Microsoft is finally bringing a built-in screen recorder to Windows. The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 will soon be updated with screen recording, meaning Windows users won’t have to rely on the Xbox Game Bar or third-party tools to just record their screens.
Windows 11 testers are getting access to the updated Snipping Tool today, and the new capture option lets you record a full screen or even a portion that gets cropped. The update comes more than four years after Microsoft first introduced a new screenshot experience for Windows.
“We know Snipping Tool is a favorite among the Insider community, so we’re very excited to introduce a built-in screen recorder with this update!” explains Dave Grochocki, lead product manager for Windows inbox apps. “Snipping Tool has always made it quick and easy to capture and share content from your PC, and with the built-in screen capture, we’re extending those capabilities to even more types of content.”
The region selection feature makes it useful for those who just want to capture an app rather than their entire screen. The Xbox Game Bar is good at recording individual apps, but there’s a lot less control over exactly what you’re recording there.
Microsoft has only just started testing this with Windows 11 testers in the Dev Channel, so it will probably be several weeks or months before this Snipping Tool is released to everyone using Windows 11. Still, it’s great news that Windows will finally have a built-in screen recorder.