Easy Ways to Open & Use Snipping Tool for Windows 10

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Complete instructions for the Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch

Co-authored by Hunter Rising Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: March 24, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Overview
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• Opening Snipping Tool
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• Opening Snip & Sketch
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• How to Use Snipping Tool
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• Making a Keyboard Shortcut
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

The Snipping Tool is an easy way to take screenshots and share images that’s been available since Windows Vista. With Windows 10, Microsoft added a second screenshot tool, but you can still access the original Snipping Tool on your computer. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through finding and using the Snipping Tool, plus instructions for Snip & Sketch so you’re able to share your screenshots.

If you’re using Windows 11, check out our user guide for the newly updated Snipping Tool.

Easy Way to Use Snipping Tool on Windows 10

To open the Snipping Tool, click on the Start menu and type "snipping tool" into the search bar. Click New and select an area to screenshot with your mouse. Edit the image and save it when you're finished. Using Windows key + Shift + S for screenshots opens Snip & Sketch, another tool that saves to your clipboard.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

Does Windows 10 have Snipping Tool?

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1. 
   Windows 10 has Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch for capturing screenshots. The original Snipping Tool was introduced in Windows Vista, and it features basic tools to take partial or full screenshots. Windows 10 introduced Snip & Sketch, which adds the ability to edit and draw on your screenshots, but Snipping Tool is still available in the system.

   • In Windows 11, the new Snipping Tool combines features from Snip & Sketch and the older version of the app.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Open Snipping Tool on Windows 10

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1. 
   1
   Look up the Snipping Tool from the Start menu. Click the Start menu on your screen and put your cursor in the search bar. Start typing “Snipping Tool,” and click the application when it appears in the list.

   • To find the Snipping Tool manually, open the Start menu and click on All to see all the apps on your computer. Scroll down to the Windows Accessories folder, and select the Snipping Tool inside.
2. 
   2
   Type in “snippingtool.exe” in Command Prompt. Open the Command Prompt on your computer. When the first line appears, type “snippingtool.exe” into the program and tap Enter. The Snipping Tool app will immediately open on your screen.

   • Entering the command into PowerShell or Terminal has the same effect.
3. 
   3
   Enter “snippingtool.exe” into the Run application. Press ⊞ Win+R to open Run, which allows you to select applications to open. Type in “snippingtool.exe” into the text box and then click OK to open a new window.
4. 
   4
   Double-click the Snipping Tool executable in your files. Open a File Explorer window on your computer, click on the search bar, and enter: %WINDIR%\System32\SnippingTool.exe. When the Snipping Tool executable appears in the window, double-click it to start running the program.

   • Right-click on Snipping Tool from the list and select Pin to taskbar to save it in an easy-to-access place.
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Open Snip & Sketch on Windows 10

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1. 
   1
   Use ⊞ Win+⇧ Shift+S to take a screenshot. When you press the shortcut, a small interface will appear at the top of your screen. You can either take a partial screenshot or capture the entire screen.

   • By default, screenshots from the Snip & Sketch tool save to your clipboard and do not create a file on your device. Paste the image into a document or another program so you don’t lose it.
   • If you want to save or edit the screenshot, click on the notification banner that appears at the bottom of your screen after using the Snip & Sketch tool.
2. 
   2
   Press ⎙ Print Screen to capture the entire screen. If you have a Print Screen (or Prt Scn) button on your keyboard, press it whenever you want a picture of everything on your screen. The image gets saved to your clipboard so you can easily paste it into another program.

   • To save the screenshot as an image file, press ⊞ Win+⎙ Print Screen. The image will save to your computer’s Pictures folder.
   • Depending on your keyboard, you may need to hold a Function key to use the Print Screen feature.
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Use Snipping Tool on Windows 10

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1. 
   1
   Choose the Snip shape under the New option. The Snipping Tool offers 4 ways to capture a screenshot on your computer. When you have the tool open, click the small arrow next to New to see a dropdown menu of the Snip shape options.

   • Free-form Snip lets you draw any shape with your mouse for a partial screenshot.
   • Rectangular Snip allows you to select any rectangular area on your screen.
   • Window Snip captures an open window or application on your computer.
   • Full-screen Snip takes a picture of your entire screen.
2. 
   2
   Set a delay for when your screenshot gets captured. If you need a couple of seconds to pull up a webpage or are trying to screenshot something moving, click on the small arrow next to Delay. Select the amount of time you want to delay the screenshot. Then, click on the Delay button to activate it.

   • If you decide you don’t need to delay the screenshot, then hit the Cancel button.
3. 
   3
   Select New to start taking a screenshot. Click on New from the menu, and select the window or area that you want to take a screenshot of. As soon as you let go of the mouse button, the tool takes a screenshot and opens a new window with the image.

   • If you set a delay, your computer will wait the set amount of time before capturing the image.
4. 
   4
   Use the Pen or Highlighter tool to annotate the image. If you want to draw something, like an arrow pointing to a specific part of the screen, click on Pen or Highlighter from the new window. Use your mouse to draw on the image, and click OK when you’re finished.
5. 
   5
   Click the Save button on the screenshot to save an image file. Look for the Save icon that looks like a blue floppy disk on the top menu, and click on it. Rename the file and choose where you want to save it on your computer.

   • Alternatively, you can click the Copy button to put the image in your clipboard to paste somewhere else or the Send Snip button to share it via email.
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Section 5 of 5:

How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut for Snipping Tool

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1. 
   Open the Snipping Tool app with the click of a few buttons. The Snipping Tool doesn’t have a native keyboard shortcut, but you can easily create your own. If you prefer the Snipping Tool over the Snip & Sketch app, then follow these instructions:

   • Open File Explorer.
   • Search for C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories.
   • Right-click on Snipping Tool.
   • Select Properties.
   • Select the Shortcut tab and click the Shortcut key box.
   • Enter your desired keyboard shortcut (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+S).
   • Click OK to confirm the setting.

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