SnipCanvasOpen-source screenshot capture for Windows
Press Print Screen, drag over what you want to show, and add an arrow, a box, or a note. Then copy it into a chat, an email, or a bug report. Every capture saves itself as a PNG.
Free and open source under the MIT license. Downloads & Windows compatibility details ↓
How it works
Four steps, from the key you press to the place you paste it. No account to create along the way.
Press Print Screen in any app and drag over the area you want. Or choose an area, a window, or your main screen in SnipCanvas.
Point with an arrow, frame it with a box, add a note, blur an area, or crop away the rest.
Click Copy and paste it anywhere, or Save a PNG to your screenshot folder.
Send it through Windows Share, WhatsApp Web, Telegram Web, or email. You pick the chat and press send.
New captures are copied to your clipboard by default. After you edit, click Copy again so your changes come with it.
Small tools, useful details
Five annotation tools on one toolbar, with every capture saved while you work.
A clearer screenshot
Point to the broken button in a bug report. Box the setting someone should change. Add a note to explain a design tweak, then crop away the rest or blur an area to soften details.
Blur softens details. It is not secure redaction.
One toolbar
Pick a color and a size, mark it up, and undo or redo any step.
Nothing to lose
Each capture saves to your screenshot folder the moment you take it. A small preview appears for three seconds: click it to edit, or keep working. Reopen anything later from Recent screenshots.
Room to revise
Drag a note closer to the detail, resize it, recolor it, reword it, or delete it, even after you crop. Undo and redo work for as long as the screenshot is open.
Closing the window keeps SnipCanvas in the system tray, so Print Screen still works. Want it ready when you sign in? Turn on Start with Windows in Settings. It’s off by default.
Make SnipCanvas yours
Pick your capture shortcut, your screenshot folder, and a System, Dark, or Light theme. Changes apply straight away and stay on your computer.
Print Screen is the default. To use another combination, click Change next to Capture shortcut and press your keys. It works in any app, even with SnipCanvas in the tray.
Leave Copy to clipboard on to paste each capture straight away. Turn it off if you’d rather keep your clipboard as it is.
System follows your Windows theme, or choose Dark or Light. Your screenshots’ colors never change.
SnipCanvas Settings
On your computer
SnipCanvas captures and edits on your computer. There’s no account and no SnipCanvas server, so nothing leaves your PC unless you share it.
Local files
Choose a screenshot folder in Settings. New installations start with:
Pictures\SnipCanvas
Deliberate sharing
Free and open source
SnipCanvas is open source under the MIT license, so you can use it, change it, and build on it. Read the code, report a bug, or send a change on GitHub.
SnipCanvasA native Windows screenshot app.
SnipCanvas is a free, open-source screenshot app for Windows. Capture an area, a window, or your main screen, then add arrows, boxes, text, blur, or a crop. Copy it, share it, or save it as a PNG.
Yes. SnipCanvas is free to download, use, and modify under the MIT license. The source code, contribution guide, and Windows downloads are available on GitHub.
SnipCanvas is built and tested on Windows 11 x64. Windows 10 version 2004 or later is targeted but has not been manually tested. The distributed builds need no separate .NET installation.
Yes. Capture, editing, copying, and saving work offline on your computer. No SnipCanvas account is needed. Web sharing options need an internet connection.
In the folder you choose in Settings. New installations use Pictures\SnipCanvas. Every capture is saved the moment you take it, and edits are saved before your next capture and when you quit. Uninstalling keeps your screenshots and preferences.
No. New captures go to your clipboard by default, but SnipCanvas does not automatically upload them, choose recipients, or send messages. Sharing is a separate step: choose a destination, review the screenshot, and send it yourself.
Open Settings, click Change next to Capture shortcut, and press your new combination. Use Print Screen restores the default. If Windows’ own snipping tool opens instead, turn off “Use the Print Screen key to open screen capture” in Windows’ keyboard accessibility settings, or close other screenshot apps. SnipCanvas must be running for the shortcut to work, including from the tray.
No. Closing the window keeps SnipCanvas in the system tray, so your shortcut keeps working. Choose “Quit SnipCanvas” from the tray menu to exit. Unsaved work is saved automatically when you quit.
Window capture takes the whole window, even when another window is covering part of it. Minimized windows can’t be captured, and protected video or Windows secure screens may appear black.
No. Blur softens details; it does not guarantee permanent removal of sensitive information. Do not rely on blur for secure redaction. Review your screenshot before sharing.
The current application and installer are unsigned: they do not have a digital signature. Windows may show an unknown-publisher or reputation warning. Review the source and the information Windows provides before deciding whether to install. You can also compare your download with the published SHA-256 checksums.
Use the GitHub issue tracker to report bugs or suggest improvements. Read the contribution guide before submitting a change.
Free for Windows
Download SnipCanvas, then press Print Screen. Capture, edit, and save on your computer, with no account or subscription.
Compatibility
Also by Sanjay Ahlawat
