Over the years, Windows' native Snipping Tool has gained many features. After adding a video recording function a few years ago, and then adding an OCR module borrowed from PowerToys recently, Microsoft is adding a new feature to its screenshot tool. You'll soon be able to use it to save screenshots as animated GIFs.
Export your screenshots as GIFs instead of videos
This new feature, the first hints of which began appearing over the past month, is now being tested in the latest Insider build of Windows 11 (Dev or Canary channel). To take advantage of this feature, you must use the latest version of the Screen Capture Tool, stamped 11.2505.21.0.
To record your screen as an animated GIF, however, Microsoft has not provided a dedicated button. In reality, you will first have to start recording your screen as a video. And it is only after displaying the preview of the video capture, when it is time to save it, that the GIF will be offered as a save format. You can then select the GIF quality to use, low or high, before finalizing the file saving.
Please note that this new format for saving video screenshots has some limitations. You will only be able to create GIFs from short videos, no longer than 30 seconds.
An option not yet available to all Insiders
As this new option is currently being tested, Microsoft is, as usual, rolling it out gradually to Insiders. However, it is possible to force its activation if it is not yet available in your country. And as is often the case, it was the leaker Phantomofearth who detailed the procedure on social networks.
To take advantage of it, you will need to use the free utility ViVeTool. You will then need to open the Command Prompt in administrator mode in the ViVeTool directory before entering the following command: vivetool /enable /id:47081492.
After a proper restart of your PC, the option to save video screenshots in GIF format should be available.
Source: Microsoft
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