How to Redact Sensitive Info in Windows 11 Screenshots

This guide explains how to hide private details in your screenshots using the built-in Snipping Tool on Windows 11.

The Snipping Tool is a tool included with Windows that lets you take pictures of your screen. You can capture the whole screen, a single window, or just a specific part.

Microsoft added a new feature called Text Actions. This lets you detect and extract Text from captured screenshots and hide private information like emails or phone numbers before you send the image to someone else.

Why do this? Sharing screenshots often risks exposing private data. Redacting this info ensures your personal or business details stay safe.

What happens when done? Your screenshot will have black bars over the sensitive text, making it impossible for others to read the hidden parts.

How to hide sensitive info

First, open the Snipping Tool app from your Start menu. Take a screenshot of the item you need to capture.

Once you have the image, click the Text Actions button in the toolbar. This will highlight all the text found in your screenshot.

To hide phone numbers or email addresses quickly, click the Quick redact button in the toolbar. You can then choose to hide all email addresses or phone numbers automatically.

To hide specific words manually, highlight the text with your mouse. Right-click the highlighted area and select Redact text. You can also use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + R.

If you make a mistake, click the Undo button or press CTRL + Z on your keyboard.

When you are finished, save your image or share it as needed.

Summary

• Open the Snipping Tool and capture your screen.
• Click Text Actions to detect text.
• Use Quick redact to hide emails and phone numbers automatically.
• Highlight specific text and right-click to choose Redact text.
• Your private data is now hidden and safe to share.

Reference: Microsoft blogs