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How to Capture Your Screen with the Windows Snipping Tool

Tap through each step to capture your screen with the Windows Snipping Tool.

  1. Press "Windows + Shift + S" to launch capture mode

    Pressing this shortcut slightly dims the screen and switches it into capture mode.

  2. Choose a capture mode

    From the toolbar that appears at the top of the screen, pick a rectangular, freeform, window, or full-screen capture.

  3. Drag to select the area you want

    Drag your mouse over the part of the screen you want to capture to set the boundaries.

  4. It's copied to your clipboard automatically β€” click the notification to edit or save it

    The captured image is copied straight to your clipboard, and clicking the notification in the bottom-right corner opens the Snipping Tool app, where you can mark it up with a pen or save it as a file.

  5. Why this is useful

    You can quickly capture an error screen or reference material with no extra software, and paste it directly into a chat app or document right away.

It goes straight to your clipboard β€” no file needed for a quick share

Since the capture is copied instantly, you can paste it with Ctrl+V directly into an email, chat, or document without ever saving a file, which is the fastest path whenever you just need to show someone something once.

The freeform and window capture modes are easy to overlook

Freeform mode is useful for capturing an irregular shape, letting you skip around an unwanted element instead of grabbing a strict rectangle. Window mode automatically detects and captures an entire app window in one click, saving you the trouble of dragging borders to match it exactly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do capture files go if I don't manually save them?

If you never save it, the image only sits on your clipboard and gets overwritten the moment you copy something else. It only becomes a real file, saved to your chosen folder or the default Pictures location, if you open the notification or the app and explicitly choose to save it.

Can I add arrows, text, or highlights to a capture before sharing it?

Yes β€” opening the Snipping Tool app from the notification, or launching it directly, gives you pen, highlighter, and cropping tools to mark up the image before saving or copying it again.