Scissors in Windows - a simple and functional solution for creating screenshots

The Snipping Tool (Scissors) is a program that is part of Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Window 8. The Snipping Tool allows you to capture your chosen windows or desktop and save them as fragments or screenshots on your computer. In the past, if you wanted a full-featured screen capture program, you needed to spend some money to buy a commercial copy of the application.

Using the Scissors tool in Windows.

What is it for

If you needed a basic screen capture feature, in previous versions of Windows you could take screenshots by pressing the PrintScreen button to take a snapshot of the entire screen, or Alt-Printscreen to take a screen shot with only the active window. This screenshot will be placed on the clipboard, which can then be pasted into another image processing program of your choice. What makes the Scissors tool so attractive is:

  • Its price is a free tool.
  • Its functionality.

This allows you to take screenshots only from certain areas of the screen, and not with the entire window or screen. This guide will guide you through the steps necessary to use the Snipping Tool to save screenshots of your running programs, fragments of other images and your desktop as images on your computer.

Where to find the utility

Please note that if the optional components of the Tablet PC are not enabled in Windows Vista, the Snipping Tool will not be available on your computer. The Snipping Tool is automatically installed in Windows 7 and Windows 8. Before we go into details about how to use the tool and its options, it’s worth explaining how the tool works. Snipping Tool allows you to capture parts of the screen using four methods, and then save these fragments as a JPG, GIF, PNG or MHT file. Capture methods that can be used to capture fragments: arbitrary, rectangular, windowed and full screen. We will look at these various methods in detail.

However, it is important to know that when you launch the Snipping Tool, it automatically switches to capture mode using the last selected type of choice. This means that while the Snipping Tool is in capture mode, you will not be able to use Windows normally unless you cancel the capture by pressing the Capture or Alt-Tabbing button from the tool. Now that we understand this, let's move on to finding and launching the Snipping Tool. Scissors in Windows (including 10) are in the same place as the other built-in tools. To run the Snipping Tool, please follow these steps:

  • Click the "Start" button to open the "Start" menu.
  • Then select the "All Programs" menu item.
  • Then click on the accessories group.
  • Finally, click on the Scissors icon.

If you are running Windows 8, you can simply find the Snipping Tool on the Windows 8 start screen. Now let's move on to exploring the different types of choices available to us. When you launch the Scissors, you can click on the "Options" button to specify how the program should work. Below we will explain what each of these parameters do and how they affect the fragments or screenshots you create. The parameters are divided into groups "Applications" and "Elections". Hot keys are also available.

Application options:

  • Hide instruction text - if enabled, hide the instruction text in the main Snipping Tool window.
  • Always copy fragments to the clipboard — if this option is enabled, it will copy all the fragments to the Windows clipboard so you can paste them into another application, such as word processors or other image processing software.
  • Include URL below fragments (HTML only) —If this option is enabled, if you save the fragment as an HTML single-file document or an MHT document and the fragment was taken from an Internet Explorer browser window, it will display the URL of the page where the fragment was .
  • Offer to save fragments before exiting - if this option is enabled, when exiting the Trimming tool, he will offer to save all created trims.
  • The icon on the quick launch panel - when this option is enabled, an icon for the Scissors tool will be placed on the quick launch panel.
  • Show screen overlay when Snipping Tool is active - if this option is enabled, the Snipping Tool interface will disappear when creating a screenshot.

Choices:

  • Ink color - changes the color of the selection border when creating a fragment.
  • Show selected ink after grabbing fragments - when this option is enabled, the selection border will be displayed using the color selected in the Ink Color option, around the fragment.

We recommend including all application settings, except “Include URL below fragments” (HTML only) and “Show screen overlay” with the Scissors tool active. For selection options, you can disable the option “Show selected ink after capture for better display of fragments”. Now that we understand the options, let's find out about the different types of fragments that can be used.

How to adjust the Scissors tool

There are four different types of choices that you can use to make a screenshot using screen scissors. To change the type of selection that the Snipping Tool uses to create a screenshot, click the small menu with the down arrow next to the New button. A description of each type of selection and an example of a fragment are given below:

  • Free-form trimming - this method allows you to draw a shape around a selected area using the mouse or stylus. As soon as the selection form is drawn, and you close the form so that there are no open sides, a screenshot will be created and shown to you.
  • Rectangular fragment - this method allows you to simply create a rectangular selection around a part of the screen, and everything in this rectangle will be used to create a screenshot.
  • Trimming a window — using this method, the trimming tool captures the contents of the entire selected window.
  • Screenshot in full screen mode - this method allows you to capture the entire screen on your computer.

