Snipping Tool not working in Windows 11? Restart the PC first, then check Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard → Use the Print screen key to open screen capture, make sure Snipping Tool notifications and Do not disturb aren’t hiding your snips, and close other screenshot apps. If it still fails, Repair or Reset Snipping Tool in Settings → Apps → Installed apps, or reinstall it from the Microsoft Store. Meanwhile, Win + PrtScn saves a full-screen shot to Pictures → Screenshots.
Snipping Tool problems in Windows 11 come in a few flavours, and each has a different cause. Work out which one you have before you start changing things: it saves time and stops you resetting an app that was fine all along.
Snipping Tool not working in Windows 11? Find out what’s failing
- Nothing happens when you press Win + Shift + S: usually a stuck process, a disabled Windows key or a keyboard problem.
- The screen dims, you snip, then nothing: the snip probably worked. It’s on your clipboard and in your Screenshots folder, but the notification is hidden.
- Print Screen does nothing, or opens a different app: a keyboard setting, or another app has taken the key.
- Snipping Tool won’t open at all, or crashes: the app install is damaged or out of date.
Quick test: press Win + PrtScn. The screen should flash briefly and a file should appear in Pictures → Screenshots. If that works, Windows can capture your screen and the problem is with Snipping Tool or a setting, not your PC.
1. Restart, or end the stuck process
A frozen Snipping Tool or Explorer process is the most common reason the shortcut stops responding. Use Start → Power → Restart rather than Shut down, because fast startup can bring the same stuck state back after a shutdown.
If you don’t want to restart, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find Snipping Tool in the list, select it and click End task. Then try Win + Shift + S again.
2. Check the keyboard itself
- Windows key lock: many gaming keyboards and some laptops have a key or software switch that disables the Windows key, which kills every Win shortcut. Check that Win + E opens File Explorer.
- Fn key: on many laptops, Print Screen shares a key with something else and needs Fn held down, or Fn lock toggled.
- Wireless keyboards: try a different keyboard, or the laptop’s built-in one, to rule out the keyboard.
3. Check the Print Screen setting
Windows 11 can send the PrtScn key straight to Snipping Tool. If the setting is off, Print Screen just copies the whole screen to the clipboard silently, which looks like nothing happened.
- Open Settings (Win + I) → Accessibility → Keyboard.
- Turn on Use the Print screen key to open screen capture.
- If Windows asks you to restart, do so, then press PrtScn.
4. Make sure notifications aren’t hiding your snips
After you take a snip with Win + Shift + S, Windows copies it to the clipboard and shows a small notification you can click to open, edit or share it. Microsoft says snips are also saved automatically to your Screenshots folder unless you’ve changed that in Snipping Tool’s settings.
- Open Settings → System → Notifications.
- Make sure Notifications is on and Do not disturb is off.
- Scroll to the list of apps and turn on Snipping Tool.
- Take a snip and press Ctrl + V in Paint or a chat window. If the image pastes, the capture works and only the notification was missing.
Turn on clipboard history (Win + V) to see your last few snips even if you missed the notification.
5. Close apps that grab the Print Screen key
Only one app can own a shortcut at a time. Cloud storage apps, game overlays and third-party screenshot tools such as Snagit, ShareX, Greenshot and Lightshot can all take over PrtScn. If Print Screen opens another app, or does nothing since you installed something new, that’s your cause.
- OneDrive: click the OneDrive cloud icon → Settings → Sync and backup and look for an option to save screenshots to OneDrive. Turn it off if you’d rather Snipping Tool handle Print Screen.
- Other screenshot tools: quit them from the system tray, or change their hotkey in their settings.
- Game overlays: Xbox Game Bar uses Win + Alt + PrtScn, and graphics-card overlays can have their own capture keys.
6. Update Snipping Tool from the Microsoft Store
Snipping Tool is updated through the Microsoft Store, separately from Windows Update, so a bug fix may be waiting there. Open Microsoft Store → Library (or Downloads on some versions) → Get updates, and install anything listed for Snipping Tool.
7. Repair or reset Snipping Tool
If Snipping Tool is still not working in Windows 11, the app’s files or settings may be damaged. Windows has a built-in repair for Store apps.
- Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Find Snipping Tool, click the three dots (More) → Advanced options.
- Click Repair first. It tries to fix the app without touching its settings. Test again.
- If it still fails, click Reset. This clears the app’s settings and data, as if you’d just installed it.
8. Uninstall and reinstall Snipping Tool
Go to Installed apps, click the three dots next to Snipping Tool and choose Uninstall. Restart the PC, then open the Microsoft Store, search for Snipping Tool (published by Microsoft Corporation) and install it. Screenshots you’ve already saved in your Pictures folder aren’t affected.
9. Repair Windows system files
If several built-in apps misbehave, not just Snipping Tool, Windows itself may have damaged files. Right-click Start → Terminal (Admin), then run these one at a time and wait for each to finish:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthsfc /scannow
Restart when both are done. Also install any pending updates in Settings → Windows Update. Problems that appear right after you upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 are often fixed by the first round of updates.
10. Using a work or school PC?
Organisations can switch off Snipping Tool, screenshots or the Microsoft Store through policy. If the app is missing or opens and closes straight away on a managed PC, and nothing above helps, ask your IT team before trying workarounds.
Quick reference: symptom and fix
| Symptom | Most likely fix |
|---|---|
| Win + Shift + S does nothing | End the Snipping Tool task or restart; check for a Windows key lock |
| Screen dims but you see no snip | Paste it, check Pictures → Screenshots, turn notifications on |
| Print Screen does nothing | Turn on the Print screen key setting; check the Fn key |
| Print Screen opens another app | Change or turn off that app’s hotkey (OneDrive, Snagit, ShareX…) |
| Snipping Tool won’t open or crashes | Store update, then Repair, Reset, reinstall |
| Several Windows apps are broken | DISM and sfc, then Windows Update |
If it still doesn’t work
You can still take screenshots while you keep troubleshooting. Win + PrtScn saves the whole screen to Pictures → Screenshots. Alt + PrtScn copies just the active window to the clipboard. For screen recordings, Snipping Tool uses Win + Shift + R once it’s working again.
For more Windows fixes and setup guides, see our Windows hub and the Windows 11 settings worth changing after you upgrade.
FAQ
Why is my Snipping Tool not working?
Usually a stuck process, the Print screen key setting, hidden notifications, another app holding the shortcut, or a damaged app install. Restart first, then work through the fixes above in order.
Why does Win + Shift + S not save my screenshot?
It does copy the snip to the clipboard, and by default Snipping Tool also saves it to Pictures → Screenshots. If you can’t find it, check that auto-save is on in Snipping Tool’s settings and that notifications aren’t turned off.
Where do Windows 11 screenshots go?
Win + PrtScn and Snipping Tool’s auto-save both use Pictures → Screenshots by default. Alt + PrtScn and Print Screen with the Snipping Tool setting off copy to the clipboard only.
Will resetting Snipping Tool delete my screenshots?
No. Reset clears the app’s own settings and data, not image files you’ve already saved in your Pictures folder.
How do I reinstall Snipping Tool in Windows 11?
Uninstall it from Settings → Apps → Installed apps, restart, then install Snipping Tool by Microsoft Corporation from the Microsoft Store.
