Recover unsaved snipping tool video​

The Snipping Tool is a popular utility available on Windows operating systems that allows users to capture screenshots and record short videos of their screen activities. However, there are instances where users might accidentally close the Snipping Tool window without saving the video they were working on, or the system might crash or encounter an error during the recording process. Losing an unsaved Snipping Tool video can be frustrating, especially if it contains important content such as a tutorial, a demonstration, or a personal memory. In this article, we will explore various methods and techniques that can be used to recover unsaved Snipping Tool videos.

How the Snipping Tool Works

Before delving into the recovery methods, it’s important to understand how the Snipping Tool functions when recording videos. When you start recording a video using the Snipping Tool, the application captures the screen activity within the selected area and stores the data temporarily in the system’s memory. The video is not saved to a file on the hard drive until you explicitly click the “Save” button and choose a location to save the file.

The temporary storage of the video data in memory means that if the Snipping Tool application crashes, the system freezes, or you accidentally close the window without saving, the video data that was in memory is lost. However, there are still some possibilities for recovery depending on the state of the system and the actions that have been taken since the video was lost.

Checking the Temporary Files Folder

One of the first places to look for an unsaved Snipping Tool video is in the temporary files folder on your computer. Windows stores various temporary files, including those related to applications, in a dedicated folder. The location of the temporary files folder can vary depending on your Windows version, but it is typically located in the following paths:

Windows 10 and Windows 11: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp

Windows 7 and Windows 8: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp

To check if your unsaved Snipping Tool video is in the temporary files folder:

Open File Explorer (you can press the Windows key + E to open it quickly).

Navigate to the appropriate temporary files folder based on your Windows version.

Look for files with extensions such as .avi (which is a common video format used by the Snipping Tool) or other video-related extensions. You can sort the files by date modified to find the most recent files that might correspond to the time when you were recording the video.

If you find a file that you suspect might be the unsaved video, you can try renaming it to a proper video file name (e.g., MyVideo.avi) and then attempt to play it using a media player such as Windows Media Player or VLC Media Player.

Keep in mind that the temporary files folder can contain a large number of files, and the video file might be named randomly or have a temporary name. Also, Windows periodically cleans up the temporary files folder, so if you wait too long before checking, the file might have already been deleted.

Using System Restore Points

If you have enabled System Restore on your computer, you might be able to use a restore point to revert your system to a state before the unsaved Snipping Tool video was lost. System Restore creates snapshots of your system’s configuration and files at regular intervals or when you manually create a restore point.

Here’s how you can use System Restore to potentially recover the unsaved video:

Open the Control Panel. You can do this by typing “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar and clicking on the appropriate result.

In the Control Panel, search for “Recovery” and click on it.

In the Recovery window, click on “Open System Restore”.

The System Restore wizard will open. Click “Next” to see a list of available restore points.

Select a restore point that was created before you lost the unsaved video. You can usually choose a restore point based on the date and time it was created.

Click “Next” and then “Finish” to start the system restore process. Your computer will restart, and the system will be restored to the selected restore point.

After the system restore is complete, check if the Snipping Tool video is still available in the application or in any temporary storage locations.

It’s important to note that using System Restore will revert your system’s settings and some files to the state at the time of the restore point. This means that any changes you made to your system after the restore point was created will be lost. So, it’s a good idea to back up any important data before using System Restore.

Utilizing Data Recovery Software

If the above methods do not work, you can try using data recovery software to recover the unsaved Snipping Tool video. There are many data recovery tools available in the market, both free and paid, that can scan your hard drive for deleted or lost files and attempt to recover them.

Some popular data recovery software includes:

Panda Assistant is a powerful and user-friendly data recovery tool designed to help users restore lost, deleted, or unsaved video files with ease. Whether your videos were accidentally deleted, lost during a power outage, or became inaccessible due to system crashes or formatting, Panda Assistant offers a streamlined process to recover them quickly and safely.

The software supports a wide range of video file formats including MP4. AVI, MOV, WMV, and more. With its advanced scan technology, Panda Assistant can locate videos from internal drives, external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, and even corrupted or formatted partitions.

Using Panda Assistant is simple: just launch the program, choose the location where the video was lost, and start scanning. The tool will display all recoverable video files in a previewable list, allowing users to select and restore the exact files they need. Its Deep Scan mode goes even further, digging into hidden sectors of your drive to recover long-lost or fragmented video files.

To use data recovery software to recover the unsaved Snipping Tool video:

Download and install the data recovery software of your choice on your computer. Make sure not to install it on the same drive where the video was originally located, as this could overwrite the lost data.

Launch the data recovery software and select the drive or partition where the unsaved video was likely stored (usually the system drive, such as C:).

Choose the type of scan you want to perform. A deep scan will take longer but is more likely to find the lost video.

Wait for the scan to complete. The software will display a list of recoverable files.

Look for video files in the list and check if the unsaved Snipping Tool video is among them. You can usually preview the files to confirm if they are the ones you are looking for.

Select the video file(s) you want to recover and choose a location to save the recovered files. Again, make sure not to save them on the original drive.

Keep in mind that the success of data recovery depends on various factors, such as the amount of time that has passed since the video was lost, the number of new files that have been written to the drive, and the condition of the hard drive. In some cases, it might not be possible to recover the video completely or at all.

Preventing Future Loss of Unsaved Snipping Tool Videos

To avoid losing unsaved Snipping Tool videos in the future, here are some tips you can follow:

Save frequently: Make it a habit to save your Snipping Tool videos regularly while you are recording them. You can click the “Save” button in the Snipping Tool application at regular intervals to ensure that your work is not lost in case of an unexpected event.

Enable auto-save: Some applications, including some versions of the Snipping Tool, offer an auto-save feature. Check if the Snipping Tool on your computer has this option and enable it if available. Auto-save will save your video at regular intervals, reducing the risk of losing your work.

Use cloud storage: Consider saving your Snipping Tool videos to a cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. This way, even if your computer crashes or the video is lost locally, you can still access the saved copy from the cloud.

Back up your data regularly: Set up a regular backup schedule for your important files, including Snipping Tool videos. You can use an external hard drive, a network-attached storage (NAS) device, or a cloud backup service to back up your data. This will ensure that you have a copy of your videos in case of any data loss event.