What Are Snipping Tools And How To Use Them?

Snipping Tools are screen capture utilities used to create and annotate images of part or all of your computer's screen. They are particularly helpful for taking screenshots and sharing information from your computer visually. On Windows, the native Snipping Tool offers the following features and steps for usage:

1. Open the Snipping Tool:

   • Press the Windows logo key + Shift + S (Create a static image snip)
   • Use the Start menu to search for "Snipping Tool" and select it
   • Press Print Screen (PrtSc) to capture the full screen
   • Press Windows logo key + Shift + R for a video snip

2. Capturing a Snip:

   • Choose the kind of snip: Free-form snip, Rectangular snip, Window snip, or Full-screen snip
   • Draw a shape, select an area, or capture the full screen or a specific window
   • Adjust further by pressing the Mode button or the arrow next to the New button in earlier Windows versions

3. Editing and Sharing:

   • Use the Snipping Tool's built-in annotation tools like Pen and Highlighter to write or draw on the image
   • Save by pressing Ctrl + S, or with your captured image open in Snipping Tool, select Edit > Edit with Paint for more features (like resizing, color, and text changes)
   • Print the image by right-clicking on the saved image, selecting Print
   • Share by clicking the mail icon within the Snipping Tool to email the screenshot

4. Saving and Retrieval:

   • Save the image to the desired location, or copy it to the clipboard for pasting into other apps
   • Pin the Snipping Tool to the taskbar for quick access

Remember, Windows key + Shift + S creates a static image snip, and for a video snip, use Windows key + Shift + R.