What Is The Snipping Tool?

The Snipping Tool is a built-in utility in Microsoft Windows operating systems that allows users to capture screenshots. First introduced in Windows Vista, the Snipping Tool has been a part of subsequent Windows versions, including Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. The snipping tool can be activated using the ‘Print Screen’ button in Windows 11 so it’s as easy as it has ever been to screen capture or to capture specific parts of your desktop. Here’s a detailed overview of its functionalities and usage:

Features of the Snipping Tool

1. Versatile Screenshot Capabilities:
   • The Snipping Tool can capture still screenshots of an open window, rectangular areas, a free-form area, or the entire screen.
   • These screenshots can be saved as image files in various formats, including PNG, GIF, or JPEG, or even as an MHTML file​​.
2. Annotation and Editing:
   • Once a screenshot is captured, it can be annotated using a mouse or a tablet.
   • Users have the option to draw on the screenshot before saving it, enhancing its usefulness for explanations or presentations​​.
3. Ease of Access:
   • The Snipping Tool is easily accessible and can be opened with a keyboard shortcut, making it convenient for quick screen captures​​.
4. Combination with Snip & Sketch:
   • In Windows 11, the Snipping Tool combines the original Snipping Tool with the Snip & Sketch Tool, offering a more comprehensive set of features for capturing and editing screenshots​​.

Importance of the Snipping Tool

• The Snipping Tool is particularly useful in professional and educational environments for creating tutorials, guides, or simply capturing information on the screen that can’t be easily downloaded or printed.
• Its ability to quickly capture, annotate, and share screenshots makes it an essential tool for many PC users.

Using the Snipping Tool In Windows

• To launch the Snipping Tool, you can search for it in the Start Menu or use a keyboard shortcut to launch it quickly. For Windows 10 or Windows 11 you can hit the ‘Print Screen’ or ‘PRT SC’ button to open up the snipping application.
• Once open, you can choose the type of snip you want to make – full-screen, window, rectangular, or free-form.
• After capturing the screenshot, you can use the tool’s built-in features to annotate or edit the image before saving or sharing it.

Accessing The Snipping Tool Step-by-Step

Method 1: The Snipping Tool program can be loaded by following these steps:

1. Click on the Start button located in the lower-left corner of your screen.
2. Type “Snipping Tool” in the search bar and press Enter or click on the magnifying glass icon.
3. The Snipping Tool will appear in the search results. Click on it to launch the application.

Method 2: You can simply hit the ‘Print Screen’ button on your keyboard

Capturing Screenshots with the Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool offers three modes for capturing screenshots: Rectangular, Window, and Full-Screen Snip. To utilize these modes, follow these guidelines:

Rectangular Snip:

1. Click on the “New” button in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
2. Position your cursor over the area you want to capture and click and drag to select the desired rectangular area.
3. Once you’re satisfied with the selection, release the cursor. The screenshot will be captured.

Window Snip:

1. Click on the “Window” button in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
2. Hover your cursor over the window you want to capture. The window will be highlighted with a blue border.
3. Click on the window to capture its screenshot.

Full-Screen Snip:

1. Click on the “Full-Screen Snip” button in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
2. The entire screen will be captured automatically.

Editing and Saving Screenshots

Once you’ve captured a screenshot, the Snipping Tool provides a brief editing window before automatically saving the image. To edit your screenshot, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Edit” button in the Snipping Tool toolbar.
2. Use the editing tools to crop, resize, annotate, or highlight your screenshot.
3. Once you’re satisfied with the edits, click on the “Save” button.
4. Choose a location to save your screenshot and provide a descriptive filename.
5. Click on the “Save” button again to finalize the saving process.

Advanced Options in Windows

The Snipping Tool offers additional options that can enhance your screenshot capturing experience. To access these options, click on the “Options” button in the Snipping Tool toolbar. The Options dialog box will appear, allowing you to:

• Change the default save format: Choose from PNG, GIF, JPEG, or BMP formats.
• Automatically save screenshots: Enable this option to automatically save screenshots without the editing window.
• Prompt to save screenshots: Enable this option to prompt you to save or discard the screenshot before automatically saving it.
• Use a selection pen: Enable this option to use a pen to precisely outline the area you want to capture.
• Enable system-wide hotkeys: Enable this option to use keyboard shortcuts to capture screenshots.

How Do You Snip Cut On A Mac

There are two main ways to snip and cut on a Mac: using the Screenshot app or using keyboard shortcuts.

Using the Screenshot app

The Screenshot app is a built-in app on all Macs that allows you to take screenshots and screen recordings. To use the Screenshot app, follow these steps:

1. Open the Screenshot app. You can do this by searching for it in Spotlight or by going to Applications > Utilities.
2. Click on the “Capture” button.
3. Select the area of the screen you want to capture. You can do this by dragging the crosshair over the area you want to capture or by clicking and dragging from one corner of the area to the other.
4. Click on the “Capture” button again.
5. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop. You can also save it to another location by clicking on the “Save” button and selecting the location where you want to save it.

Using keyboard shortcuts

There are a number of keyboard shortcuts that you can use to take screenshots and screen recordings. Here are some of the most common shortcuts:

• Shift + Command + 3: Captures the entire screen.
• Shift + Command + 4: Captures a selected area of the screen.
• Shift + Command + 5: Opens the Screenshot app.
• Control + Shift + Command + 4: Captures a window.
• Control + Shift + Command + 5: Records the entire screen.
• Control + Shift + Command + 4: Records a selected area of the screen.
• Control + Shift + Command + 5: Records a window.

Editing screenshots

Once you have taken a screenshot, you can edit it using the Preview app. To edit a screenshot, follow these steps:

1. Open the screenshot in Preview. You can do this by double-clicking on the screenshot file.
2. Use the tools in the Preview toolbar to edit the screenshot. You can crop, resize, annotate, and more.
3. Click on the “File” menu and select “Save” to save the edited screenshot.

Tips for Mac

Here are a few tips for snipping and cutting on a Mac:

• You can use the Esc key to cancel a screenshot.
• You can hold down the Space bar while dragging the crosshair to move the selected area.
• You can hold down the Option key while dragging the crosshair to resize the selected area.
• You can hold down the Control key while clicking on the “Capture” button to capture a timed screenshot.

Eric Chan

Hi! I’m Eric and I work on the knowledge base at GadgetMates.com.  You can see some of my writings about technology, cellphone repair, and computer repair here.

When I’m not writing about tech I’m playing with my dog or hanging out with my girlfriend.

Shoot me a message at ericchan@gadgetmates.com if you want to see a topic discussed or have a correction on something I’ve written.