Screenshots. Where are they saved?

Mitch · Feb 8, 2024

Hi, Would appreciate some clarification please. My daughter is sending her laptop off for repair under warranty. She used it for online banking and, sometimes saves screenshots of transactions for security purposes. These screenshots are saved to the screenshots folder in pictures. She transfers these screenshots to a USB drive and deletes the screenshots and empties the recycle bin.
When running Settings/System/Storage the option to clear Thumbnails appears. It says Windows keeps copies of pictures etc. If the screenshots are deleted from Explorer/Pictures/Recycle Bin, are they still available in Thumbnails and if they are cleared from Storage does that remove them from normal view?
I'm aware that emptying the Recycle Bin doesn't fully remove them from the device as they may be recoverable using software but does clearing thumbnails from Storage stop them from casual view?
Thanks Mitch.

Ghot · Feb 8, 2024

@Mitch

Not exactly the answer to your question, but...

It's best to keep "important" screenshots and pics in a folder YOU create on a storage drive.
That way, when you send the comp in somewhere... you can just take the storage drive... OUT.

In a corporation where a computer will never leave the building.... Windows Libraries are... OK.

For a home computer that may go out for repair... create your own folders to store things... on a storage drive.

Short version: Don't save important things on your C:\ drive.

For example.... this is a partition on my storage drive...

Mitch · Feb 8, 2024

Hi Ghot. Thanks for your reply. I wish I had told her that when she first got the laptop. What's the best way to change the default save to location for Screenshots to a USB drive? Can you do it only for Screenshots or does it have to be for all pictures/photos? Thanks.

OAT · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
Hi, Would appreciate some clarification please. My daughter is sending her laptop off for repair under warranty. She used it for online banking and, sometimes saves screenshots of transactions for security purposes. These screenshots are saved to the screenshots folder in pictures. She transfers these screenshots to a USB drive and deletes the screenshots and empties the recycle bin.
When running Settings/System/Storage the option to clear Thumbnails appears. It says Windows keeps copies of pictures etc. If the screenshots are deleted from Explorer/Pictures/Recycle Bin, are they still available in Thumbnails and if they are cleared from Storage does that remove them from normal view?
I'm aware that emptying the Recycle Bin doesn't fully remove them from the device as they may be recoverable using software but does clearing thumbnails from Storage stop them from casual view?
Thanks Mitch.

Casual view yes.
Keep in mind however that files are never really deleted as such, a character is added to the file itself so that it looks deleted.
A person with forensics knowledge of computers would be able to get something out of it.
Some specialized software claiming to erase your drive will fill it up with 0 & 1 to make the data unretrievable.
As usual, @Ghot's suggestion is wise and should be followed.

OAT · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
What's the best way to change the default save to location for Screenshots to a USB drive? Can you do it only for Screenshots or does it have to be for all pictures/photos? Thanks.

Sreenshots folder is stored in Pictures folder, along with camera rolls and saved pictures..
Right click on Pictures parent folder and change the location or move it altogether.
I think that one would have to tinker with the registry in order to only move the location of the Screenshots folder.

in any case it can be found here : c:\users\<username>\Pictures.

Ghot · Feb 8, 2024

I don't mess around with Libraries, at all.
They are still there in my account folder, I just don't use them... ever.

So IF I ever had to take my computer in, somewhere, I would just remove the storage drives.

Edwin · Feb 8, 2024

It is never safe practice to capture screenshots of sensitive info!

OAT · Feb 8, 2024

Ghot said:
I don't mess around with Libraries, at all.
They are still there in my account folder, I just don't use them... ever.

View attachment 86415

So IF I ever had to take my computer in, somewhere, I would just remove the storage drives.

If you export this reg location, you can transport it anywhere
This would be for the current user only, obviously

Code:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

andrew129260 · Feb 8, 2024

Ghot said:
For a home computer that may go out for repair... create your own folders to store things... on a storage drive.

Short version: Don't save important things on your C:\ drive.

This is a laptop, its not practical to not store things on the main drive. I don't see anything wrong with storing data there. (Important files should be backed up of course)

As for the OP @Mitch

Do you know if this laptop has an ssd? If it is and the files have been removed it is very hard to get them back. SSD File recovery is extremely difficult. Also, for warranty repairs companies don't have the time to sift through your drive looking for things. I honestly would not worry about it. Your much more likely to get scammed or get a virus than worrying about what you store on your computer getting stolen from a manufacturer warranty center.

Mitch · Feb 8, 2024

Thanks for the replies. Yes it is an SSD. Just wondering if, before sending it back for repair, a clean install would be useful to wipe out anything she has saved - it's a hardware fault with the trackpad. Thinking on the go here!

andrew129260 · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
Thanks for the replies. Yes it is an SSD. Just wondering if, before sending it back for repair, a clean install would be useful to wipe out anything she has saved - it's a hardware fault with the trackpad. Thinking on the go here!

In my personal opinion everything in this thread is going a little overboard, it will be fine. Just send it in. Dont overthink it.

If your really worried, sure wipe it and reinstall windows. The factory usually does that anyway.

