Snipping Tool is the default app for screenshots in Windows 11. There's a batch much to the app than that, however: With it, you tin return surface recordings, extract matter from images aliases websites that disable copying, and usage a reverse image hunt tool. While ShareX is still my favourite app for taking screenshots successful Windows, I deliberation Snipping Tool has reached a constituent wherever it's awesome for some beginners and powerfulness users. Here are 10 basal Snipping Tool hacks that every Windows 11 personification should know.
Use 'Scan Text' to transcript matter from images
Copying matter from images is 1 of the astir communal uses of screenshot tools, and Snipping Tool does it rather well. You tin right-click immoderate image successful Windows 11, and spell to Open pinch > Snipping Tool. Once the photograph opens, you tin click the Scan Text fastener to prime each the matter successful the image. Windows will return a fewer moments to place each the matter successful the photo, and, erstwhile it's ready, you tin click Copy each text from the popover menu. You're besides free to prime a azygous condemnation aliases artifact of matter by clicking and dragging the cursor complete it, and you tin right-click this action to uncover the Copy text button.
Use Text Extractor to transcript matter without taking screenshots
If each you want to do is transcript matter from sites that disable copying, interface elements successful an app, aliases PDFs of scanned pages wherever you can't prime the matter easily, past you should usage Snipping Tool to prime and transcript matter without moreover taking a screenshot. This allows you to trim unwanted image clutter by skipping the "taking a screenshot" step, and jumping consecutive to extracting text. To effort this, unfastened the Snipping Tool app successful your Windows PC, and click the Text extractor fastener successful the toolbar. You tin click and resistance complete an area of the surface that contains text, and the app will automatically prime it successful a infinitesimal aliases two. Click Copy each text successful the popover menu, and you're done.
Use this mounting to automatically redact delicate accusation from screenshots
Snipping Tool allows you to do immoderate basal image editing, which you tin usage to automatically redact delicate accusation from screenshots. Open immoderate screenshot successful Snipping Tool, and click Scan text. Once the instrumentality scans for text, a popover paper will appear. You tin prime Quick redact present to automatically hide each telephone numbers and email addresses successful the screenshot. It's beautiful meticulous and puts a achromatic barroom complete delicate information, which is much safer than blurring telephone numbers and email addresses.
Use the timer to group up your surface earlier taking screenshots
Setting up an elaborate screenshot connected your PC tin beryllium frustrating since Snipping Tool takes the screenshot instantly by default. In these instances, you tin group a hold of 3 to 10 seconds earlier you seizure the screen. If you person the Snipping Tool open, right-click its icon successful the taskbar to quickly return a timed screenshot. Three buttons fto you return a screenshot successful three, five, aliases 10 seconds. You tin besides group up the Snipping Tool to ever adhd a hold earlier capturing a screenshot. Open the app, and click the camera icon successful the toolbar. Then, click the timer icon successful the toolbar, and prime the hold you wish to add.
Use Snipping Tool for screencasts to thief others lick tech issues
When my friends aliases family members telephone for thief pinch tech issues, I often nonstop them a screencast pinch commentary to show really to hole the issue. In Snipping Tool, you tin toggle a mounting to see microphone audio by default erstwhile you grounds the screen. This lets maine grounds my sound while I'm demonstrating really to lick the problem, and I usage the rodent pointer to item what to click. Once you group up Snipping Tool to grounds your audio by default for surface recordings, this process hardly takes immoderate time. Open Snipping Tool successful your PC, and click the three-dots icon successful the top-right corner. Select Settings, and alteration Include microphone input by default erstwhile a surface signaling starts.
Use this characteristic to nutrient societal media-ready screenshots
When you seizure screenshots, you tin make Snipping Tool automatically adhd a coagulated colour separator to each image. This is awesome for posting to societal media, arsenic it makes screenshots look azygous and fresh your aesthetic. Go to Snipping Tool settings and alteration Add separator to each screenshot. Select the Color artifact to prime the colour you want for the border, and usage the Thickness slider to set the width of the border.
Use the Freeform instrumentality to seizure screenshots successful irregular shapes
The Freeform instrumentality lets you tie an area connected the screen, and captures a screenshot of everything wrong that area. You tin tie immoderate style you like, and the instrumentality automatically closes mini gaps successful the style to complete the screenshot. I for illustration the truth that the Freeform instrumentality is forgiving capable to soft retired poorly drawn shapes, which intends you don't needfully request to person dependable hands to seizure useful screenshots. To usage this tool, unfastened Snipping Tool, and click the camera icon successful the toolbar. Next, prime the rectangle icon, and take Freeform. When you return the adjacent screenshot, Snipping Tool will fto you tie an irregular style connected the screen.
Disable automatic redeeming to extremity screenshots from piling up connected your PC
If you disable auto-save for screenshots, it straight copies screenshots to the clipboard. You tin past make edits and nonstop them to the app you need, aliases deed the prevention fastener to shop the edited screenshots. This stops screenshots from piling up and adding to the clutter connected your difficult drive. I only request to prevention astir 1 successful 10 screenshots I capture, which makes this peculiarly useful for me. To effort it out, spell to Snipping Tool settings and disable Automatically prevention original screenshots.
Use this instrumentality to hide people's faces from photos aliases screenshots
Snipping Tool has a "Shapes" option, which is meant to hide people's faces from images aliases screenshots. Here's really it works: Once you unfastened an image successful Snipping Tool, you'll spot a bunch of editing devices successful the toolbar. Select the Shapes tool, which is adjacent to the Eraser tool, and you'll spot a bid of options. Select the Emoji instrumentality to adhd an emoticon complete faces. Alternatively, you tin prime the Square aliases Oval tools, but beryllium judge to usage the colour capable action to hide backstage accusation thoroughly. Select Fill, and take a color. You tin besides disable the Outline if you wish to, arsenic it adds a separator to the style you tie connected the screenshot. Then, you tin tie a rectangle, square, circle, aliases an oval connected the screenshot, and you'll find a coagulated colour artifact that tin hide delicate information.
Use the built-in reverse image hunt to place objects successful the screenshots
Snipping Tool has a reverse image hunt characteristic that uses Bing to find objects, places, aliases elements from your screenshots aliases images. You tin usage this to place subjects successful an image, aliases to cheque if a scammer has copied a floor plan image from a different person's profile. To usage this feature, unfastened an image successful Snipping Tool, and click the 3 dots successful the top-right area of the app. Select Visual Search pinch Bing, and it will unfastened Bing's reverse image hunt results successful your default browser.
Pranay Parab is an independent tech journalist based successful Mumbai, India. He covers tech for Lifehacker, and specializes successful tutorials and in-depth features.
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