How To Use Snipping Tool Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide For Beginners

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Edgar Nicov

How-To

5 min. read

Published on November 11, 2025

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The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is a handy utility for capturing screenshots of your screen. Whether you need to save a full-screen image, a specific window, or a custom selection, the Snipping Tool provides the tools you need. This guide will walk you through the basics, so you can start taking and editing screenshots right away.

This tool is pre-installed on Windows 11, so you don’t need to download or install anything extra. It’s designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible to beginners. With just a few simple steps, you can quickly capture and share your screen with others.

How Do I Use the Snipping Tool in Windows 11?

Launching the Snipping Tool

The first step is to open the Snipping Tool. There are several ways to do this:

Search: Click the Start button, type “Snipping Tool” in the search bar, and press Enter.
Run Command: Press the Windows key + R, type “snippingtool” in the Run dialog box, and press Enter.
Start Menu: Click the Start button, scroll through the apps list, and find “Snipping Tool.”
Keyboard Shortcut: Press Windows key + Shift + S to immediately start a snip. This method bypasses the Snipping Tool window and directly activates the snip mode.

Taking a Snip

Once the Snipping Tool is open, you can start capturing screenshots:

Choose a Snip Mode: In the Snipping Tool window, click the “New” button. Before clicking “New”, select the desired snip mode from the dropdown menu:

Rectangular Mode: Drag your cursor to select a rectangular area of the screen.
Window Mode: Click on a specific window to capture it.
Full-screen Mode: Captures the entire screen.
Freeform Mode: Draw a custom shape around the area you want to capture.

Capture the Snip: After selecting your mode, the screen will dim, and you can proceed with capturing the snip.

For Rectangular Mode, click and drag the cursor around the area you want to capture. Release the mouse button to take the snip.
For Window Mode, simply click on the window you want to capture.
For Full-screen Mode, the screenshot is automatically taken.
For Freeform Mode, draw the shape around the area you want to capture. The snip will be taken as soon as you release the mouse button.

Review the Snip: The captured snip will appear in the Snipping Tool window. Here, you can review, edit, and save the screenshot.

Editing and Annotating Snips

The Snipping Tool offers basic editing features:

Use the Pen Tool: Click the “Pen” icon to draw or write on the snip. You can change the pen color and thickness.
Use the Highlighter: Click the “Highlighter” icon to highlight specific areas of the snip.
Use the Eraser: Click the “Eraser” icon to remove any unwanted markings or highlights. You can erase individual strokes or all annotations.
Crop the Snip: Click the “Crop” icon to crop the screenshot to a specific area.
Touch Writing: Toggle the touch writing option if you are using a touch screen device.

Saving and Sharing Snips

After editing, you can save or share the snip:

Save the Snip: Click the “Save” icon (a floppy disk icon) to save the snip. Choose a location, file name, and file type (PNG, JPEG, GIF, or TIFF).
Copy the Snip: Click the “Copy” icon to copy the snip to your clipboard. You can then paste it into other applications, such as email or documents.
Share the Snip: Click the “Share” icon to share the snip directly through various apps like Mail, Microsoft Teams, or other installed applications.

Tips for Using the Snipping Tool

Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Remember the Windows key + Shift + S shortcut for quick snips.
Delay Snips: Use the “Delay” option in the Snipping Tool to delay the snip by a few seconds. This is useful for capturing menus or pop-up windows.
Customize Settings: Explore the Snipping Tool settings to customize options like the border color and whether to automatically copy snips to the clipboard.

Snipping Tool: Your Quick Guide to Screen Captures

The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 offers a simple and effective way to capture screenshots. By following these steps, you can easily take, edit, and share your screen with others.

FAQ

How do I open Snipping Tool in Windows 11? You can open the Snipping Tool by searching for it in the Start Menu, using the Run command (“snippingtool”), or using the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Shift + S.

How do I take a screenshot using Snipping Tool? Open the Snipping Tool, click “New,” choose a snip mode (Rectangular, Window, Full-screen, or Freeform), and capture the desired area.

Can I edit screenshots in Snipping Tool? Yes, the Snipping Tool allows you to edit screenshots using the pen, highlighter, eraser, and crop tools.

Where are my saved screenshots stored? You can choose the save location when you save the snip. The default location is often the Pictures folder.

Snipping Tool vs. Print Screen: A Quick Comparison

Feature	Snipping Tool	Print Screen (PrtScn)
Capture Options	Rectangular, Window, Full-screen, Freeform	Full-screen only (or active window with Alt + PrtScn)
Editing	Built-in pen, highlighter, eraser	Requires pasting into an image editor
Saving	Save directly as PNG, JPEG, GIF, TIFF	Requires pasting into an image editor to save
Flexibility	More versatile for specific captures	Quick for full-screen captures
Ease of Use	User-friendly interface	Simple, but less feature-rich

Capturing Your Screen Made Easy

Mastering the Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is a valuable skill for anyone who needs to capture and share their screen. With its user-friendly interface and versatile features, you can quickly create and edit screenshots for various purposes.