Snipping Tool

Name: Snipping Tool
Author: Snipping Tool

Free plan Windows

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What Snipping Tool is

Snipping Tool is a free Windows utility for capturing images and video from a PC screen, then editing, saving, or sharing the results. Image snips can cover a freeform or rectangular area, a window, or the full screen; video has its own capture overlay. Windows+Shift+S opens image capture, while Windows+Shift+R opens video capture. A countdown can delay capture by one to five seconds. For image snips, users can draw with a pen or highlighter, add shapes or emojis, erase marks, and crop. Text actions use OCR to extract text, copy selected or all text, and redact email addresses or phone numbers. Microsoft says recognition takes place locally on the device. Snips save automatically to the Screenshots folder, though settings can change the save behavior or folder. Recorded video can be opened in Clipchamp for editing, including adding captions or audio. Snipping Tool ships with Windows and is available from the Microsoft Store if missing; it applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Perfect screenshot and Color picker are identified as Copilot+ PC features. Scrolling capture is not supported.

Who it suits

It suits Windows 10 and 11 users who need to capture screen content, annotate images, or extract text from a snip. It can also serve people recording screen content for sharing or troubleshooting documentation.

What it does well

Four image capture modes plus video snips
OCR can copy text and redact contact details
Microsoft says text recognition happens locally
Automatic saving with folder and behavior settings
Free and available with Windows

What to know first

Does not support scrolling capture
Perfect screenshot and Color picker are Copilot+ PC features
Video editing opens in Clipchamp

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Snipping Tool	Windows app · Microsoft Store lists it as Free	Free

As microsoft.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open Snipping Tool from Windows or obtain it from the Microsoft Store if it is missing.
Use Windows+Shift+S for image capture or Windows+Shift+R for video capture.
Choose a capture mode and use the delay control if a countdown is needed.
Edit image snips with markup or text actions, and open recorded video in Clipchamp for editing.

Verdict

Snipping Tool covers image and video capture, annotation, and local OCR in a free Windows utility. Its main stated limitation is the lack of scrolling capture; the two named extra features are identified as Copilot+ PC features.

Questions

How much does Snipping Tool cost?

It is free, with a listed plan price of $0.

Which Windows versions does it apply to?

It applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Can it extract text from a screen capture?

Yes. OCR text actions can copy selected or all detected text and redact email addresses or phone numbers. Microsoft says recognition is processed locally on the device.

Does it support scrolling capture?

No, scrolling capture is not supported.

Where are captures saved?

Captured snips save automatically to the Screenshots folder. Settings can change the save behavior or default folder.

Facts from Snipping Tool's own pages

Annotations: Users can mark up image snips with a pen, highlighter, shapes, or emojis, erase marks, and crop images. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Automatic saving: Captured snips are automatically saved to the Screenshots folder, and settings can change the save behavior or default folder. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Capture modes: It supports freeform, rectangular, window, and full-screen image snips, plus video snips. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Copilot+ PC features: Perfect screenshot and Color picker are identified as Copilot+ PC features; Perfect screenshot automatically frames prominent on-screen content. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Delay: The delay control can start a capture countdown of 1 to 5 seconds. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Distribution: Microsoft says Snipping Tool ships with Windows and can be obtained from the Microsoft Store if it is missing. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Founded: 1975 · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · support.microsoft.com, 19 Sept 2026
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, USA · microsoft.com, 4 Oct 2026
Intended use: Microsoft describes Snipping Tool as a way to capture and share screen content, and lists it as an alternative for screen recording and troubleshooting documentation. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Keyboard shortcuts: Windows+Shift+S opens the image capture overlay, and Windows+Shift+R opens the video capture overlay. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Local processing: Microsoft says all text recognition processes are performed locally on the device. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
OCR text extraction: Yes · support.microsoft.com, 19 Sept 2026
Platform availability: Microsoft Support says Snipping Tool applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Purpose: Snipping Tool captures words or images from all or part of a PC screen for editing, saving, and sharing. · microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Scrolling capture: No · support.microsoft.com, 19 Sept 2026
Text extraction: Text actions uses OCR to extract text from a snip, with options to copy selected text or all text and redact email addresses or phone numbers. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026
Video editing: Recorded video snips can be opened in Clipchamp for editing, including adding captions or audio. · support.microsoft.com, 11 Oct 2026