Now that we know everything we need to know about the Snipping tool, let's find out how to use it.

How to work with Scissors

In this part of the article you will learn how to make a rectangular screenshot using the application for Windows 10 and other versions. So choose a picture and get started! The first step is to open the image we want to cut, and then run the Snipping Tool as described above. After the program is open, select the Rectangular Incision type by clicking the down arrow next to the New button and selecting the Rectangular Incision. After the option “Rectangular passage” is selected, click on the image and drag a rectangular selection around the object, clicking somewhere on the image, and holding the left mouse button down, drag the rectangular frame around the area you want to create. After the selection is made, release the left mouse button, and the rectangular area will now be sent to the scissors tool. When the fragment is created, the tool will show the fragment in a small window, where you can save it as an image, write text on it with the mouse or stylus, select areas of the fragment.

Now that the fragment has been created, if you want to draw a picture with the mouse or a stylus, you can click on the Tools menu and then select the pen with which you want to draw. If you want to highlight certain parts of the image, you can click on the "Tools" menu and select "Highlighting". Last but not least, if you want to delete something that is drawn with a pen or selected, you can click the Tools menu and select the Eraser to do it. Finally, when you are happy with how the fragment will look, you can:

  • Send it by e-mail as an embedded image or attachment, by clicking the mail icon or by clicking the File menu and selecting the “Send” option.
  • Save the snippet as a file on your computer by clicking on the “File” menu and selecting “Save As.” When saving a fragment, the following options are available: JPG, GIF, PNG or HTML with a single file (MHT). For photos, it is always better to use “Save your fragment as a JPG”

You have finished making your first screenshot. Now start sending your snippets to your friends and relatives or paste them into such sites! The program works on the latest versions of the OS, and on Windows XP.

Alternative to the built-in tool - third-party applications

If you are a Windows user, you know that MS Windows has its own screen capture tool. However, this tool has relatively limited ability to capture and edit the desired image. You may have to use another image editor to do all the work. It does not matter whether you are writing a post based on a textbook or instructing your friend or colleague to complete a task that he or she does not know. screenshots are very useful! There are also several other cases where screenshots will be useful, for example, when you have complaints about the software or you need to confirm something for further use. To do all this, you need a tool to capture the screenshot! By default, Microsoft Windows 7 and above comes with the Snipping Tool, which is the main screenshots tool you can use. However, there are cases when the Windows Snipping Tool becomes a bit inefficient, for example, when you need built-in screenshot editing functions or built-in sharing features. In addition, it is not available for Macintosh or Linux, which is largely the reason for finding alternatives.

Picpick

Picpick is highly recommended for PCs for many reasons. This is a full-featured screen capture tool. Picpick was named the Swiss Army Knife for taking screenshots on Windows. This is a very powerful and brilliant tool with incredible performance. Picpick is full of features and user friendly. He creates images that are suitable for home users, graphic designers and software developers.

Specifications:

  • The standard of this application is three times the built-in tool.
  • It can also take screenshots of fullscreen, scrolling windows, active windows, fixed areas and freehand.
  • It enhances images with such effects as mosaic, watermark, blur and has editing tools.
  • You can customize keyboard shortcuts, file names, image quality and many other aspects to suit your needs.

The program will give you an excellent opportunity to share your creation on social networks, Google Drive, Dropbox, cloud storage and others.

PicPick is a complete screen capture tool and alternative snapshot tool that takes editing to a new level! When you need a screenshot with a rich graphic image, you can choose PicPick. The screen capture tool can do this using a variety of methods, such as full-screen, active window or scroll window, etc. On the other hand, when we go to the PicPick graphic accessories section, there are parameters such as Loupe, Pixel Bar, CrossHair, and also WhiteBoard - each of them will be useful in different cases. The editor also includes all the necessary elements to create an effective screenshot. In addition, PicPick allows you to export a screen shot to various formats, such as image files and PDF, as well as web integration. PicPick is available only for Microsoft Windows.

Price: Free for personal use. $ 21.99 for a single-user license.

