How to Use Snipping Tool in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Want to capture part of your screen quickly, annotate it, and share it without fuss? In this how-to-use-snipping-tool-in-windows-11-a-step-by-step-guide we’ll walk through every feature, shortcut, and pro tip so you become a snipping ninja in minutes. Whether you’re taking a quick screenshot, grabbing a menu, or creating annotated how-to images for a blog — this guide has you covered.

Table of Contents

Summary — Key takeaways (read this first)

Snipping Tool is the built-in screenshot app in Windows 11 for rectangular, freeform, window, and full-screen captures.
Use Windows + Shift + S for the fastest capture.
The Snipping Tool includes annotation, crop, and delay features and can save to PNG, JPG, or copy to clipboard.
You can record a short screen video inside Snipping Tool (Windows 11 builds that include it).
For frequent usage, pin Snipping Tool to the taskbar or set a hotkey.

What is Snipping Tool in Windows 11?

The Snipping Tool is Windows 11’s built-in screenshot utility that replaced older tools like Snip & Sketch. It lets you capture parts of your screen (or the entire screen), annotate the capture, save it in common image formats, and share it — all without installing anything extra.

Think of it like a digital pair of scissors + marker + camera all in one small app.

2. Why use Snipping Tool — advantages and use cases

Why choose Snipping Tool instead of pressing Print Screen and pasting into Paint? Good question.

Advantages

Fast keyboard shortcut: Windows + Shift + S.
Multiple capture modes (rectangle, freeform, window, full).
Built-in annotation tools (pen, highlighter, eraser).
Delay timer for capturing menus/popups.
Lightweight and integrated — no extra installs.

Common use cases

Creating tutorial screenshots with arrows and notes.
Capturing error messages for troubleshooting.
Grabbing menu items or tooltips that need a delay.
Quickly sharing a portion of a webpage or document.

3. Where to find Snipping Tool (3 quick ways)

Not sure where it lives? Try any of these:

Keyboard: Press Windows + Shift + S — instant overlay capture.
Start Menu: Click Start → type Snipping Tool → press Enter.
Quick Settings / Search: Press Windows key, search “Snipping Tool” or pin it to the Taskbar for one-click access.

Pro tip: Right-click Snipping Tool in Start results → Pin to Taskbar for permanent access.

4. Snipping Tool capture modes explained

Snipping Tool gives you four main capture modes. Which one you use depends on what you need.

Rectangular Snip — drag a rectangle to capture a neat, straight crop. (Everyday favorite.)
Freeform Snip — draw any shape for custom capture (handy for irregular shapes).
Window Snip — click any open window (captures only that app window).
Full-screen Snip — captures the entire display(s), great for full-desktop context.

Each mode is accessible from the overlay or app UI.

5. How to use Snipping Tool in Windows 11 — the quick method

If you want the fastest workflow:

Press Windows + Shift + S.
Choose a snip mode from the small toolbar at the top.
Click/drag to capture.
The capture is copied to the clipboard and shows a notification — click it to open the Snipping Tool editor.
Annotate and save or paste (Ctrl + V) into a document or chat.

That’s it — lightning fast.

6. Full step-by-step: Open, capture, edit, save

Follow these numbered steps for a complete capture session using the Snipping Tool app (not just the overlay):

Press Windows key → type Snipping Tool → press Enter to open the app.
Inside the app, click New (or use Windows + Shift + S as a shortcut).
Pick a Mode from the dropdown: Rectangular, Freeform, Window, Full-screen.
(Optional) Click Delay and choose 0, 3, or 10 seconds to capture menus.
Perform the capture:
- For Rectangular: click and drag the area.
- For Freeform: draw your shape.
- For Window: click the target window.
- For Full-screen: the whole screen is captured automatically.
The capture opens in Snipping Tool’s editor. Use the pen, highlighter, eraser, or crop tools to annotate.
Click Save (floppy disk icon) or press Ctrl + S. Choose file format (PNG recommended), pick a folder, and click Save.
To share quickly, click the Share icon or copy to clipboard (Ctrl + C) and paste (Ctrl + V) into chat/email.

