- Press the “Windows key + Shift + S” shortcut to take a screenshot on Windows 11.
- Or open Snipping Tool and click the “New” button.
- You can also use the “Print” key by changing the Snipping Tool settings.
- Or use the “Windows key + Print” shortcut to take a full-screen screenshot.
On Windows 11, you can take a screenshot of a specific region of the screen or active window in several ways, but using the Snipping Tool is perhaps the easiest way to complete the task.
The Snipping Tool is the app for Windows 11 that replaces the legacy Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch apps. The new version combines the two previous applications into a modern experience that looks similar to the old Snipping Tool and integrates the best features of Snip & Sketch.
This guide will teach you how to use the Snipping Tool to take screenshots on Windows 11.
Take a screenshot on Windows 11
On Windows 11, the easiest way to take a screenshot is using the Snipping Tool. The app also lets you change various settings, including changing the Print key button to take screenshots with a single press of a button.
Screenshot on Windows 11
To take a screenshot on Windows 11, use these steps:
Open Start on Windows 11.
Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
Use the “Snipping Mode” drop-down menu and select the type of screenshot to take on Windows 11 – for example, “Window mode.”
- Rectangle mode: Drag the mouse cursor around an object to form a rectangle capture.
- Window mode: Select a window to capture, such as a browser window or dialog box.
- Full-screen mode: Captures the entire screen.
- Free-form mode: Draw a free-form shape around an object.
(Optional) Use the Time before snip drop-down menu to choose whether to delay (none, 3, 5, or 10 seconds) the capture as you click the snipping button.
Click the New button.
Quick tip: You can also use the “Windows key + Shift + S” keyboard shortcut to bring up the screenshot tools.
Select the region to capture, depending on the selected snipping mode.
(Optional) Use the Image Crop tool to crop and resize the screenshot.
(Optional) Use the Ballpoint pen, Highlighter, or Touch Writing tools to annotate the image as necessary.
Click the Save button in the top-right corner.
Use the “Save as type” drop-down menu to select the image format, including JPG, PNG, or GIF.
Click the Save button.
Alternatively, you can use the Copy button to copy the screenshot to the clipboard and paste it into a document. Or you can use the Share button to share the capture with others via email or a social app.
While the app is open or pinned to the Taskbar, you can also right-click the button to open another app instance or take more screenshots.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to use the app on Windows 11, you can also use the “Windows key + Print” keyboard shortcut to take a screenshot of the entire screen. The image will save automatically as a “.png” file in the “Screenshots” folder inside the “Pictures” folder.
Change Snipping Tool settings
You can also configure various settings of the Snipping Tool experience to make it a little easier to take screenshots.
To configure the Snipping Tool settings:
Open Start.
Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
Click the menu (three-dotted) button in the top-right corner and select the Settings option.
Change the Snipping Tool settings:
- Auto copy to clipboard: Updates the clipboard automatically when editing the capture.
- Save snips: Prompt you to save the screenshot when closing the app.
- Multiple windows: Opens a new window for each image capture instead of replacing them.
- Snip outline: Automatically adds borders to each snip. The feature also includes an option to change the color and thickness of the outline.
Once you complete the steps, the Snipping Tool will reflect your configured settings.
Change Snipping Tool color mode
To switch between the light and dark color theme for the Snipping Tool:
Open Start.
Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
Click the menu (three-dotted) button in the top-right corner and select the Settings option.
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Under the “Appearance” section, select the App Theme setting.
Select the Snipping Tool theme, including Light, Dark, or Use system setting.
After you complete the steps, the app will switch to the color theme you specified.
Open Snipping Tool with Print Screen key
To use the Print button instead of the Windows key combo to bring up the snipping menu:
Open Start.
Search for Snipping Tool and click the top result to open the app.
Click the menu (three-dotted) button in the top-right corner and select the Settings option.
Under the “Shortcut” section, click the Change in settings option for the Print Screen shortcut setting.
Turn on the “Use the Print screen button to open screen snipping” toggle switch.
Once you complete the steps, you can press the Print Screen button instead of the Windows key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut to quickly take a screenshot on Windows 11.