How to Enable or Disable Snipping Tool in Windows
You can use the Snipping Tool to take a snapshot to copy words or images from all or part of your PC screen. Use Snipping Tool to make changes or notes, then save, and share.
Capture all or part of your PC screen, add notes, save the snip, or email it from the Snipping Tool window. You can capture any of the following types of snips:
- Free-form snip - Draw a free-form shape around an object.
- Rectangular snip - Drag 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 capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the Snipping Tool window where you make changes, save, and share.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Snipping Tool for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable the Snipping Tool.
Starting with Windows 10 build 17704, you’ll see a note consolidating and modernizing snipping experiences in the Snipping Tool. Currently, we are not planning to remove the Snipping Tool in the next update to Windows 10 and the consolidation work underway will be a feedback and data-driven decision. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to try out the Screen Sketch app and let us know how it’s working for you. Screen Sketch gives you all of the functionality of the Snipping Tool with additional improvements.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Snipping Tool using Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Snipping Tool using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Snipping Tool enabled and disabled
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Tablet PC\Accessories
3 In the right pane of Accessories in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Do not allow Snipping Tool to run policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD in the registry keys below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC
DisableSnippingTool DWORD
0 or delete = Enable
1 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Snipping_Tool.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Snipping_Tool.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Take Screenshot with Snipping Tool in Windows
- How to Add Snipping Tool to Context Menu in Windows
- How to Enable or Disable Prompt to Save Snips before Exiting Snipping Tool in Windows 10