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To take a screenshot in Windows 11, press Windows logo key + Shift + S, choose a capture mode, and select the area or window you want. Open Snipping Tool from Start for more controls, including screen recording, editing, saving, sharing, and text extraction.

Microsoft Support documents four image modes: Freeform, Rectangle, Window, and Full screen. The exact sequence of controls may vary between the capture overlay and the full app.

How to open Snipping Tool

  1. Select Start or press the Windows logo key.
  2. Type Snipping Tool.
  3. Select Snipping Tool from the search results.

You can also use these shortcuts:

Shortcut What it does
Windows logo key + Shift + S Opens the image snipping overlay
Windows logo key + Shift + R Opens the video snipping overlay
Alt + D Sets a capture delay of 1–5 seconds

How to take a screenshot on Windows 11

  1. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S, or open Snipping Tool from Start.
  2. Choose Freeform, Rectangle, Window, or Full screen.
  3. Select or draw the area to capture, as appropriate for the mode.
  4. When the capture opens in Snipping Tool, annotate or crop it if needed.
  5. Use Ctrl + C to copy the capture or Ctrl + S to save it.

Microsoft says captures are automatically saved to the Screenshots folder by default. Check Snipping Tool settings if automatic saving or the folder location has been changed.

Choose a screenshot mode

Mode Use it for How it works
Rectangle A box-shaped region Drag to select the area.
Freeform An irregularly shaped area Draw an outline around the content.
Window A particular app window or dialog Choose the mode and select the intended window.
Full screen The entire screen Choose the mode to capture the screen.

Capture a menu with a delay

A menu may close when you switch focus. Set a delay before capturing so you have time to open it.

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  1. Open Snipping Tool.
  2. Press Alt + D and choose a delay from 1 to 5 seconds.
  3. Choose a capture mode and start a new snip.
  4. During the countdown, open the menu you want to capture.
  5. When the capture begins, select the required area if prompted.

Record your screen in Windows 11

Snipping Tool can record a rectangular area as a video. You can open the video snipping overlay with Windows logo key + Shift + R, or start from the app.

  1. Open Snipping Tool and choose Record, or use the video snipping shortcut.
  2. Choose New.
  3. Drag to select the screen area to record.
  4. Select Start and perform the actions you want to show.
  5. Select Stop when finished.
  6. Save the recording or open it in Clipchamp to edit it.

Microsoft Support describes Snipping Tool as a screen-recording option and an alternative to Steps Recorder. Steps Recorder remains supported in Windows 11 versions before the February 2024 update, according to Microsoft’s deprecation guidance.

Edit, copy, save, and share a capture

After capture, use Snipping Tool to annotate or crop the image. Available editing tools include pen, highlighter, eraser, crop, undo, and redo.

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  1. To copy the capture, select Copy or press Ctrl + C, then paste it into another app.
  2. To save it, select Save or press Ctrl + S.
  3. To share from the app, open the Share menu.

Copying and saving are separate actions: use Save if you need an image file, and Copy if you want to paste the capture into another app. Microsoft says automatic saving to the Screenshots folder is enabled by default, but Snipping Tool settings can change this behavior and the folder.

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Extract or redact text with Text actions

Use Text actions after capturing an image to recognize text with OCR. You can select and copy specific text, copy all recognized text, or use Quick redact to obscure detected email addresses and phone numbers. Microsoft Support says text recognition is processed locally on your device.

  1. Capture a screenshot and open it in Snipping Tool.
  2. Select Text actions.
  3. Select text to copy only that portion, choose Copy all text, or use Quick redact if available.

Snipping Tool shortcuts

Shortcut Function
Windows logo key + Shift + S Open the image snipping overlay
Windows logo key + Shift + R Open the video snipping overlay
Alt + M Choose a snipping mode
Alt + N Create a new snip in the last mode
Alt + D Set a delay of 1–5 seconds
Ctrl + C Copy the snip
Ctrl + S Save the snip

Features limited to certain devices

Microsoft says Perfect Screenshot and Color picker require a Copilot+ PC. Perfect Screenshot adjusts the selected area to frame visible content, while Color picker copies a color value from the screen. Do not assume these features are available on every Windows 11 PC.

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FAQ

How do I take a screenshot on Windows 11?

Press Windows logo key + Shift + S, choose a capture mode, and select the area or window. You can also open Snipping Tool from Start.

How do I record my screen in Windows 11?

Press Windows logo key + Shift + R, or open Snipping Tool and choose Record. Select an area, choose Start, then choose Stop when finished.

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Where are Snipping Tool screenshots saved?

Microsoft says captures are saved to the Screenshots folder by default. Check Snipping Tool settings for the automatic-save option and configured folder.

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Can I extract text from a screenshot?

Yes. Open the capture in Snipping Tool and select Text actions to copy selected or all recognized text. Quick redact can obscure detected email addresses and phone numbers when available.

How do I capture a menu before it disappears?

Set a delay with Alt + D, choose a delay from 1 to 5 seconds, and open the menu during the countdown.

Are Perfect Screenshot and Color picker available on every PC?

No. Microsoft identifies both as Copilot+ PC features.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

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