How to Use Snipping Tools to Take a Screenshot on Windows 11

Learn how to use Snipping Tool to take a screenshot on Windows 11.

Windows has a built-in screenshot utility called Snipping Tool. This tool is available in all versions of Windows, but it is more powerful in Windows 11.

Snipping Tool is great for capturing the entire screen, a portion of the screen, or a window. It helps you take screenshots of a part of a page or a full page of a website, applications, videos, and more. 

In addition, you can also annotate the screenshot with arrows, text, highlights, or shapes before saving it as an image file.

Snipping Tool is quite handy to use. With just a few clicks, you can take screenshots. 

In this post, we’ll show you how to use Snipping Tool to take a screenshot on Windows 11.

Let’s get started!

4 Shapes of Snips

Before we begin, I’d like you to be aware of the various snip shapes that the Snipping Tool supports:

1. Rectangular mode: It is the default snip shape. Drag the mouse over the object to form a rectangle.

2. Free-form mode: This mode captures the screenshot in free shapes.

3. Window mode: This mode captures the open window on your monitor. For example, if you want to take a screenshot of an app or explorer window.

4. Full-screen mode: This mode captures the entire screen automatically.

To change the shape of your snip, go to the toolbar and select Rectangular mode, Window mode, Full-screen mode, or Free-form mode.

How to Use Snipping Tool on Windows 11 to Take a Screenshot

1. Click the Start and type in snipping tool in the search box. Click Snipping Tool from the list of results.

2. Click New to start taking a screenshot. 

Or, select the Windows mode if you want to change the shape of your snips. 

3. If you select Rectangular mode or Free-form mode, press and drag your mouse over the object that you want to capture. Release your mouse after you’ve made a selection.

If you want to capture a window, use Window mode and select the window that you want to capture. If there is only one open window on your monitor, the Snipping Tool will automatically select it. 

4. A new window will appear showing the screenshot that you have just taken. You can edit your screenshot using the tools on the taskbar.

The editing tools are a pen, highlighter, eraser, ruler, protector, crop, and more. 

5. Once you’re done editing, click the Save icon on the top left to save your screenshot. Snipping Tool supports three file types: JPG, PNG, and GIF. 

Helpful Tips to Use Snipping Tool

Tip 1: Share your screenshot

After you’ve done editing your screenshot, you can directly share it by clicking the arrow icon at the top left. 

Snipping Tool allows you to share using email or other sharing apps. 

Tip 2: Delay the screenshot

By default, Snipping Tool will take screenshots without any delay. Usually, once you click New, your screen will darken which means it’s ready to take a screenshot. 

However, you can set Snipping Tool to delay the capturing process if you want.

It has four delay options: No delay, Snip in 3 seconds, Snip in 5 seconds, Snip in 10 seconds. 

If you choose Snip in 3 secs, your screen will turn grey after three seconds and you can start capturing a screenshot.

Tip 3: Print your screenshot

To quickly print the snip that you’ve taken, go to the folder where you save it. Right-click on it and select Print. 

Then, you can choose how you want to print your snip.

Tip 4: Keyboard shortcuts

If you wish to change the shortcut to open the Snipping Tool, do as follows: 

1. Click the three dots and go to Settings.

2. Under the Shortcut section, click Change in settings next to Print screen shortcut.

3. Press Yes to confirm.

4. Accessibility window will appear and toggle on Use the Print screen button to open screen snipping. 

From now on, to launch Snipping Tool you only need to press the Print Screen button on your keyboard.

Tip 5: Add outline

Snipping Tool allows you to automatically add an outline to your snip. To enable this feature, click the three dots and go to Settings > Snip outline, and toggle it on. 

You can choose the color for your outline as well as the thickness.

Tip 6: Take multiple screenshots

Snipping Tool lets you take multiple screenshots and open them in separate windows. To enable this feature, click the three dots and go to Settings > Multiple windows, and toggle it on.  

That’s how you use the Snipping Tool to take a screenshot on Windows 11. It’s quite easy, isn’t it?

After taking the screenshot, you might be wondering where screenshots go on Windows 11. It doesn’t automatically save your screenshots to a specific folder. Rather, your screenshot will automatically be copied in the Snipping Tool window or the clipboard.

Later, before you quit the Snipping Tool, it will ask you where you want to save your screenshot.

Do you have any other tips? Leave them in the comments box below!

Read other Windows 11 tips

• 10 Best Apps to Screenshot on Mac and Windows in 2021
• 8 Useful Tips to Fix Problems on Windows 11 Updates (2022)
• 10 Useful Tips to Boost Your Windows 11 Performance