7. How to use the Snipping Tool app UI (toolbar explained)

When your screenshot opens in the Snipping Tool editor, the toolbar typically includes:

Undo / Redo — fix mistakes immediately.
Pen — draw freehand; choose thickness and color.
Highlighter — emphasize text or UI elements.
Eraser — remove pen/highlight marks.
Crop — tighten up the captured area.
Save — store the file locally.
Copy — copy to clipboard for pasting.
Share — send via apps or services available on your PC.
More (three dots) — settings, open with other apps, or print.

Use the pen for pointing arrows, the highlighter for emphasis, and the crop tool to remove distractions.

8. How to set a timed capture (delay)

Want to capture a dropdown menu or tooltip that disappears when you click? Use the Delay feature.

Steps:

Open Snipping Tool.
Click the Delay dropdown (0, 3, 10 seconds).
Select 3 or 10 seconds.
Click New.
Prepare the menu or hover the tooltip. When the delay ends, Snipping Tool activates the overlay — capture the menu without it disappearing.

Analogy: It’s like setting a camera timer so you can get everything in the frame before the shutter clicks.

9. How to annotate, crop, and edit screenshots

Annotation is what turns a screenshot into a clear instruction.

Add arrows: Use the Pen to draw arrows pointing to buttons or fields.
Highlight text: Use Highlighter to draw attention to text without obscuring it.
Erase mistakes: Use Eraser to remove unwanted marks.
Crop for focus: Click Crop, drag the handles, and press Enter to keep the important part.

Quick workflow: capture → crop → annotate → save/share.

10. How to copy, share, and save images (file formats & locations)

Save: Click Save or press Ctrl + S. Recommended format: PNG (lossless, crisp UI capture).

Copy: Click the Copy icon or press Ctrl + C. Paste with Ctrl + V into email, Slack, Teams, or a document.

Share: Click Share in the toolbar to open Windows’ share sheet (send via Mail, OneDrive, Teams, etc.).

Default locations:

Snipping Tool saves wherever you choose during the Save dialog.
Windows + PrtScn saves to Pictures\Screenshots (not Snipping Tool).

Table — quick file format guide:

Format	Best for	File size
PNG	UI, text, crisp graphics	Small-medium (lossless)
JPG/JPEG	Photos, web uploads where size matters	Smaller (lossy)
GIF	Simple animated needs (not for static snips)	Small

11. How to record screen video with Snipping Tool (if available)

Some recent Windows 11 builds add a simple screen recording feature in Snipping Tool for short captures (if present on your system).

Steps (if available):

Open Snipping Tool → choose Record (or click the camera icon and switch to video).
Choose whether to record the whole screen or an app window.
Click Start; perform the actions you want recorded.
Click Stop when finished. The video preview opens — trim, save, or share.

Note: If your build doesn’t include this, use Xbox Game Bar (Win + G) or third-party tools like OBS Studio.

12. Useful keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Memorize these to speed up your workflow:

Windows + Shift + S — open Snip overlay (fast capture).
Ctrl + S — save current snip.
Ctrl + C — copy selected snip to clipboard.
Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y — undo/redo.
Esc — cancel snip/exit overlay.

Bonus: You can assign a dedicated hotkey to launch the Snipping Tool app via shortcut properties (right-click app → Properties → Shortcut key).

13. Snipping Tool settings and personalization tips

Open Snipping Tool → Settings (three dots or gear) to tweak behavior:

Auto copy to clipboard: automatically copy new snips so you can paste instantly.
Show screen overlay when snipping: toggle the overlay guide.
Include cursor in snips: useful for tutorials.
Save snips to OneDrive: if you want automatic cloud backup (set via OneDrive settings).

Changing these settings tailors Snipping Tool to your workflow — lightweight for quick captures, or integrated with OneDrive for cloud sync.

