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Record Your Screen With the Built-In Snipping Tool

Windows 11 can record a screen region to video without OBS, a watermark or an install. Two settings decide whether the result has sound.

by@guidox updated:10/31/26 time:10 min level:Beginner tested on:Windows 11 24H2 works on:Windows 11 tools:Snipping Tool
TL;DR

Open the **Snipping Tool**, switch to **Record**, select a region and start. Enable the **microphone** before recording and remember that system audio is captured only with the current build's toggle.

Before you start

Requirements

  • Windows 11
  • A microphone for narration
  • Five minutes
Step by step

Instructions

01

Start the recorder, not the snipper

The same app takes still images and video; the mode switch sits at the top of the window. Starting a snip and looking for a record button wastes the first attempt.

Win + Shift + S
02

Pick the region before the countdown ends

The tool records the rectangle you draw, not a window or a monitor. A region that clips a dialog is the most common complaint about the output.

tipRecord a region slightly larger than the window. Resizing the window mid-recording changes nothing about the captured area.
03

Enable the microphone explicitly

Audio capture is off until you turn it on in the recording bar. The microphone selector appears next to the toggle, and a muted input records silence without an error.

⚠ warningCheck the microphone level in Settings first. A recording with a silent track cannot be repaired afterwards.
04

Decide about system audio

Current builds can capture the sound the machine plays as well as the microphone. If the toggle is missing, the build predates it and a third-party recorder is the honest answer.

05

Stop and trim before saving

The recording opens in the built-in editor, where the ends can be trimmed and the file saved. Save before closing the window; the tool keeps the clip only for the session.

06

Know the limits of the built-in recorder

There is no frame rate control, no scene switching and no hardware encoder choice. For a tutorial clip that is fine; for gameplay it is not the right tool.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

The recording has no sound

The microphone toggle was off, or the wrong input device was selected. Check both before recording again.

The video is choppy

The recorder competes with the load. Close background apps or record a smaller region.

The file will not play elsewhere

It is an MP4 with a standard codec; a very old player may refuse it. Convert or play it in the Photos app.

The hotkey does nothing

Another tool owns Win+Shift+S. Rebind the shortcut in Settings or in the other app.

FAQ

Frequently asked

How long can a recording be?

There is no fixed limit, but a long recording of a large region grows quickly. Watch the free space.

Can I record a game?

It works in borderless windowed mode. Exclusive fullscreen needs the Game Bar instead.

How to undo this

Nothing is installed and no setting is permanent. Delete the saved clips and close the app; the recorder uses no background service.

Changelog · 1 entry
  1. 2026-10-31
    First version
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