10 Things you Didn't Know About Windows Vista:  Snipping Tool – It's Not Just for Tablet PCs

As I've had several Tablet PCs, the Snipping Tool is something that I've used for some time.  Because it's a tool familiar to me, I admit that I was caught a bit by surprise when a desktop user said that he loves the Snipping Tool in Windows Vista and that he uses it all the time. 

This is just one example of the functionality of Tablet PCs that can be used on computers that don't support ink or touch. It's a quick and easy way to capture a screen shot that can then be pasted into another document or email.  Much more versatile than the old Alt-Print Screen option, it might be something that you may have overlooked.

If you're using Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Windows Vista Ultimate, you can use Snipping Tool with either a mouse or tablet pen to capture a screen shot, or snip, of any object on your computer.  There are several capture options:

  • Free-form Snip:  draw an irregular line, such as a circle or a triangle, around an object.
  • Rectangular Snip:  draw a precise line by dragging the cursor around an object to form a rectangle.
  • Window Snip:  select a window, such as a browser window or dialog box, that you want to capture.
  • Full-screen Snip:  capture the entire screen when you select this type of snip.

After you capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the mark-up window, where you can highlight, annotate, save or share the snip.

To find Windows Vista Snipping Tool, just type "Snipping Tool" in the Search box on the Start menu.  You can also find it by using the Start Menu / All Programs / Accessories / Snipping Tool.  And if you find yourself using it often, you might create a shortcut on your Quick Launch bar to give you instant access to the Snipping Tool.

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions for more information on the Snipping Tool.

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