How to Use the Windows 11 Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool is a convenient utility application integrated into Windows that offers users with significant screen-capturing capabilities.

Listed below: how to use it and how it can prove valuable to your business.

What Can the Snipping Tool Do?

The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is more than just a screenshot tool, it's a versatile utility for capturing images, recording video, extracting text, and scanning QR codes right from your screen. Forget needing multiple apps; this built-in tool handles many common tasks.

Taking Screenshots (Snips)

After pressing Win + Shift + S, choose Rectangle (drag), Window (click window), Full-screen, or Free-form (draw shape).

Delay Timer: Need to capture a menu? Open the full app, select a 3, 5, or 10-second delay, click + New to trigger the action, and wait for the snip prompt.

Recording Your Screen

Launch: Use Win + Shift + R or click the Record icon in the app.
Select Area: Drag to outline the recording region.
Audio: Toggle microphone and/or system audio capture on/off.
Record: Click Start. Use the control bar to Pause or Stop.
Save: Videos save automatically as MP4 files in your Videos\\Screen Recordings folder. You might see an option to edit further in Clipchamp, a clip editor bundled into Microsoft 365.

Extracting Text (OCR) & Redacting Info

Capture/Open: Snip an image with text or open one in the Snipping Tool.
Activate: Click the Text Actions button. Detected text will be highlighted (processed locally on your device).
Copy: Select text and press Ctrl + C, or click Copy all text.
Redact: Click Quick Redact to hide detected emails and phone numbers automatically. Select what to redact (emails, phones, or both) via its dropdown.

Scanning QR Codes

Capture/Open: Get an image with a QR code using the Snipping Tool.
Activate: Click "Text Actions."
Interact: The tool will show a clickable link or the decoded text near the QR code.

Editing and Saving

Edit: After snipping, use the toolbar to draw (Pen), highlight, erase, add shapes/emoji, crop, and more.
Clipboard: Snips copy to your clipboard automatically for pasting (Ctrl+V).
Save Manually: Click the Save icon or press Ctrl+S to save as a PNG, JPG, or GIF file.
Auto-Save: Enable "Automatically save screenshots" in Settings to save every snip as a file (usually in Pictures\\Screenshots) and copy it to the clipboard.
Share: Use the Share button to send via email or other apps.

Fast Access Methods

Image Snip: Press Win + Shift + S for immediate screen capture options (Rectangle, Window, Full-screen, Free-form).
Video Record: Press Win + Shift + R to jump into the screen recording setup.
Optional PrtScn: Remap the Print Screen key via Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.

The Snipping Tool Can Cover a Lot of Business Needs

Windows 11's Snipping Tool is a powerful, built-in utility for screen capture, recording, text extraction, and more. Its integrated features save time and limit the need for extra software, making it a useful option for businesses.

Stay tuned for more handy tips and computer best practices!