Choosing a Windows screen capture tool
Short answer: Match the tool to the job: Snipping Tool for quick snips, ShareX for free scrolling capture and automation, Snagit for documentation, OBS Studio for recording, and Monosnap when captures must stay in your own storage.
Last verified: 2026-08-01
Decision guide
| Your job | Recommended tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Support agent | Greenshot or Lightshot | Fast annotate and paste |
| Technical writer | Snagit or Screenpresso | Numbered steps, templates, PDF |
| Developer | ShareX | Hotkey workflows, OCR, uploads |
| QA on web apps | Awesome Screenshot or GoFullPage | Full-page evidence in Chrome |
| Regulated environment | Monosnap or Greenshot | Own storage or local-only files |
Compare these Windows products
| Product | Win 10 | Win 11 | Free plan | Free trial | Screenshot | Full page | Annotation | Recording | Pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snipping Tool | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yes | free |
| ShareX | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | free |
| Snagit | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | paid |
| PicPick | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unverified | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | freemium |
| Screenpresso | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unverified | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | freemium |
| FastStone Capture | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | paid |
| Ashampoo Snap | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | paid |
| Bandicam | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | — | Yes | freemium |
Snipping Tool
Microsoft
Microsoft's built-in Windows screenshot tool for rectangular, window, free-form and full-screen snips, opened with Windows + Shift + S.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Annotation
ShareX
ShareX Team
Free, open-source Windows screenshot and screen capture software with scrolling capture, OCR, screen recording and scriptable after-capture workflows.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Snagit
TechSmith
Commercial Windows screenshot and screen capture software with scrolling capture, a polished annotation editor, templates, OCR and screen recording.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
PicPick
NGWIN
Windows screenshot software combining region, window and scrolling capture with an image editor, colour picker, ruler, protractor and whiteboard.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Screenpresso
Learnpulse
Windows screen capture software with scrolling capture, a workspace for organising captures, annotation and export of screenshot documents to PDF or Word.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Scrolling capture
- Annotation
FastStone Capture
FastStone
A small paid Windows capture utility with scrolling window capture, a floating toolbar, editor, screen recorder and direct export to PDF.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Ashampoo Snap
Ashampoo
Paid Windows screen capture software with scrolling capture, OCR, video recording, watermarking and a modern annotation editor.
- Screenshot
- Region capture
- Window capture
- Full screen capture
- Scrolling capture
Bandicam
Bandicam Company
Windows screen recording software with game, screen and device modes, plus still image capture and scheduled recording.
- Screenshot
- Full screen capture
- Region capture
- Screen recording
- Delayed capture