Snagit

Snagit has great power when it comes to creating screenshots. Snagit has long been among the top five tools for Windows. Snagit is a popular tool for Mac. For Windows, it is more or less the same. It has great potential when it comes to capturing screenshots and image editing, and has been recommended by millions of users. Snagit not only takes screenshots, but also:

  • Complements the screenshot with shapes, notes and arrows.
  • Adding visual elements to a document takes just a couple of clicks.
  • Easily create high-quality images and go beyond the usual screen capture.
  • It also serves as a video recording utility for Windows and is suitable for most versions of Windows (7, 8, 10 and XP).
  • It also allows you to capture all in one, scroll through the screen and capture text.
  • It can provide you with a full screen, freehand, all in one, web page in PDF format, and you can copy text to the clipboard.
  • The profile has custom settings with which you can take screenshots from videos and games.
  • It includes a built-in editor that you can use to comment and add additional effects when creating screenshots.

Sangit makes it easy to add videos to your emails, documentation, blogs, educational materials and social networks. In the Snagit editor, there are options for text and highlighting. In addition, you can use the blur, crop, border, and shadow options to create the best effect. Snagit is one of the best and most professional screen capture tools you can find, and is provided by TechSmith, one of the leading software developers in the industry. The software allows you to take both screenshots and video. After you have installed Snagit, you can set a hotkey and press it to launch a full screen capture of Snagit - there are also many aspects of customization.

Other features include scroll capture, which allows you to take screenshots of the entire page, even when part of it is visible (for example, a web page). In addition, Snagit has a built-in editing section, which has all the forms and other things you need to make the screenshot really useful. Speaking of accessibility, Snagit is available for Mac and Windows - Snagit 12 for Windows and Snagit 3 for Mac. Thus, when you need a professional alternative to Windows scissors, Snagit will be the best choice.

Price: $ 49.95 for a single user license. A free trial is available for 15 days.

Screenshot captor

Screenshot Captor reminds Superman, because that is how it works. Plus is a free cutting tool. This is the best offer on the market when it comes to manipulating, annotating, capturing and sharing screenshots. Screenshot Captor supports most versions of Windows, ranging from XP to 7, 8 and 10. There are portable versions that can be downloaded by clicking on the link to the portable zip page on the Screenshot Captor home page. The following are the features of Screenshot Captor:

  • A complete set of scanner tools along with scanner image correction.
  • It has excellent multi-monitor support.
  • This trimmer has a toolbar with various capture options that can be very useful for you.
  • It has the most standardized capture options, such as the active window, desktop mode, region, and window object.
  • This allows the user to capture images using a webcam and import images using a scanner.

Thanks to its editing, it surpasses other programs that can be used to add shadows, text fields, blur and glow images. And even has its own gallery of screenshots.

SHAREX

ShareX is a full-featured open source application with a free screenshot and screen capture for Windows. Its GIF and video capture tools are very convenient. ShareX is not just a screen capture program. It will also help you capture video. And it is absolutely free, so it makes its users happy. All of these features make ShareX the ideal choice for those who love different types of editing. Program features:

  • ShareX is an extensive post-capture program that gives you the ability to take snapshots.
  • Its main editor helps to add text, borders, arrows and highlights the image.
  • The features of this super-tool include full screen, window pane, handwriting, web page capture, scroll capture and more.
  • You can use it to create screen shots with alternative shapes, such as a rhombus, triangle, rectangle and circle.
  • You can filter the images to add a watermark effect.
  • ShareX includes web page capture, image scrolling and image annotation.

It has customizable keyboard shortcuts and can define boundaries for easy capture.

Lightshot

LightShot is a favorite when it comes to capturing screenshots, probably because the program is free and convenient! This is an extremely simple installation procedure, after which it can replace the scissors tool, with some excellent features. One of the most important things we found in LightShot is a simple interface that still includes a built-in option for editing, one-click upload and a method for searching for similar images. LightShot really works when you press the Prt Scrn key, but you can set a specific hot key to suit your requirements and convenience. In addition, there are several options for customizing the output of LightShot, for example, the format of the output file, whether you need a cursor in the frame, etc. The program is free for Windows and Mac, plus there are browser extensions. Another factor is that you do not need to open a special editor for editing - it all happens on one screen.

Price: free.

Greenshot

Greenshot is another complete screen capture tool you can get for free! Although Greenshot is only available for Windows PCs, it is free and open source and hosted on SourceForge. Each part of Greenshot - the screenshots section, image editor and export - contains impressive features. For example, you can take many screenshots using different methods, while the image editor allows you to add annotations and selections to a specific screenshot to make it more informative and effective at the end. On the other hand, the export section will be useful if you want to save a screenshot for later use. Greenshot is damn useful in the sense that you may have special hotkeys for certain capture modes. Thus, the open source tool also includes some very impressive and adequate features that are expected by a developer or a regular user.

