
  • To help the reader locate easily identifiable UI elements.
  • At the end of a step in a task, solely for showing a result of the step, unless the screenshot provides reassurance to the user during a complex procedure.
  • To support UI reference documentation on menus, settings, options, and components.
  • To make the text more concise (that is, the screenshot replaces several descriptive sentences about options necessary to complete a task).