How to Fix Snipping Tool Screen Recording Failed or Not Available on Windows
Snipping Tool video recording not starting? Screen recording option missing from Snipping Tool? Recording fails or produces corrupted file? Snipping Tool recording grayed out? Fix Snipping Tool screen recording issues.
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Main Troubleshooting Guide
How to Fix Microsoft Store Not Working →Complete symptoms, causes, and step-by-step solutions
Symptoms
You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:
- •Snipping Tool video/record icon missing or grayed out
- •Recording starts but immediately stops with error
- •Recorded video file is 0 bytes or corrupted
- •Snipping Tool crashes when starting screen recording
- •"Recording failed" error message without details
- •Audio not captured in screen recordings
Common Causes
- ⚠Snipping Tool version too old (needs Windows 11 22H2+)
- ⚠Snipping Tool app needs update from Microsoft Store
- ⚠GPU drivers don't support the encoding Snipping Tool uses
- ⚠Insufficient disk space for recording temp files
- ⚠Screen recording feature not yet available in your Windows build
- ⚠Snipping Tool app data corrupted
Solutions
Solution 1: Update Snipping Tool for Recording Support
- 1Screen recording requires:
- 2Windows 11 version 22H2 or later
- 3Snipping Tool version 11.2211.35.0 or later
- 4Check your Snipping Tool version:
- 5Open Snipping Tool → three-dot menu → Settings → About
- 6Update from Microsoft Store:
- 7Microsoft Store → Library → Get updates
- 8Or search "Snipping Tool" in Store and update
- 9If recording icon still missing after update:
- 10Check Windows version: Settings → System → About
- 11Must be Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621) or later
- 12Windows 10 does NOT have Snipping Tool recording
Solution 2: Fix Recording Failures
- 1If recording starts but fails:
- 2Update GPU drivers (same as Game Bar recording):
- 3NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel — install latest drivers
- 4Ensure enough free disk space:
- 5Recordings go to Videos\Screen Recordings by default
- 6Need several GB free for longer recordings
- 7Reset Snipping Tool app:
- 8Settings → Apps → Snipping Tool → Advanced options
- 9Click "Repair" first — preserves settings
- 10If Repair doesn't work: click "Reset" — clears app data
- 11After reset: restart Snipping Tool and try recording again
Solution 3: Fix Audio and Quality Issues
- 1To include audio in recordings:
- 2Start a recording → click the microphone icon in toolbar
- 3Toggle system audio ON (speaker icon) if available
- 4Microphone audio can also be toggled independently
- 5If audio is missing or distorted:
- 6Check default audio device: Settings → System → Sound
- 7Ensure your microphone has permission:
- 8Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → allow Snipping Tool
- 9For better recording quality and more control:
- 10Consider OBS Studio (free, more features)
- 11ShareX (free, open source)
- 12These offer resolution control, bitrate settings, and more audio options
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