How to Use the Snipping Tool for Screenshots

The Snipping Tool is a built-in screenshot tool available on Windows operating systems. It allows you to capture specific areas of your screen and save them as images. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of using the Snipping Tool to take screenshots on your Windows computer.

Prerequisites

• Windows computer

Steps

1. Launch the Snipping Tool. To open the Snipping Tool, click on the Start button, then navigate to the Accessories or Windows Accessories folder, and click on Snipping Tool.

2. Select a snip type. The Snipping Tool offers four different types of snips:

   • Rectangular Snip: Allows you to draw a rectangle around the area you want to capture.
   • Free-form Snip: Enables you to draw any shape around the desired area.
   • Window Snip: Captures an entire window, including its title bar and borders.
   • Full-screen Snip: Takes a screenshot of the entire screen.

3. Choose a snip mode. After selecting the desired snip type, you can further customize the snipping experience by clicking on the Mode button. This button provides two options:

   • New: Starts a new snip.
   • Delay: Allows you to set a time delay (up to 5 seconds) before the snip is captured.

4. Capture a snip. Click on the New button to initiate the capture process. Using your mouse, drag the cursor to select the area you want to capture. The selected area will be highlighted.

5. Annotate (optional). Once you have captured a snip, you can annotate it by using the available tools. These tools include a pen, a highlighter, and an eraser. You can also add textual notes by clicking on the Pen button and selecting Show Touch Writing.

6. Save the snip. To save the captured snip, click on the File menu and select Save As or Save Snip As. Choose a location on your computer and provide a name for the snip. Select the desired image format (e.g., JPEG, PNG, GIF) and click Save.

7. Share the snip. If you want to share the snip directly, click on the File menu and select Send To. You will have various options, such as emailing the snip or copying it to the clipboard.

8. Close the Snipping Tool. After you have saved or shared the snip, you can close the Snipping Tool by clicking on the Close button.

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to use the Snipping Tool for taking screenshots on your Windows computer.

Remember, the Snipping Tool is only available on Windows operating systems. If you are using a different operating system, you may need to explore alternative screenshot tools or keyboard shortcuts specific to your platform.