Based on the short video, it looks like the Snipping Tool will come with some more robust editing options than the Windows 10 version. Microsoft’s video calls it a “classic tool” with a “new experience.” The smooth drawing of an outline to select a portion of the screen and quickly annotating the image seems to reflect that statement.
— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) August 4, 2021
It’s difficult to say whether the feature will be good enough to replace some of the best third-party screenshot tools, but once we get our hands on it, we’ll be able to make a solid judgment. Just based on the video, though, it looks like it has all of the critical functionality for taking screenshots and marking them up.
It looks like Microsoft might merge the Snipping Tool with Snip & Sketch based on the functionality shown off in the video, but the company hasn’t confirmed that. Currently, the beta version of Windows 11 has both tools—and the old Snipping Tool shows a message saying it will be removed soon—but one could be phased out in a future update.
Either way, it looks like Microsoft hasn’t forgotten about the importance of capturing the screen in Windows 11, and Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay seems quite excited about what the latest version of Windows will offer based on his tweet.