Snipping Tool is moving and we'll tell you where it's heading

Many Windows 10 users have seen this alert on their PC screen:

Snipping Tool is moving. In a future update, Snipping Tool will be moving to a new home. Try improved features and snip as usual with Snip & Sketch.

As you can see, Microsoft is planning to replace the good old Snipping Tool with the Snip & Sketch app.

Many users don’t like the idea of Snipping Tool being phased out in favor of the new Snip and Sketch App.

While the big M says that using Snip & Sketch is much easier compared to its predecessor, most users are still reluctant to switch to the new app.

Snip & Sketch already took over many of the key features of Snipping Tool, but it’s not that popular among users.

Moreover, many users don’t agree with Microsoft’s strategy of leaving them no choice but to download certain apps from the Store. Yes, you need to download the new app if you want to take screenshots on your PC.

I’m really quite frustrated with Microsoft’s insistence on moving apps that were once included in the operating system into the Windows Store.

As an administrator in a High School environment, we have locked down the Windows Store in earlier releases of Windows 10. Now we have to look at how to manage it given that things like Snip and Sketch, and Photos can only be found in the Windows Store.

However, it seems that even after 2 major Windows 10 updates (v2004 and x20H2), the Snipping tool is still here, still displaying the same old error message:

Naturally, users have been asking on the official Microsoft forums about the question:

[…] The message can’t be hidden, which is not helpful, and also the message is confusing because there’s no explanation what it means. Does it mean you’re getting rid of the Snipping Tool? If so why? it’s such a simple and easy to use tool.

The answer froma Microsoft representative was quick to come, although it wasn’t very conclusive:

Even through Microsoft consider to remove snipping to away from Windows 10, but have not release exact data or system version when the tool will be removed.
We could go ahead to use it and ignore that sentence. But as it is based on hard coding, so it is not available to remove that sentence.

We could feedback to Microsoft through Windows build-in application Feedback Hub about this behavior to check if any management option will be released in feature.

What’s your take on this? Do you think it’s a good idea for Microsoft to offer Snipping Tool as a stand-alone app download after it has removed it from the OS?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.