How to Take a Screenshot on Your Computer Easily

This tool, formerly known as “Snip & Sketch,” was updated in Windows 11 to include screen recording. Here are the steps:

Steps to record the screen with the Snipping Tool in Windows 11:

1. Open the Snipping Tool:
   • You can open it in several ways:
     • Press the key combination Win + Shift + S to open the snipping panel.
     • Or type “Snipping Tool” in the Start menu and select the app.
2. Select the recording mode:
   • When the snipping panel opens (with Win + Shift + S), you’ll see a toolbar of tools at the top of the screen with several options. Click on the option “Record” (the icon of a circle, which is for screen recording). If you don’t see the recording icon, make sure you have the most recent version of the Snipping Tool.
   • You can also open the Snipping Tool app directly (from the Start menu) and then click the “New” button and select the recording option.
3. Start recording:
   • After selecting the recording mode, the screen will dim slightly and you’ll see a recording toolbar. You can choose between:
     • Record the entire screen: Click the button that represents the entire screen (a complete rectangle).
     • Record a specific area: Click the area button (a rectangle with borders) and then draw a rectangle around the area you want to record.
4. Recording controls:
   • Once you select the area or the full screen, a “Start” button will appear (a red circle). Click it to start recording.
   • There’s also a settings button (gear icon) where you can configure:
     • Whether you want to record microphone audio.
     • Whether you want to record system audio (computer sounds).
   • The recording will begin after a 3-second countdown.
5. During recording:
   • You’ll see a floating toolbar with controls to pause, resume, and stop the recording.
   • There’s also a button to make on-screen annotations during the recording (such as drawing or highlighting).
6. Stop the recording:
   • Click the “Stop” button (red square) on the floating toolbar or press Win + Shift + S again to stop it.
   • The recording will be saved automatically in the “Videos” folder inside the “Captures” folder (by default: C:Users[your_user]VideosCaptures).
   • It will also be copied to the clipboard and a preview window will open so you can trim or share it.

Important notes:

• The Snipping Tool only allows you to record the screen, not the webcam.
• Recordings are saved in MP4 format.
• If you can’t find the recording option, make sure your Windows 11 is up to date. Screen recording in Snipping Tool was introduced in a recent update.

Alternative: If you don’t have the recording option in Snipping Tool:

• You can use the “Xbox Game Bar” tool (press Win + G), which also allows you to record any window or screen, not just games.
• Other third-party tools such as OBS Studio (free) or Camtasia (paid).

I hope this is helpful to you. Good luck with your recording!