Need to show a colleague where a setting lives or demonstrate a short software bug? Windows Snipping Tool can capture a video clip of a selected rectangular area, so you may not need to install a separate screen recorder for a quick walkthrough.
Record only the part of the screen you need
Open Snipping Tool from Start and choose its video-recording option. Select New, drag around the area to capture and start recording. When finished, stop the recording, review the clip and save it. Microsoft’s help page lists video snips alongside freeform, rectangular, window and full-screen captures.
Keep the selection tight: a smaller region is easier to follow and less likely to expose unrelated tabs or notifications. If you are demonstrating a menu, move the cursor deliberately and pause long enough for viewers to read the labels.
Protect what appears in the recording
Close private chats, hide one-time codes and turn off notification previews before recording. A screen clip may reveal account names, files or internal dashboards even when the tutorial is about something else. Review the exported file before sharing it, and check that the selected app permits recording of its content.
Recording features and menus can vary by Windows version. If you do not see the video option, update Snipping Tool through the supported update channel or use your organization-approved recorder. On Copilot+ PCs, Snipping Tool also has additional screenshot features, but those are separate from ordinary video snipping.
Best use: record a short, focused walkthrough, trim unnecessary seconds, then watch the file once as a viewer before posting or sending it.
Official guide
Microsoft: Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots
Official guide
Microsoft: Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots
Featured image: Kristoferb at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Image source and license.
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