Also, I agree with @Edwin. The bank statements taking screenshots of is not ideal. You could download the statements as a pdf and encrypt the file which would be much safer. But in any case, I think there is no need to panic on such things.

Ghot · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
Thanks for the replies. Yes it is an SSD. Just wondering if, before sending it back for repair, a clean install would be useful to wipe out anything she has saved - it's a hardware fault with the trackpad. Thinking on the go here!

Clean install is ofc another solution.

OAT · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
A clean install would be useful to wipe out anything she has saved - it's a hardware fault with the trackpad. Thinking on the go here!

This is misleading, nothing is cleaned, just overwritten and only in random places, as I mention above, unless you 'wipe' the drive filling it with 0 & 1, there are always remnants. On a SSD, that would reduce the life of the drive but that would be way to make sure.
Some government agencies have forensic tools to retrieve things. I doubt a repair shop would though.
I think you are overly cautious.

Mitch · Feb 8, 2024

Thanks all for your help. My daughter's Credit Card was hacked about a year ago so she is cautious. Maybe as Edwin says, she should stop taking screenshots. I suspect she thought that as they were transferred from PC to USB everything would be safe.
Thanks again. We appreciate your help.

andrew129260 · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
Thanks all for your help. My daughter's Credit Card was hacked about a year ago so she is cautious. Maybe as Edwin says, she should stop taking screenshots. I suspect she thought that as they were transferred from PC to USB everything would be safe.
Thanks again. We appreciate your help.

Yeah that stuff can happen and will happen. Definitely be cautious, and be safe.

Its fine to store things on your laptop and a flash drive. It really is. Nothing wrong with that. In general things like credit cards getting "hacked" and the like are almost never due to the actual computer (or your personal devices), but from a company that got breached when the card was used there.

Identity theft and a lot of the big scams are generally due to a company failure (them getting targeted), and nothing you own being the actual reason usually. As long as they understand the basics of internet security, common sense, and being cautious of emails trying to scare you into taking action, they will be fine.

It sounds like they already keep tabs on their banking. Which is good. That's one of the best things you can do.

Just relax and have fun. The sad truth is things will happen regardless of how protected you make yourself sometimes. It's better to enjoy life and not be constantly worried something nefarious will happen around the corner. You do the best you can and thats all you can do.

Edwin · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
... as Edwin says, she should stop taking screenshots.

Especially if a particular 3rd party capture tool is used..., many cache the capture history long after the item has been deleted, then Permanently deleted, perhaps in thumbnail form..., and the application may even Phone Home!

If the bank is worth it's salt, they should provide an encrypted receipt by default or request.

glasskuter · Feb 8, 2024

My OEM (Dell) asks that a system be imaged and then reset & remove everything before shipment to make data breach more difficult. While it is possible any data on the computer could be compromised once the system is out of your hands and it is true that any deleted data is not fully deleted from the drive, it is doubtful it would happen at the manufacturer. It is a good practice to not store any sensitive data on a system in the first place, but to store externally or in the cloud. The biggest threat to data getting stolen is the user either automatically logging in or not using a VERY DIFFICULT MS password or pin. One should not automatically save any password to a sensitive site in their browser.

csun · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
My daughter is sending her laptop off for repair under warranty.

Sage advice above.

Any chance warranty repair could be done locally, at your home ? I was fortunate that Dell had contractors in my city (major metro) and received service within 24 hrs.

Mitch · Feb 8, 2024

Hello, It's a pickup and return service. An image and reset would work as I pointed her to Reflect. I know the reset would mean that technically items could be recovered but the unit is collected by courier and delivered to the repair facility. She doesn't automatically log in but uses a pin and doesn't save passwords. If she wanted to save screenshots directly to a USB drive without transferring via the C drive, as per Oat's post above, if she changed the default location to save screenshots to (USB) I assume she would also not be able to save pictures to the C drive ? Could she create another picture folder and choose the save location as an option? Sorry for the long winded post but these are questions I'm certain I will be asked. Thanks again.

andrew129260 · Feb 8, 2024

Mitch said:
Hello, It's a pickup and return service. An image and reset would work as I pointed her to Reflect. I know the reset would mean that technically items could be recovered but the unit is collected by courier and delivered to the repair facility. She doesn't automatically log in but uses a pin and doesn't save passwords. If she wanted to save screenshots directly to a USB drive without transferring via the C drive, as per Oat's post above, if she changed the default location to save screenshots to (USB) I assume she would also not be able to save pictures to the C drive ? Could she create another picture folder and choose the save location as an option? Sorry for the long winded post but these are questions I'm certain I will be asked. Thanks again.

I personally wouldn't bother with changing the pictures folder, that will just get confusing especially on a laptop. As most of us has said, just don't take screenshots and use the download transactions button on the bank site which will probably be a pdf which you can encrypt with 7 zip or bitlocker or something. If insistent on taking screenshots then just move them to the usb/external drive. I would also just use the snipping tool thats built in instead of another program. I don't even understand why you would want to take screenshots of the transaction history either.

You do what you want but I think you're making a big deal about nothing. Your phone is much more critical than a laptop.