14. How to pin and access Snipping Tool faster

Speed matters. Here’s how to make Snipping Tool available instantly:

Pin to taskbar: Open Snipping Tool → right-click icon on taskbar → Pin to taskbar.
Pin to Start: Right-click app in Start → Pin to Start.
Create keyboard shortcut: Right-click Snipping Tool in Start → More → Open file location → right-click shortcut → Properties → Shortcut key → assign (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + S).

Now you can capture with a single tap.

15. Troubleshooting: Snipping Tool not working — fixes

Problem: “Windows + Shift + S does nothing” or Snipping Tool crashes? Try these fixes:

Restart the Snipping Tool: Close it and relaunch.
Restart Windows Explorer: Ctrl + Shift + Esc → Processes → Windows Explorer → Restart.
Reset the app: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Snipping Tool → Advanced options → Reset.
Update Windows: Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.
Check keyboard mapping: Some laptops require Fn + PrtScn; ensure your keyboard drivers are up to date.
Reinstall Snipping Tool: Use Microsoft Store to reinstall if it’s broken.

If none of these work, check for interfering third-party screenshot utilities and temporarily disable them.

16. Alternatives & advanced tools (when you need more)

Snipping Tool is great for most tasks, but advanced needs call for other apps:

ShareX (free, open source) — advanced capture, auto upload, OCR, workflows.
Snagit (paid) — professional annotation, scrolling capture, video editing.
Greenshot (free/lightweight) — simple annotations, quick save rules.
Lightshot — very fast & minimal, with instant upload.

Choose ShareX for automation, Snagit for polished documentation, and Snipping Tool for daily simplicity.

17. Privacy and permission considerations

Snipping Tool captures anything visible on your screen — including passwords or private messages. Best practices:

Blur or crop sensitive info before sharing.
Use the Eraser or crop tools to remove private data.
When sharing widely, double-check captures to avoid accidental leaks.

If you use Snipping Tool in a corporate environment, be aware of company policies about sharing internal screenshots.

18. Tips, tricks, and workflow hacks for power users

Use Auto copy to clipboard so every snip is ready to paste in chat.
Create a “Screenshots” folder and set a quick save path to keep things organized.
Combine Snipping Tool with OneNote or Notion for documentation.
Use Delay to capture hover menus consistently.
For recurring captures, script ShareX to run and save with timestamped filenames.

Analogy: Snipping Tool is your pocket camera — but with a built-in pen and glue stick to annotate and paste where needed.

19. Key takeaways (concise)

Windows + Shift + S = fastest way to snip.
Snipping Tool supports rectangle, freeform, window, and full-screen snips.
Use Delay to capture transient UI.
Annotate, crop, and save in PNG for best quality.
Pin Snipping Tool or set a hotkey for instant access.

20. Conclusion

The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is a surprisingly powerful and convenient tool for everyone from casual users to documentation pros. You can snip practically anything, annotate it, and share quickly — all without leaving Windows. Once you learn the shortcuts and small tricks (delay, auto-copy, pinning), capturing and communicating visual information becomes effortless.

Ready to try it? Press Windows + Shift + S and take your first snip — you’ll be hooked.

21. FAQs (5 common questions)

1. Can I include the mouse cursor in a snip?

Yes. Open Snipping Tool → Settings → toggle Include mouse cursor (if your Windows build supports it).

2. Where do Snipping Tool images get saved?

Snipping Tool will ask where to save when you click Save. If using Windows + PrtScn, screenshots go to Pictures\Screenshots.

3. How do I change the default file format?

Snipping Tool saves in the format you choose in the Save dialog (PNG is recommended). For automatic or bulk formats use ShareX.

4. Can Snipping Tool capture video?

Some Windows 11 builds include a simple screen recorder in Snipping Tool. If not available, use Xbox Game Bar (Win + G) or third-party tools like OBS.

5. Is there a way to take scrolling screenshots (long webpages) with Snipping Tool?

No native long/scrolling capture in Snipping Tool. For scrolling screenshots use Snagit, ShareX, or the browser’s built-in “Capture full page” (e.g., Edge/Chrome DevTools or extensions).