Did You Know? The Windows Snipping Tool Can Record Your Screen Too!

Using the snipping tool to record your screen

The Windows Snipping Tool is great for quick screenshots, but what you may not know is that it can also record your screen. Recording your screen is good for creating quick tutorials, walkthroughs or even reporting an issue you are having.

The Snipping Tool's built-in screen recording feature is really easy to use. You can record any part of your screen, with the option to include your voice and computer audio. It does not limit how long you can record.

How to Use Snipping Tool for Screen Recording

1. Open the Snipping Tool from the Start menu

2. Click the Record (camera) button on the toolbar

3. Select New

4. Choose the area of the screen you want to record

5. Click Start to begin recording

6. When you finished, hit the red stop button

7. Your video will be saved automatically in the default recording folder

Make it accessible

The Snipping Tool doesn't include built-in captioning so you'll need to add captions afterward. I recommend using Kaltura Mediaspace to quickly add captions to your screen recording and you can even share it directly from Kaltura! 

Here are some other ways you can create screen recordings with accessibility in mind:

Provide a transcript

Provide a plain-text version of your spoken content. Paste the transcript in an email, document or under the video if you're sharing it online. Make sure the transcript includes descriptions of important visual elements (e.g. "Click the red stop button in the top-left corner"). 

Describe visual actions in your voiceover

While you are recording, narrate what you are doing, especially for on-screen interactions:

    Instead of: "Click here..."

    Try: "Click the Start button in the Snipping Tool window to begin recording."

This helps users who are blind or have low vision and rely on audio cues.

Avoid fast movement or flashing content

Keep cursor movements slow and intentional. Avoid any visuals that blink or flash, which can be harmful to viewers with photosensitive conditions.

What is your favorite screen recording tool? Share in the comments!

Article by Karen Matthes, Extension Learning Technologies, klm@umn.edu