Latest news with #SnippingTool
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Snipping Tool Is Getting a Big GIF Upgrade
GIFs remain one of the most popular image formats on the internet, despite their age. They're even natively integrated into most messaging apps. Now, Microsoft is testing the ability to create and export them using Windows's native screenshot and screen recording tool. In the current version of Snipping Tool, the only GIFs you can export are static, just like a JPG, PNG, or BMP file. However, a new version of the Snipping Tool currently in the Canary and Dev channels lets you save your screen recordings as an animated GIF instead of an MP4 file. Most common video formats (especially MP4s) are typically smaller for any given video length, but GIFs have a few advantages. They don't require anything special to work—even a device from 2000 could run one natively—and they loop automatically, which is often a plus if you're using a GIF reaction to express something over text. Actually using the new GIF export function is refreshingly straightforward. On PCs running the correct experimental versions of Windows, all you need to do is press Windows+Shift+R to launch the screen recorder, capture what you'd like, and then click the 'GIF' button in the top right corner. You're provided a few export options: the ability to name the file and a vague 'quality' setting, which only includes high or low. That is about as straightforward as it gets, and it certainly beats capturing a recording, then importing that recording into a third-party program to trim up and export as a GIF. The length of a GIF is limited to 30 seconds—any longer than that and Snipping Tool will prompt you to export it in a video file format instead, like MP4. Though the feature is in its infancy, it would be nice to see an 'Advanced' option that provides a little more granular control over the GIF, like the ability to set the quality a bit more specifically, or an option to set the framerate. It could be a while. The current GIF export feature is being tested in the Canary and Developer Channels. Generally speaking, features tested in those channels take longer to make it to the live version of Windows than features you see in the Beta channel. It is also much more common for features tested in those channels to never make it to Windows, though given how practical a native ability to handle GIFs would be, it seems likely that this one will survive. In the interim, there are a number of screen recording apps that support creating and exporting GIFs. If you like free and open source software (FOSS), ShareX is a pretty good option. It has a huge range of features above and beyond what Windows 11's Snipping Tool currently offers. ScreenPresso is another popular application that supports exporting GIFs, though it isn't FOSS and has a paid version.
Phone Arena
27-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Your Windows 11 laptop might soon get a surprising creative tool — and it just leaked
Image Credit - Chanhee Lee on Unsplash Windows 11's useful Snipping Tool is reportedly going to get an exciting new feature to make your life easier. Basic apps are not to be underestimated, especially when those are getting frankly useful and powerful new features. Windows 11's Snipping Tool is one such basic app, but it's about to get super powerful (and fun!) with this new feature that's currently being tested. Reportedly, Snipping Tool will be getting the ability to record GIFs. Right now, this feature has not been officially announced by Microsoft, but it's been spotted in the wild by X users @phantomofearth. First look at a new Snipping Tool feature coming soon to Windows 11: the ability to quickly create GIFs from screen recordings! You'll get options to export/copy the GIF, with a choice between low and high quality. This menu can also be accessed with a keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+G. — phantomofearth (@phantomofearth) May 22, 2025 Basically, the feature may allow you to record a GIF and then copy and export the file both in low quality or high quality. The CTRL+G shortcut may help you jump into GIF creation and editing. This shortcut is not to be confused with Windows+G, which opens the Game Bar. According to the leak, you may be able to make GIFs from your screen recordings. Windows 11's Snipping Tool can already record videos, but it captures those as MP4 video files. On the other hand, GIFs are lightweight files that can be embedded easily or quickly shared in apps and websites. These files don't take a bunch of space (unlike a traditional MP4 video) and are ideal for quick expressiveness. Microsoft has given quite a lot of love to its Snipping Tool recently. Recently, a huge announcement by the tech giant with a lot of new generative-AI-powered features that will bring some great things to Snipping Tool. Like, for example, the powers to scan your screen with AI for a tightly cropped capture and the ability to use a text extractor and also a color picker straight from the Snipping Tool. There are also a bunch of other features in testing, including support for emojis, Draw & Hold which would allow you to convert strokes into shapes, and also the ability to detect QR codes.
