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How to add arrows and text to a screenshot on Windows: what Snipping Tool can and can't do

You want to point at a button or label a step. Here is what the built-in Snipping Tool offers according to Microsoft, where it stops, and what to do then.

Hullspark ・ Updated 2026-10-22

Short answer

Arrows: yes. Snipping Tool on Windows 11 has rectangles, ovals, lines and arrows under Shapes＊2. Text: Microsoft's support article lists no text tool inside Snipping Tool; it points you to Edit with Paint for adding text＊1. For an arrow and a short label, the built-in apps are enough.

Steps with built-in tools

  1. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S and drag over the part of the screen you want＊1.
  2. The snip opens in the Snipping Tool window. It is also saved automatically to your Screenshots folder (you can change this in Settings)＊1.
  3. Select Shapes, pick the arrow and drag it where you want it. Before you click away, you can resize, move or recolor it＊2.
  4. Drawing with Pen? Hold still for a moment before you let go and the stroke turns into a clean line, arrow, rectangle or oval (draw & hold)＊3. Use Highlighter to mark text＊1.
  5. To add text, choose Edit, then Edit with Paint, and type it in Paint＊1.
  6. Use Eraser, Undo or Redo to fix mistakes＊1.

Shapes arrived in an app update＊2, and draw & hold in a later one＊3. If you can't find them, update Snipping Tool.

Where it falls short

Arrows, text and step numbers in one place

If you add arrows, text and step numbers to screenshots often, the trip to Paint adds up. I make a free Windows app for that, Markshot. Press Ctrl+Shift+4 (the default; you can change it), drag over the screen, and the capture opens in an editor with arrows (8 styles), text, auto-counting step numbers, boxes, ovals, lines, a pen, a highlighter and blur. Save as PNG or copy to the clipboard; edits can be undone and redone. It can also capture a long page by scrolling.

What it does not do: text recognition (OCR), cloud upload or share links, and video recording are not included. It needs Windows 10 version 2004 or later. If Snipping Tool is enough for you, you do not need it.

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FAQ

Does Snipping Tool have an arrow tool?

Yes, under Shapes. Microsoft's Windows Insider Blog (February 2024) says Snipping Tool 11.2401.32.0 added rectangles, ovals, lines and arrows. If you don't see them, check that Snipping Tool is up to date.

Can Snipping Tool's Text actions add text to a screenshot?

No. Text actions runs text recognition (OCR) so you can copy text out of a snip. It is not an annotation tool.

How do I type text on a screenshot without installing anything?

Microsoft's support article says to choose Edit, then Edit with Paint, where you can add text, change colors and resize. I did not walk through Paint's tools for this page.

Do I need a third-party app?

Not if Shapes arrows and a bit of text in Paint are enough. A separate tool helps when you want typed text, step numbers and blur in one editor without switching apps.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-22. The tools named come from Microsoft's support article (Windows 11 section) and the Windows Insider Blog, not from my own check on every Windows version. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. This page and the app are not affiliated with, made by or endorsed by Microsoft.

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