Windows 11’s Snipping Tool now creates DIY animated GIFs

Microsoft is adding a long overdue function to Windows 11’s popular Snipping Tool (accessible via Win + Shift + R): The screen capture tool can now create animated GIFs directly.

The new feature is available immediately, Microsoft says. However, it is only available to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary channels who are testing new Windows 11 versions in advance.

No additional tool required for animated GIFs

Until now, the Snipping Tool could only save screenshots in JPG, PNG and static GIF formats. Video recordings can only be recorded in MP4 video format. However, anyone who wanted to create short, easily shareable GIF animations of screen recordings – for tutorials, bug reports or explanations, for example – previously had to use third-party tools such as ShareX or ScreenToGif.

With the update to the new Snipping Tool, those diversions is no longer necessary. The new “Create GIF” option allows users to start a recording directly after selecting the screen section and then save it as a GIF animation or share it directly in an email, in a chat or on a website — no extra video player or conversion software required.

Microsoft

You can choose to export in “low” or “high quality”. The maximum length of such animated GIFs is 30 seconds. If the length is exceeded, the user can only export the screen recording as an MP4 video.

Particularly practical: the feature also works in multi-monitor setups and can be conveniently controlled using a compact overlay.

The GIF export function is currently only available in the Insider versions of Windows 11 from 11.2405.24.0. Microsoft has not yet announced when it will be released for all users. However, it can be assumed that the feature will be available to the general public in the course of the summer with a regular Windows update – possibly as part of the next “Moment” release or as an update for Windows 11 version 24H2.