Like Windows 7, Windows 8 too includes the Snipping Tool which lets you take screenshots in your Windows computer. This Snipping Tool or SnippingTool.exe is located in the System32 folder but it (shortcut) can also be accessed via the following location:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\AccessoriesSnipping Tool for Windows 8 | 7
Let's have a look at ways to use the Snipping Tool in Windows 8 or Windows 7, effectively.
Capture screenshots in Windows 8
When on the Metro UI or
Start Screen, you can click on the Snipping Tool tile to open it. The tool will open and you will find yourself immediately on your desktop. When in the
Desktop mode, you can open it by typing Snipping Tool in the Charms Bar Search. If you use it regularly, you can also create its
desktop shortcut to access it easily.
To pin it as a Tile, when on the Windows 8 Start Screen, right click on the screen (not the tile). Click on the ‘All App’ option. In the bar that pops up at the bottom of the screen, you will see Snipping Tool in All apps. Simply right click on it and choose the ‘Pin to Start’ option to put it on your Start screen as a Tile.
Open Snipping Tool using Hotkey
If you are a frequent user of the Snipping Tool, you can create a
hotkey for it. To do so open the
System32 folder and right-click on
SnippingTool.exe (or on its shortcut in the Program/Accessories folder). Select
Properties. Here, you can set a hotkey for it. I have as an example selected F5. So to open the snipping tool, all I have to do next time is press F5.
The Snipping Tool allows you to take 4 different types of screenshots:
1.
Free-form Snip lets you draw and captures any irregular part of the screen
2.
Rectangular Snip will allow you to drag the cursor around an object to form a rectangle
3.
Window Snip will let you select an open window, such as a browser window or dialog box and let you capture it
4.
Full-screen snip will capture the entire screen when you select this type of snip.
Once you have changed the Settings to your requirements, you can click on New or
Ctrl+PrtnScr to take captures.
Win+PrntScr in Windows 8
Clicking on
Win+PrntScr in Windows 8 will let you capture the screenshot as per your settings. The image is automatically saved in your Pictures folder.
Disable white overlay
When the Snipping Tool is open and active, a white overlay appears. If you want to turn it off, you can do so via its Options. Uncheck the option to Show screen overlay when Snipping Tool is active.
To
save the image, you have to click on the
Save Snip button An extra feature in Windows 8 is that the full screen shots are automatically saved in your Pictures folder.
If you wish to
share a snip, you can click the
Arrow on the Send Snip button, and then select an (email) option from the menu.
The Snipping Tool will not normally work on the start screen. You will be able to only capture the full start screen using the Win+PrntScr buttons and not a part of the start screen. If you click your allottedhotkey when on the start screen, your windows will automatically switch to the desktop mode with the snipping tool opened. But there is a trick to do so, which we will see a bit later!
Capture Context Menu using Snipping Tool
If you wish to capture screenshots of your context menu
start Snipping Tool and click on
Esc. Next
right-click on the desktop, file or folder and then press
Ctrl+PrntScr. This will let you capture the right-click context menu. In Windows 7 you can also capture the start menu using this trick.
Capture parts of Windows 8 Start Screen
In Windows 8, to capture a part of your start screen,
open Snipping Tool, press
Esc. Next, press
Win key you switch to Start Screen and then press
Ctrl+PrntScr. Now move your mouse cursor around the desired area. This will let you capture a part of your Windows 8 start screen. To capture the
entire Start Screen, you can of course, press
Win+PrntScr.
twc
