With Windows 10, Microsoft gave us the Snipping Tool and then replaced it with Snip and Sketch. Now Microsoft has returned us back with the Windows 11 Snipping Tool, but with a few changes. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what’s different and how you can put it to use.
Getting Started with the Snipping Tool
As you’d expect, accessing the tool is straightforward. Simply type “snip” in the Windows search or Start menu. If you use it frequently like I do, it will already appear in your most-used applications list.
The biggest change between the old Snipping Tool and our brand new one is the addition to record screens, not just capture static images.
Recording Your Screen with the Snipping Tool
Let’s explore the recording feature first. To use screen recording:
- Open the Snipping Tool and switch to the “Record” mode
- Click “New” to begin
- Click and drag to select the area you want to record
- Choose whether to record microphone and system audio (if needed)
- Click “Start Recording”
- When finished, click “Stop Recording”
One brilliant feature is that I can edit my recordings directly in ClipChamp, Microsoft’s basic video editing application. All recordings are saved automatically under Videos > Screen Recordings with the current date.
Taking Screenshots
We still have the same options, from both the original Snipping Tool and Snip and Sketch. However there are a few differences.
Delay Options
The delay function has been separated out again, to its own button. But it now offers three options: 3, 5, and 10 seconds. This feature is particularly useful when you need to set up menus or other elements before capturing. Simply:
- Select your desired delay time
- Click “New”
- Arrange your screen as needed
- Wait for the timer to complete and capture your screen
Capture Modes
The Snipping Tool has the same options for the capture. You can select the option before you click New or when it’s time to get the screenshot.
- Rectangle: Default option. Click and drag to select a rectangular area
- Window: Capture a specific application window or dialogue box
- Full Screen: Capture your entire display (across multiple monitors if you have them)
- Freeform: Draw any shape to capture exactly what you want
The snipping tool can remember the last mode you choose if you are taking several shots in a row.
Powerful Markup Tools
Sometimes taking the screenshot is only the first part. There are times that you want to highlight or point out a specific item.
Matching the options from Snip and Sketch, the new tool offers drawing tools.
- Pen: Draw freehand on your capture
- Highlighter: Emphasise important areas
- Eraser: Remove any annotations you’ve made
- Shapes: Add rectangles, ovals, and other shapes
- Crop: Resize your capture as needed
I’ve found the shapes option to be particularly useful. Feeling more like the Insert > Shapes command from the Microsoft Office Suite, like Word or PowerPoint.
It’s much easier to draw a rectangle or oval around the command that I’m talking about. Much better than my freehand drawings!
New Text Actions
While most of the other options are ones that have been brought over, there is one new feature. These options are available when the screenshot includes text.
- Copy text: Highlights and copies just the text directly from the screenshot
- Copy as table: Copy the text and paste is as a structured table
- Redact information: Automatically hide sensitive data meaning email addresses and phone numbers
One Limitation to Be Aware Of
There is one significant limitation I’ve discovered: the new Snipping Tool can no longer capture right-click menus using the delay function. When I set a delay, right-click, and wait for the timer to complete, it doesn’t capture anything. This is unfortunate for those of us who create tutorials and need to show context menus.
I’ve found a way around it – covering on my next video and post.
My Overall Thoughts
Despite the right-click limitation, the new Windows 11 Snipping Tool offers several valuable improvements that I use regularly. The screen recording functionality, improved shape tools, and text extraction features make it a worthwhile upgrade over its predecessors.
Whether you’re documenting procedures, creating tutorials, or simply need to share what’s on your screen, the revamped Snipping Tool provides the options that we’ve come to expect plus a few additional, useful options.
Written with help from Claude AI from an original transcription
One Additional Tip
If you want to capture images of the Snipping Tool with the snipping tool.
Setup the image that you want. Then use the Print Screen Option, the PrtScn key on your keyboard.
YouTube Videos
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