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Microsoft brings AI features to classic Windows apps: Check what's new
Microsoft is bringing artificial intelligence to three of its classic Windows apps, Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad, as part of the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview. These new features, rolling out to users in the Canary and Dev Channels, aim to modernise everyday tools with generative AI and smart enhancements, although many will be restricted to Copilot+ PCs. The Paint app is now equipped with AI-generated stickers and intelligent image editing tools. A new Sticker Generator allows users to create custom stickers by simply typing in a text prompt. For example, users can enter 'cat wearing sunglasses,' and the AI will generate a visual sticker accordingly. Stickers can be added to the canvas, copied to other apps, or saved for later use. Mobile finder: iQOO Neo 10 launched in India Another addition is the Object Select tool, which uses AI to isolate and edit specific elements in an image, streamlining the editing process. Alongside these tools, Microsoft is also rolling out a new Welcome Experience that highlights the updated capabilities of Paint to help users get started. These Paint features are available exclusively on Copilot+ PCs and require a Microsoft account to use the sticker generator. The Snipping Tool is also receiving AI-powered functionality. The Perfect Screenshot tool automatically refines the selection area, aiming to eliminate the need for cropping after taking a screenshot. This could be particularly useful for frequent screen capture tasks. A new Colour Picker tool has also been added. It lets users extract colour values, HEX, RGB, or HSL, from any part of the screen. This feature is geared towards designers and developers who require accurate colour matching in their workflow. As with the Paint updates, these features are currently limited to Copilot+ PCs. Notepad, the lightweight text editor, now includes a Write feature powered by generative AI. Users can right-click or use the shortcut Ctrl + Q to generate text from a prompt, offering assistance with drafting notes or expanding ideas. The generated content can be refined or discarded. To access the Write feature, users need a Microsoft account and an active Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot Pro, as it draws on AI credits from the subscription. These updates reflect Microsoft's broader push to integrate generative AI tools into its everyday software ecosystem.
Engadget
24-05-2025
- Engadget
Microsoft Notepad's latest AI trick churns out custom text for you
Writer's block is no match for Microsoft's latest AI infusion for its Notepad app. The long-neglected Notepad now has the ability to write custom content based on any prompt you feed it, so long as you have Microsoft 365 or a Copilot Pro subscription. Microsoft's updated Notepad even lets you fine-tune the generated text with follow-up prompts. This update comes several months after Microsoft added the Rewrite tool to Notepad that lets you lean on generative AI to refine an existing chunk of text. Instead of rewriting, you can now right-click where you want brand-new text and hit Write from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + Q shortcut. From its humble start as a simple text editor with no spellcheck until recently, Notepad is finally getting the modern AI makeover it deserves. Notepad isn't the only app getting some love from Microsoft. The updated Paint app can tap into generative AI to make custom stickers based on user prompts. On top of that, there's an Object select feature that can isolate specific parts of an image so you can just edit that portion. These two features are only available on Copilot+ PCs, like the recently announced HP laptops. Lastly, Microsoft upgraded the Snipping Tool with the Perfect screenshot feature that automatically edits your screen captures. With the Copilot AI, the tool will automatically resize the screenshot so you don't have to spend time getting the right crop. The Perfect screenshot feature requires a Copilot+ PC, but Snipping Tool's new Color picker tool, which can provide you with the HEX, RGB or HSL values of a color you see on screen, doesn't. As usual, these AI features will roll out to Windows Insiders users first.
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Indian Express
Microsoft brings more AI features to Notepad, Paint and Snipping Tool: Here's what's new
With Windows 10 nearing the end of its life, Microsoft has been aggressively pushing users to upgrade their PCs to Windows 11. Unsurprisingly, in the last few years, the company has kept several of its new AI features exclusive to the latest version of Windows. Now, as part of the latest Windows Insider build, Microsoft is adding even more AI-powered powered to some of the most-used first-party Windows apps, namely, Notepad, Paint and Snipping Tool. Starting with Paint, Microsoft states that the new update brings a new AI-powered sticker generator to quickly create custom stickers by typing in a prompt. This functionality can be accessed by clicking on the Sticker generator button in the Copilot menu. To make a custom sticker, simply describe the sticker (like a cat wearing a hat), hit the Generate button, and you are good to go. You can either use the generated sticker in other apps or save it for later use. For those wondering, you can see a;l your recently generated stickers from the Sticker option in the Paint toolbar. The new Sticker generator requires users to sign in using their Microsoft account and is currently limited to Copilot+ PCs. The Paint app is also getting a new 'smart selection tool' that leverages the power of generative AI to isolate and edit elements in an image. To find it, click on the 'Object select' tool in the toolbar and mark the element you want to select using the cursor. Last year, Microsoft updated Notepad, giving one of its oldest apps a much-needed AI treatment. Now, the tech giant is rolling out a new feature that lets you write new content using generative AI. Similar to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, users can now use the new Write option in Notepad to quickly generate content from a simple prompt. To get started, simply place the cursor where you want the new content to be, right-click choose the Write option. Alternatively, users can use the Ctrl + Q key combo to access the new feature. As you can see in the image, the generated text will appear in a small floating window, with options to replace the existing text or regenerate the response. If you want to use the new Write feature in Notepad, make sure you are signed in using a Microsoft account. It is currently limited to Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Enterprise and Copilot Pro subscribers. Snipping Tool, the built-in Windows app that lets you quickly grab a screenshot or record videos, is getting two new features – perfect screenshot and color picker. Available for Copilot+ PC users, Perfect screenshot lets you quickly capture the content on the screen without having to resize or crop it after it's captured. To use it, bring up the Snipping Tool using the Print Screen button on the keyboard and choose the 'Perfect screenshot' option from the toolbar when in rectangle mode. The AI-powered functionality will now automatically resize the content in your selection. You can also trigger it by pressing and holding the Ctrl button when selecting the screenshot region.
