Windows 11 Snipping Tool: Take Screenshots and Record Screen

Snipping Tool is the built-in screenshot and screen-recording app in Windows 11. It replaces the older Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch with a single app that can capture part of the screen, a window, or the whole display, and can also record a short video of your screen. It is the fastest way to grab something on screen to share or save.

The app opens with a keyboard shortcut, offers several capture modes, and includes an editor for cropping, annotating, and sharing. This guide covers the shortcut, the capture modes, delayed screenshots, screen recording, editing tools, and how to fix the tool when the shortcut does nothing.

PAGE CONTENT

• What Snipping Tool Can Do
• Take a Screenshot with Win + Shift + S
• Choose a Capture Mode
• Delay a Screenshot
• Record Your Screen
• Edit and Save the Capture
• Fix Snipping Tool Not Working
• FAQs About Windows 11 Snipping Tool
• Back Up Windows Before You Change Settings

What Snipping Tool Can Do

Snipping Tool handles both images and short videos of your screen, which covers most capture needs without third-party software.

Main features:

• Rectangle snip — drag a box around the area you want to capture
• Free-form snip — draw an irregular shape with the mouse or touch
• Window snip — capture a single window with one click
• Full-screen snip — capture the entire display
• Delay — wait 3, 5, or 10 seconds before capturing, useful for menus that disappear
• Screen recording — record a selected area of the screen as an MP4 video
• Editor — crop, annotate with pen and highlighter, and save or share the result

By default, captures are copied to the clipboard and open in the Snipping Tool editor. You can also turn on automatic saving so every snip is stored as a file.

Take a Screenshot with Win + Shift + S

The universal shortcut opens Snipping Tool in capture mode from anywhere, even while another app is full screen.

Step 1. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.

Step 2. Choose a capture mode from the toolbar. Rectangle is selected by default.

Step 3. Drag the mouse over the area you want to capture, or click a window for window mode.

Step 4. When you release the mouse, the capture is copied to the clipboard and a thumbnail notification appears in the bottom-right corner.

Step 5. Click the thumbnail to open the capture in the editor, or paste it directly into another app with Ctrl + V.

You can also open the full Snipping Tool app from the Start menu and click New to begin a capture. This gives you access to the delay and recording options before you capture.

Choose a Capture Mode

The toolbar at the top of the screen after pressing Win + Shift + S offers four modes. Pick the one that fits what you are trying to capture.

• Rectangle — the default mode. Click and drag to draw a rectangular box around the area. Best for most screenshots.
• Free-form — draw any shape with the mouse. The capture follows the outline you draw. Useful for non-rectangular areas, though the saved image is still rectangular with transparent corners in supported formats.
• Window — hover over a window and click it. The capture includes just that window, with its title bar and border. Great for app screenshots.
• Full-screen — captures every connected monitor at once. Use this when you need the whole desktop.

You can switch modes by clicking the corresponding icon on the toolbar before you make the selection. The mode you choose becomes the default for the next capture.

Delay a Screenshot

Some elements, such as right-click menus and hover effects, disappear as soon as you press the capture shortcut. The delay option gives you time to open them before the screen is captured.

Step 1. Open the Snipping Tool app from the Start menu.

Step 2. Click the clock icon (delay) next to the New button.

Step 3. Choose 3 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds.

Step 4. Click New. The countdown begins, and you can open the menu or set up the screen during the wait.

Step 5. When the timer reaches zero, the screen dims and you can select the area. The menu stays open because the capture starts automatically after the delay.

The delay only applies to the next capture. After that, Snipping Tool returns to immediate capture unless you set a delay again.

Record Your Screen

Snipping Tool can also record a video of a selected area, which is useful for short tutorials or showing a problem to someone.

Step 1. Open Snipping Tool from the Start menu.

Step 2. Click the Record icon (a video camera) at the top of the window, then click New.

Step 3. Drag a box around the area of the screen you want to record. You cannot record the whole screen in one go; select the region you need.

Step 4. Click Start. A small floating control bar shows the recording time and a stop button.

Step 5. When you are done, click Stop. The recording saves as an MP4 file in your Videos folder and opens in the Snipping Tool editor.

Screen recording does not capture system audio by default in all versions. You may need separate software for audio if you want to record sound with the video.

Edit and Save the Capture

After a screenshot or recording, Snipping Tool opens an editor with basic tools for marking up the image.

Step 1. Click the thumbnail notification or open Snipping Tool to see your capture.

