GETTING STARTED WITH SNIPPING TOOL IN WINDOWS

You can use Snipping Tool to capture a screen shot or a snip of any object on your screen
and then annotate, save, or share the image. Estimated time is 5-15 minutes.
Important Notes:
To use the snipping tool, the document you want to snip from needs to be open prior to opening
the snipping tool.
To use the send function, your computer must be set up with access to an email program.

First time opening Snipping Tool:

1. Click on the Start button in the lower left
corner of your main screen to pull up the
program menu, shown in Figure 1.
2. Type snipping tool in the search box at
the bottom of the program menu.
NOTE: To add the Snipping Tool to your
lower Taskbar from the Start menu click
and hold the Snipping Tool icon, then
drag your cursor to the Taskbar and
release hold.
3. Open the snipping tool dialogue box from
Start menu by clicking on Snipping Tool.
To open from Taskbar, click on Snipping
Tool (scissors) icon.

Figure 1

Using Snipping Tool:

1. Open Snipping Tool dialogue box, shown in
Figure 2.
2. Click on New to use the default type of snip
(rectangle) or click on the drop down arrow
to select the type of snip you want.
NOTE:

Figure 2
types of snips are:
Free-form = manually draw a shape around an object
Rectangular snip = drag cursor around object to form rectangle
Window snip = select a window or dialogue box you want to capture
Full-screen snip = snip entire screen

3. To draw a shape, position your cursor in the upper left corner of area you want to snip,
click and hold, then drag your cursor to the bottom right corner, then release hold once
the entire area you want is within the shaded border/box.
4. Once you draw your shape around what you want to capture, the snip will copy to
Clipboard and Clipboard will automatically open, shown in Figure 3 below. You can
annotate, save, or share in Clipboard.
NOTE: To clip a menu, open Snipping Tool, press ESC, then open the menu you want to
capture. Press CTRL+PRTSCRN. Click the type of snip you want to use and draw your
shape around the menu.

Figure 3

Editing a Snip in Clipboard:

There are two ways to use the toolbar in Clipboard, shown in Figure 3. You can click on the
words in the toolbar for drop-down menus or you can click on the picture icons to access the
menus. You will be shown here what the icons are used for in Clipboard. The picture icons are
shown in Figures 4-9.

Save Icon Allows you to save the picture to your computer.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Copy Icon Allows you to copy the snip and paste into a document. Click copy in
Clipboard, open document you want to paste in, move cursor where you want image,
right click, and select paste. You can then select the image in the document and move
it or manipulate it to fit your document.

Send To Icon Allows you to send image either as an attachment to an email or as

part of the body of the email via the drop down options.

Annotate Icon Allows you to draw and write inside the image as with a pen. Click
the icon, go to where you want to start your drawing, and click and hold your mouse
as you draw. You can change ink color and thickness of line by choosing the options
or customize in the drop-down box.

Highlight Icon Allows you to highlight text. Use the same technique as in
annotating by clicking and holding over the text you want to highlight.
Figure 8

Figure 9

Erase Icon Allows you to erase your annotations or highlights. Click on the eraser,
move your mouse to the highlighted area or annotation, and click on the portion you
want erased.

For troubleshooting questions:

Email: colettefellom@u.boisestate.edu
Phone: 608-385-3892
Website: Microsoft.com