Snipping Tool, the default app for screenshots in Windows 11, offers more features than just taking screenshots. It can also record screens, extract text from images or websites that disable copying, and perform a reverse image search.
One of the most common uses of screenshot tools is copying text from images. Snipping Tool makes it easy to do so. Simply right-click any image in Windows 11, select "Open with" and then "Snipping Tool." Once the photo opens, click the "Scan Text" button to select all the text in the image. Windows will take a few moments to identify all the text in the photo, and when it's ready, you can click "Copy all text" from the popover menu.
Snipping Tool also allows you to extract text from images without taking a screenshot. This is perfect for copying text from sites that disable copying, interface elements in an app, or PDFs of scanned pages where you can't select the text easily. To try this, open the Snipping Tool app, click the "Text extractor" button in the toolbar, and click and drag over an area of the screen that contains text. The app will automatically select it in a moment or two. Click "Copy all text" in the popover menu, and you're done.
Snipping Tool also allows you to do some basic image editing, which you can use to automatically redact sensitive information from screenshots. Open any screenshot in Snipping Tool, click "Scan text," and then select "Quick redact" from the popover menu. This will automatically hide all phone numbers and email addresses in the screenshot.
Another useful feature of Snipping Tool is the ability to set a delay before taking a screenshot. This can be frustrating, especially when you need to set up an elaborate screenshot on your PC. To do this, right-click the Snipping Tool icon in the taskbar, and select the delay you want to add, ranging from three to 10 seconds.
Snipping Tool is also useful for screencasts, which can be a great way to help others solve tech issues. To do this, open Snipping Tool, click the three-dots icon in the top-right corner, and select "Settings." Enable "Include microphone input by default when a screen recording starts," and you're ready to go.
When capturing screenshots, you can also make Snipping Tool automatically add a solid color border to each image. This is great for posting to social media, as it makes screenshots look uniform and fit your aesthetic. To do this, go to Snipping Tool settings, enable "Add border to each screenshot," and select the color and thickness you want.
Snipping Tool also allows you to capture screenshots in irregular shapes using the Freeform tool. This lets you draw an area on the screen, and captures a screenshot of everything inside that area. To use this tool, open Snipping Tool, click the camera icon in the toolbar, select the rectangle icon, and choose Freeform.
One of the lesser-known features of Snipping Tool is the ability to disable automatic saving. This allows you to directly copy screenshots to the clipboard, making it easier to edit and send them to the app you need. To try this, go to Snipping Tool settings and disable "Automatically save original screenshots."
Snipping Tool also has a "Shapes" option that allows you to hide people's faces from images or screenshots. To use this feature, select the Shapes tool, and then select the Emoji tool to add an emoticon over faces. Alternatively, you can select the Square or Oval tools, and use the color fill option to hide private information thoroughly.
Finally, Snipping Tool has a built-in reverse image search feature that uses Bing to locate objects, places, or elements from your screenshots or images. To use this feature, open an image in Snipping Tool, click the three dots in the top-right corner, and select "Visual Search with Bing." This will open Bing's reverse image search results in your default browser.