Step 2. Use the toolbar at the top to annotate:

• Ballpoint pen — draw freehand lines in a chosen colour
• Highlighter — draw translucent highlights over text or areas
• Eraser — remove pen and highlighter marks
• Image crop — trim the edges of the capture
• Touch writing — use a touch screen or pen to write

Step 3. Click the floppy disk icon to save the capture. You can choose PNG, JPG, or GIF format and pick a save location.

Step 4. Click the share icon to send the capture to another app or person. You can also copy it back to the clipboard with Ctrl + C.

To make Snipping Tool save every capture automatically, open its settings and turn on Automatically save screenshots. The files go to your Pictures > Screenshots folder.

Fix Snipping Tool Not Working

The most common problem is the Win + Shift + S shortcut doing nothing. Most cases are fixed by resetting the app or checking permissions.

Win + Shift + S does nothing.

Step 1. Open the Snipping Tool from the Start menu and try capturing from there. If it works, the shortcut may be blocked by another app or a keyboard shortcut conflict.

Step 2. Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager. This often restores the shortcut.

Step 3. If it still fails, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Snipping Tool, open Advanced options, and click Reset.

Captures are black or blank.

Step 1. Update your graphics driver from the manufacturer's website. An outdated driver can prevent screen capture.

Step 2. Check that the app you are capturing is not protected by DRM. Some streaming and secure apps block screenshots.

The editor does not open after capture.

Step 1. In Snipping Tool settings, confirm that the option to open captures in the editor is enabled.

Step 2. Reset the app as described above.

Screen recording fails to start.

Step 1. Make sure you are on a recent Windows 11 version, as recording was added later.

Step 2. Close other recording apps, as only one app can record the screen at a time.

FAQs About Windows 11 Snipping Tool

Where are my screenshots saved?

By default, captures go to the clipboard and are not saved as files unless you click save. If you turn on auto-save, they are stored in Pictures > Screenshots.

Can I capture a scrolling window?

No. The built-in Snipping Tool cannot capture a full scrolling web page. For that, use a browser extension or a third-party screenshot tool.

Does Snipping Tool record audio?

Screen recording in Snipping Tool generally does not capture system audio. Use dedicated recording software if you need sound with the video.

How do I change the default screenshot save format?

When you save a capture manually, choose PNG, JPG, or GIF from the save dialog. Auto-saved captures use PNG by default.

Can I disable the screenshot notification?

Yes. In Snipping Tool settings, turn off the option to show a notification after capturing. The capture still goes to the clipboard.

Back Up Windows Before You Change Settings

Snipping Tool is safe to use, but if you are also updating graphics drivers or changing display settings, a backup protects your system. Qiling Disk Master creates a full Windows image you can restore from if anything goes wrong.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Part 1: Create a Full System Backup

Step 1. Install and open Qiling Disk Master. On the home screen, open "Backup and Recovery" and choose "System Backup". This option automatically includes Windows and the hidden boot partitions, so you do not have to select them one by one.

Step 2. Check the source. The disk where Windows is installed and its system partitions are already ticked for you. If you only need your personal documents, run a separate "File Backup" task instead.

Step 3. Click the destination box and choose where the image should be saved. Use an external HDD or SSD, a NAS, or any drive other than the one Windows is installed on, and make sure it has enough free space.

Step 4. Review the task summary and click "Proceed". Wait until the progress bar reaches 100%. Do not unplug the drive or turn off the PC while the backup is running.

Part 2: Restore Windows from the Backup

Step 1. Open Qiling Disk Master again, go to "Backup and Recovery", and select the recovery option. Your backup images are listed, so pick the one you created before the changes began.

Step 2. Choose the target disk or partition. Normally you restore to the original system disk. If the drive was replaced, select the new disk instead, and the restore rebuilds Windows together with its boot partitions.

Step 3. Preview the restore plan, click "Proceed", and confirm the warning. The PC restarts to finish the job, and Windows comes back exactly as it was on the day the image was created, with your files and programs intact.

Conclusion

Snipping Tool gives Windows 11 a single place for screenshots and screen recording. Press Win + Shift + S to capture a rectangle, free-form shape, window, or the full screen, then annotate, save, or share the result from the editor. Use the delay option to capture menus that disappear, and the record function to save a short video of a selected area. If the shortcut stops working, open Snipping Tool from the Start menu, restart Windows Explorer, or reset the app from Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

Protect your PC with Qiling Backup—create a system image before your next round of settings changes.

For more Windows 11 productivity guides, see Fix Windows 11 Screenshot Not Working, Windows 11 Quick Settings, Fix Windows 11 Taskbar Not Working, Windows 11 Start Menu, and Windows 11 Widgets.

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