How to capture steps in Windows
Windows includes several built-in tools for recording what you do on screen. Each one produces a different output, and each has real limits. This guide covers what your options are and when a dedicated step recorder makes sense.
Ideal for: IT teams, trainers, developers, and anyone documenting a software workflow.
Your options for capturing steps in Windows
All four methods below capture what is happening on your screen. The differences are in what they produce and what you can do with the output.
Snipping Tool
Win + Shift + S
Takes a screenshot of any region you select. Includes a basic markup editor to add arrows and text immediately after capture. Copies the image to your clipboard or saves it as a PNG.
One screenshot at a time. Every step is a separate manual capture. Not useful for documenting a multi-step sequence.
Windows Steps Recorder
Win + R → psr
Records every click automatically as you work. Saves a compressed archive of all the screenshots and step descriptions. The closest built-in option to a proper step recorder.
Output is a .zip file containing an .mhtml document. No way to share a link. Hard to open in modern browsers. No annotation or redaction tools.
Xbox Game Bar
Win + G
Records your full screen as a video. Part of the Windows gaming overlay. Works in desktop apps as well as games.
Video only: no step navigation, no numbered sequence, large file size. Designed for gaming clips, not step-by-step documentation.
UIHike
Free download
Records every click automatically, with a screenshot, the URL, and the element you clicked per step. Produces a shareable web link and exports to PDF, Word, Markdown, or PowerPoint.
Shareable link, annotations, redaction, and multiple export formats.
What the built-in tools all share
Each built-in method captures something. None of them produce something you can send a link to, annotate after the fact, or organize alongside related recordings.
No shareable link
Every built-in tool produces a file: a PNG, an .mhtml archive, or an .mp4. To share it, you email the file. There is no URL to send that opens in a browser, and no way for someone to comment on or follow along.
No way to annotate after the fact
Snipping Tool lets you draw on a screenshot immediately, but that edit is baked in. None of the built-in tools let you add arrows or call-out boxes to a recorded sequence after it has been saved, and none let you blur sensitive data like passwords or internal URLs.
No organization across recordings
Every recording is a separate file on your desktop. There is no way to keep related captures together, search across them, or build up a library of documented processes. Each file stands alone.
UIHike keeps the automatic recording step of PSR and adds sharing, annotation, and export on top. The recording workflow is the same: start, work through the process, stop. The output is completely different.
What UIHike captures per step
A plain screenshot tells you what the screen looked like. UIHike also records where you were and exactly what you did.
Screenshot
A PNG of the full page at the moment of capture. The original is always preserved: annotations and crops are non-destructive layers.
URL
The active URL at the time of capture. Steps taken across multiple tabs or applications are all recorded in order.
Element clicked
The tag, visible text, and CSS selector of the element you clicked. If you changed a form field, the input value is also saved (passwords masked).
Timestamp
UTC timestamp for every step. Useful for audits or when documenting time-sensitive processes.
Editable title and description
Add a heading and a free-text description to each step. Explain why the step matters, not just what to click.
What you end up with
A complete numbered walkthrough in a browser. Every step has its screenshot, title, description, and any annotations you added. You share a link: the recipient opens it in any browser, no account needed.
- Numbered step navigation in the sidebar
- Annotated screenshots with arrows and highlight boxes
- Shareable URL: go.uihike.com/published/...
- Viewers follow along step by step in their own browser
- No account required to view
- Comments enabled on published walkthroughs
One recording, every format
After recording, export to whatever format the recipient needs. You record once and the same walkthrough goes anywhere.
- Share link: opens in any browser, no account needed
- PDF: numbered steps with screenshots, ready to print or attach to a ticket
- Word (.docx): open and edit in Word or Google Docs
- Markdown: paste into Confluence, Notion, GitHub, or any wiki
- PowerPoint (.pptx): one slide per step, ready to present
- HTML: a self-contained file that works fully offline
How to capture steps in Windows with UIHike
The recording flow is nearly identical to Windows Steps Recorder. The difference is everything that comes after.
Download UIHike
UIHike is a free Windows app for Windows 10 and 11. The download takes under a minute.
Open a new project and press Start Recording
Click New Project in the sidebar, then Start Recording. UIHike opens a built-in browser window and begins watching for interactions.
Work through the process as you normally would
Every click, navigation, and input is captured automatically. You do not need to press any hotkey between steps. UIHike records the URL, the element you clicked, and a screenshot for every action.
Press Stop Recording
UIHike stops capturing and organizes everything into a numbered walkthrough. Each step has its screenshot, URL, and a title you can edit.
Review and annotate
Edit step titles and descriptions. Add arrow annotations to point at specific elements. Draw highlight boxes, blur sensitive data, or remove any steps that are not relevant.
Share a link or export
Publish to get a link at go.uihike.com/published/... that anyone can open in any browser. Or export to PDF, Word, Markdown, PowerPoint, or self-contained HTML.
Windows 10 and 11. Free to download and use.
Try it on your next workflow
Record the same way you would with PSR. When you are done, share a link instead of attaching a .zip file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the built-in Windows tool for capturing steps?
Windows has three built-in tools: Snipping Tool (Win + Shift + S) for single screenshots, Steps Recorder (Win + R → psr) for automatic multi-step capture saved as an .mhtml archive, and Xbox Game Bar (Win + G) for full-screen video recording. For most documentation and sharing use cases, Steps Recorder is the most relevant but its .mhtml output has significant limitations.
Can Snipping Tool capture multiple steps in sequence?
No. Snipping Tool captures one screenshot at a time. You press the hotkey, select a region, and the screenshot is saved or copied. It does not capture a sequence of actions automatically. For multi-step sequences, use Windows Steps Recorder (psr) or a dedicated step recorder like UIHike.
How do I automatically screenshot each step in Windows?
Two tools capture steps automatically: Windows Steps Recorder (PSR) and UIHike. PSR is built into Windows: press Win+R, type psr, and press Start Record. It saves a screenshot at every click. UIHike works the same way but also captures the URL, the element you clicked, and produces a shareable web link instead of an .mhtml archive file.
Is there a free tool to capture steps in Windows and share them as a link?
Yes: UIHike is a free Windows app that records steps automatically and publishes the result as a web link at go.uihike.com/published/... Anyone can open that link in any browser without an account. The built-in Windows tools (PSR, Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar) do not produce a shareable link. They produce files you email.
How do I capture steps in a desktop app, not just a browser?
UIHike can capture steps in any window open on Windows: browser tabs, Outlook, Excel, desktop applications, or any other software. The recording is not limited to web pages. Windows Steps Recorder also captures desktop apps, but the output is still an .mhtml file with the same sharing limitations.
What is the difference between Windows Steps Recorder and UIHike?
Both record steps automatically with a screenshot per click. The difference is in the output: Windows Steps Recorder saves a .zip file containing an .mhtml document, which is difficult to open in modern browsers and cannot be shared as a link. UIHike produces a shareable web link, lets you annotate screenshots with arrows and highlight boxes, redact sensitive data, and export to PDF, Word, Markdown, or PowerPoint.
Related guides
Capture steps. Share a link. Skip the .zip file.
UIHike records the same steps as Windows Steps Recorder. The output is a shareable web page anyone can open, with annotations, redaction, and exports to any format.
Windows 10 and 11. Free to download and use.