How to Use Windows Snip & Sketch for Screenshots

Capturing screenshots is an essential part of daily computer use, whether it's for work, school, or personal purposes. Windows 10 introduced a built-in tool called Snip & Sketch, which offers a simple and convenient way to capture, annotate, and share screenshots. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of using Windows Snip & Sketch effectively.

Step 1: Accessing Snip & Sketch

1. Open the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. Type "Snip & Sketch" in the search bar.
3. From the search results, click on "Snip & Sketch" to launch the application.

Step 2: Taking a Screenshot

Once Snip & Sketch is open, you can choose from various screenshot options:

• Capture a Full Screen: Press the Print Screen or PrtScn key on your keyboard. You will see a notification that the screenshot has been taken. Open Snip & Sketch to edit and save the screenshot.
• Capture a Window: Press Alt + Print Screen keys simultaneously to capture the active window on your screen. The screenshot will be loaded into Snip & Sketch automatically.
• Capture a Specific Area: Click on "New" within Snip & Sketch. A small toolbar will appear at the top of your screen. Click on the "Rectangular Snip" button and drag your cursor to select the desired area. Release the mouse button to capture the screenshot.

Step 3: Annotating and Editing the Screenshot

Once you have captured a screenshot, Snip & Sketch provides you with various annotation and editing tools to enhance it:

• Pen: Click on the pen icon in the toolbar to draw or write on the screenshot using different colors and line thicknesses.
• Highlighter: The highlighter icon allows you to emphasize important parts of the screenshot by applying a translucent overlay in different colors.
• Eraser: Use the eraser tool to remove any annotations or edits you made.
• Ruler: The ruler icon enables you to draw straight lines or measure distances.
• Crop: The crop icon lets you crop the screenshot to focus on a specific area.
• Resize: Click on the resize icon to adjust the dimensions of the screenshot.
• Text: The text icon allows you to add text boxes to the screenshot, which can be resized and customized.
• Save: When you are satisfied with your edits, click on the floppy disk icon to save the screenshot to your desired location.

Step 4: Sharing the Screenshot

Once you have saved the screenshot, you may want to share it with others. Snip & Sketch provides multiple sharing options:

• Clipboard: By default, Snip & Sketch copies the screenshot to your clipboard. You can paste it directly into an application like an email or an image editor.
• Email: Click on the "Email" icon in Snip & Sketch to open the screenshot in your default email application, ready to be sent as an attachment.
• Social Media: If you want to share the screenshot on social media platforms, click on the "Share" icon to choose from a variety of options such as Facebook, Twitter, or OneNote.

Step 5: Additional Settings (Optional)

Snip & Sketch offers some customization and additional features that you might find useful:

1. Open Snip & Sketch.
2. Click on the menu icon (three dots) in the top-right corner of the application window.
3. From the dropdown menu, select "Settings."
4. Here, you can toggle options such as "Copy to Clipboard" and "Open Snip & Sketch on PrtScn" to suit your preferences.

Now that you are familiar with the basic functionality of Snip & Sketch, you can easily capture, annotate, and share screenshots efficiently, saving time and enhancing your communication.