The “Snip and Sketch” tool in Windows 10 saves screenshots in JPG format by default, while the “Snipping Tool” which it replaced defaulted to PNG. PNG is often considered a better choice for screenshots. Is there a way to set Snip and Sketch to remember my preferred file type, as it does for my preferred directory for saving snips?
3 Answers
Introduction
Windows 10 comes with a built-in screenshot tool called “Snip and Sketch” that allows users to capture and edit screenshots quickly and easily. While the tool is useful, it has a default file format of JPG, which is not always the best choice for screenshots. Many users prefer PNG because it offers better image quality and supports transparent backgrounds. In this blog post, we will explore whether it is possible to set Snip and Sketch to remember your preferred file type, just like it remembers your preferred directory for saving snips.
Understanding Snip and Sketch
Before we delve into the main topic of this blog post, let’s take a moment to understand what Snip and Sketch is and how it works. Snip and Sketch is a screenshot tool that allows users to capture screenshots of their entire screen, a specific window, or a region of their screen. Once a screenshot is captured, it can be edited using various tools, such as a pen, highlighter, or eraser. The edited screenshot can then be saved as an image file, shared with others, or printed.
Snip and Sketch is a replacement for the older Snipping Tool, which was also a screenshot tool included with Windows. While the Snipping Tool was a simple tool that allowed users to capture screenshots and save them as PNG files, Snip and Sketch offers more features and flexibility.
The Default File Format of Snip and Sketch
As mentioned earlier, the default file format of Snip and Sketch is JPG. This means that every screenshot captured using the tool is saved as a JPG file. While JPG is a popular image format that is widely supported, it is not always the best choice for screenshots. JPG images are compressed, which can result in a loss of image quality. Additionally, JPG does not support transparent backgrounds, which can be a problem if you need to overlay the screenshot on another image or document.
PNG, on the other hand, is a lossless image format that supports transparency. This means that PNG images offer better image quality and are more versatile than JPG images. However, Snip and Sketch does not allow users to set PNG as the default file format for screenshots.
Can You Set Snip and Sketch to Remember Your Preferred File Type?
Unfortunately, there is no built-in way to set Snip and Sketch to remember your preferred file type. The tool always saves screenshots as JPG files, and there is no option to change this default behavior. However, there are a few workarounds that you can use to save screenshots as PNG files or another preferred file type.
Workaround 1: Convert JPG to PNG After Saving
One way to save screenshots as PNG files is to convert them from JPG after saving them. To do this, you will need to use a third-party image editing tool, such as Paint or Photoshop. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Capture a screenshot using Snip and Sketch.
2. Save the screenshot as a JPG file.
3. Open the JPG file in your preferred image editing tool.
4. Select “Save As” from the file menu.
5. Choose PNG as the file type and save the file.
While this workaround is not ideal, it does allow you to save screenshots as PNG files without having to use another screenshot tool.
Workaround 2: Use a Third-Party Screenshot Tool
Another workaround is to use a third-party screenshot tool that allows you to capture screenshots in your preferred file type. There are many screenshot tools available for Windows, and many of them offer more features and flexibility than Snip and Sketch. Some popular screenshot tools include Greenshot, Lightshot, and ShareX.
To use a third-party screenshot tool, you will need to install it on your computer and set it up according to your preferences. Once set up, you can use the tool to capture screenshots in your preferred file type.
Conclusion
While Snip and Sketch is a useful tool for capturing and editing screenshots, it has a default file format of JPG, which is not always the best choice for screenshots. Unfortunately, there is no built-in way to set Snip and Sketch to remember your preferred file type. However, there are workarounds that you can use to save screenshots as PNG files or another preferred file type. By using these workarounds, you can make Snip and Sketch work better for your needs.
As of my knowledge cutoff, the Snip and Sketch tool in Windows 10 does not have an option to change the default file format for saved screenshots. By default, it saves screenshots in the JPG format. And there’s no official way to change the default file format to PNG or any other file format, if you want to save screenshot in different format you need to manually save it to other format after you take the screenshot.
In conclusion, the Snip and Sketch tool in Windows 10 is a useful tool for taking screenshots, but it does not currently have an option to change the default file format for saved screenshots. The tool saves screenshots in the JPG format by default. If you would like to save your screenshots in a different format, such as PNG, you will need to manually save the screenshot in that format after you have taken it.
It appears that the default file format for Snip & Sketch is still PNG, and that an issue may have occurred on your computer. To resolve this, you can try reinstalling the application using the PowerShell command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.ScreenSketch | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
However, if this does not resolve the issue and the tool continues to default to JPG, a more drastic solution may be necessary. Before proceeding, it’s recommended to create a System Restore point for safety.
You can remove Snip & Sketch from your Windows system by using the following command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.ScreenSketch | Remove-AppxPackage
This command uninstalls the application from the current user account only. If you want to remove it from all user accounts, you can use this command instead:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.ScreenSketch | Remove-AppxPackage
After removing the application, you should search your disk for any folders or files that contain the string “Microsoft.ScreenSketch” and delete them carefully. It’s important not to take ownership of any Windows folders.
To reinstall the application, open the Microsoft Store, search for Snip & Sketch, and install it again.