Windows Snip & Sketch lets you capture part or all of your screen and save it as an image file

Snip & Sketch is the built-in screenshot tool on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It replaces the older Snipping Tool and works faster. You can capture a rectangular area, a freehand shape, a full window, or your entire screen, then edit, annotate, or save the image right away.

The quickest way to open it is to press Windows key + Shift + S. Your screen will dim and a toolbar will appear at the top. From there, you choose what kind of capture you want and click the area you need. Once you've captured it, a notification appears in the lower right corner—click it to open the image in the editor.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Windows key + Shift + S to open Snip & Sketch and start a screenshot when ready.
  • You can capture a rectangle, freehand shape, window, or full screen using the toolbar buttons that appear when you set up the tool.
  • After you capture, a notification pops up in the lower right corner—click it to edit, crop, or save the image.
  • Snip & Sketch saves screenshots to your clipboard automatically, so you can paste them into email, documents, or messaging apps right away.
  • You can also open Snip & Sketch from the Start menu if the keyboard shortcut doesn't work on your device.

Opening Snip & Sketch and choosing your capture type

The fastest route is the keyboard shortcut: press Windows key + Shift + S. Your screen will go slightly darker and a small toolbar will float near the top center. You'll see four icons on that toolbar, each representing a different capture mode.

The first icon (a rectangle) lets you drag to select a rectangular area. The second (a lasso) lets you draw a freehand shape around what you want. The third (a window outline) captures a single open window—just click the window you want. The fourth (a full screen icon) captures everything on your monitor at once. Click the mode you need, then make your selection by clicking and dragging (or just clicking for full screen).

If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, open the Start menu, type "snip," and click Snip & Sketch from the results. The app will open and you'll see a button labeled New in the upper left. Click it to begin a capture.

What happens after you capture and how to save

Once you release the mouse after selecting your area, the screenshot is taken and a notification appears in the lower right corner of your screen. This notification shows a thumbnail of what you captured. Click the notification to open the image in the Snip & Sketch editor window.

In the editor, you can crop the image, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, erase parts of it, or add text. When you're done editing (or if you don't want to edit), click the Save as button in the upper right. A file browser will open and you can choose where to save the image and what to name it. The default format is PNG, which works on any device and preserves image quality.

You can also copy the screenshot to your clipboard without saving a file: press Ctrl + C while the image is open in the editor, then paste it directly into an email, document, or chat message using Ctrl + V.

Using the pen and highlighter tools to mark up your screenshot

After you capture, the editor window shows your image with a toolbar on the left side. You'll see a pen icon, a highlighter icon, and an eraser icon. Click the pen to draw freehand lines on the image—useful for circling something or pointing out a detail. The pen color is black by default.

Click the highlighter icon to mark areas with a semi-transparent color, usually yellow. This is helpful when you want to draw attention to text or a specific part of the image without completely covering it. The eraser removes any marks you've made—just click it and drag over the lines you want to remove.

To change the pen or highlighter color, click the small arrow next to the pen or highlighter icon. A color palette will appear. Select the color you want, then continue drawing. These tools are useful for creating instructions, marking up screenshots for feedback, or highlighting errors in a document.

Cropping and resizing your screenshot

Once your image is open in the editor, you can crop it to remove unwanted edges or zoom in on a specific part. Look for the crop icon in the toolbar on the left (it looks like two overlapping right angles). Click it and a border will appear around your image with handles at the corners and edges.

Drag any handle inward to remove that part of the image. When you're happy with the crop, click outside the border or press Enter to explore it. The cropped area is removed permanently, so the image becomes smaller and focuses on what you actually need.

If you need to undo a crop or any other edit, press Ctrl + Z to step backward. You can undo multiple times to get back to your original screenshot.

Pasting screenshots directly without saving a file

Snip & Sketch automatically copies your screenshot to the clipboard when you capture it. This means you can paste it when ready into another program without opening the editor or saving a file. After you take the screenshot, open the document, email, or chat where you want it to appear, then press Ctrl + V.

The image will paste in seconds. This is the fastest route if you just need to send a quick screenshot to someone or add it to a document. You only need to open the editor if you want to crop, draw on, or save the image with a specific name and location.

Troubleshooting when Snip & Sketch won't open or capture

If Windows key + Shift + S doesn't work, your keyboard might not support that combination, or the shortcut might be mapped to something else. Open the Start menu and search for "snip" instead, then click Snip & Sketch to launch it directly. Once it's open, use the New button to start a capture.

If Snip & Sketch opens but won't let you capture, make sure no other program is running in full-screen mode (like a video game or presentation software). Full-screen apps can block the screenshot tool. Close or minimize the full-screen program and try again.

If you're using an older version of Windows 10, you might have the older Snipping Tool instead of Snip & Sketch. Search for "snipping tool" in the Start menu—it works similarly, though the interface looks different. Both tools do the same job of capturing your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just one window?

Yes. Press Windows key + Shift + S, then click the window icon (third from the left) in the toolbar. Move your cursor over the window you want to capture and click it. The entire window will be captured, including its title bar and borders.

Where do my screenshots get saved by default?

Snip & Sketch copies screenshots to your clipboard automatically, but doesn't save them to a folder unless you click Save as in the editor. If you want screenshots to save automatically to a folder, you'll need to use the older Snipping Tool instead, which has that option in its settings.

Can I undo changes I made to a screenshot?

Yes. Press Ctrl + Z to undo your last action—pen marks, crops, or text. You can undo multiple times to get back to the original screenshot. If you've already closed the editor, you'll need to take the screenshot again.

What file format should I save screenshots in?

PNG is the default and works best for most uses—it preserves quality and works on any device. Snip & Sketch also supports JPG and GIF. PNG is recommended because it doesn't lose quality when you save it, unlike JPG.

Can I set a delay before the screenshot captures?

Snip & Sketch doesn't have a built-in delay feature. If you need time to set up what you're capturing, take the screenshot, then use the crop tool to remove any extra content. Alternatively, use the older Snipping Tool, which has a delay option in its settings.