Price: Free, open source.

Duckcapture

DuckCapture is a complete screen capture solution that you can find when you lack the Scissors tool! It has all the features you need to capture, edit and share screenshots that you make. In the capture section, you have the opportunity to take screenshots based on windows, screenshots based on regions and scrolling screenshots in which you can cover one whole web page. The editing section is impressive, as DuckCapture comes with a sufficient number of annotation tools, as well as the ability to refine multiple shots. In the end, you have the opportunity to make the screenshot as informative as possible! You can also share a screen shot in a variety of ways. DuckCapture is now available for both Windows and Mac OS X. There is also a command line version of DuckCapture. Despite all the features, it has an impressive user interface. The program is especially recommended for those who prefer a simple but effective way to create and edit screenshots.

Price: free.

Jing

Jing is another solution for capturing screenshots and an alternative tool from TechSmith, one of whose products is mentioned earlier. Jing – это упрощённый инструмент для захвата скриншотов и скринкастов, поэтому ему не хватает тех профессиональных функций, которые вы найдёте в Snagit. Несмотря на это, вы можете использовать софт для различных целей, в том числе в работе, образовании и личных целях. Пользовательский интерфейс Jing настолько прост, что вы никогда не растеряетесь. и при этом у вас не будет проблем с редактированием или передачей захваченного контента. Как и в случае со Snagit, Jing доступен как для Windows, так и для Mac, и имеет сравнительно меньший набор конфигурации. Следует отметить, что Jing полностью бесплатен, но вы всё равно получаете поддержку от TechSmith. Если вы предпочитаете простой, но эффективный инструмент для захвата экрана, Jing заслуживает места в списке рекомендуемых приложений.

Цена: бесплатно.

Screenpresso

Screenpresso – лучший инструмент для захвата экрана. Screenpresso, используемый многими популярными компаниями, является отличным решением для захвата экрана для устройств Windows (совместим со всеми версиями, включая Windows 10, 8.1). Также он доступен в виде приложения для iPhone и iPad. Screenpresso включает в себя различные режимы захвата, поддержку горячих клавиш, возможность захвата контента в окнах прокрутки и т. д. Он также поддерживает запись видеороликов с экрана в формате HD, что означает, что вы можете использовать его для разных целей. Как и другие инструменты, упомянутые здесь, Screenpresso поставляется со встроенным редактором изображений, в котором вы можете комментировать сделанные вами снимки экрана, а затем сохранять снимок экрана в наиболее удобном для вас формате.

Следует отметить, что Screenpresso имеет некоторые визуально превосходные функции, которые также являются продуктивными – например, поддержка рабочего пространства. Существуют расширенные функции, такие как захват Android, портативный режим, многоязычная поддержка и встроенный обмен данными различными способами.

Цена: бесплатно. также доступны премиум-версии.

FastStone

Последнее, но не менее важное, это инструмент для Windows под названием FastStone, который на самом деле очень похож на ShareX. Это надёжный инструмент, который даже позволяет снимать видео. Он поставляется с 30-дневной пробной версией. Существует также портативная версия FastStone, которую вы можете носить с собой на USB-накопителе. Типы снимков экрана, которые предлагает это приложение: активное окно, область от руки, полноэкранный режим и окно прокрутки.

Specifications:

  • Вы можете поделиться своей работой с нужными вам социальными сетями, а также скопировать результаты непосредственно в Интернет.
  • Работает с электронной почтой, Word, Excel, буфером обмена и другими приложениями.
  • Он также поддерживает несколько форматов файлов, таких как PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP и т. д.
  • Он также предлагает стандартные параметры, такие как обрезка, изменение размера, поворот и цветовые настройки.
  • Вы также можете применить к изображениям эскиз, масло, размытие и эффект черно-белого фильтра.
  • Мгновенно активируйте захват экрана с помощью глобальных горячих клавиш.

Эти функции делают его уникальным инструментом для Windows.

Теперь, когда вы знаете, как создавать фрагменты с помощью Windows Snipping Tool, ничто не мешает вам делать великолепные снимки экрана с фотографиями, работой или даже с рабочего стола. Если вы уже работали с Ножницами, поделитесь с нашими читателями в комментариях под этой статьёй.