How to Copy and Redact Text from Screenshots Using Text Actions in Windows 11 Snipping Tool

Encountering text trapped inside static images, scanned PDF documents, video presentations, or error dialogue boxes that refuse to let you highlight and copy words is a universal computer annoyance. In the past, extracting text from an image required uploading files to third-party OCR websites, firing up bloated desktop software, or manually retyping long alphanumeric error strings character by character.

In Windows 11, Microsoft updated the native Snipping Tool with an advanced optical character recognition (OCR) feature called Text Actions. With a single click, Snipping Tool recognizes all written text within any screenshot, lets you copy individual lines or entire blocks to your clipboard, and even offers an automated “Quick Redact” tool to black out sensitive phone numbers and email addresses before sharing. This guide explains how to use Text Actions.

Key Capabilities of Snipping Tool Text Actions

The integrated optical character recognition engine operates directly on your local CPU/NPU without cloud latency:

• Instant Optical Character Recognition: Automatically detects printed characters across virtually any font, size, or background contrast.
• Copy All Text: One-click button copies every detected sentence into plain text ready for pasting into Word, Notepad, or email.
• Automated Quick Redact: Intelligently identifies phone number formats and email addresses, placing privacy redaction bars over them instantly.
• Manual Custom Redaction: Allows you to highlight any custom phrase (such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal names) and redact it permanently.

Capturing a Screenshot with Snipping Tool

To begin extracting text, capture the target area using the global Windows shortcut:

1. Navigate to the webpage, PDF, or application containing the text you wish to copy.
2. Press Windows + Shift + S on your keyboard.
3. The screen will dim, and a selection toolbar will appear at the top.
4. Click and drag a rectangle over the target text and release your mouse.
5. Click the Snipping Tool notification banner that appears in the lower-right corner of your desktop to open the full editor.

Extracting and Copying Selectable Text

Once the screenshot is displayed within the Snipping Tool window:

1. Look at the top toolbar and click the Text Actions button (represented by a document icon with scanning lines, situated beside the shapes and crop icons).
2. Snipping Tool will analyze the picture for approximately one second; all recognized text will illuminate with blue selection handles.
3. To copy everything: Click the Copy all text button on the top toolbar (or press Ctrl + A then Ctrl + C).
4. To copy a specific sentence or code snippet: Click and drag your cursor over the exact words, right-click, and choose Copy text.
5. Open your destination document (Notepad, Word, browser, etc.) and press Ctrl + V to paste the extracted text.

Redacting Sensitive Data Before Sharing

If you need to share a screenshot containing sensitive customer details, invoices, or personal contact info:

1. In Snipping Tool, click the Text Actions button to highlight the text.
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to Quick Redact on the toolbar.
3. Select which data types to automatically hide: Email addresses, Phone numbers, or both.
4. Click Quick Redact. Windows will instantly obscure those fields with clean black redaction bars that permanently overwrite the underlying pixels.
5. To redact custom text: Highlight any word, right-click it, and select Redact text.
6. Save or copy the sanitized screenshot safely without fear of leaking private records.