How to Use Print Screen Key for Snipping Tool in Windows 11

Option 1Using Windows Settings (The Easy Way)

Turning on the Print Screen key to open Screen Capture in Windows 11 is a recommended approach. This method is visually intuitive, integrated directly into Windows 11, and does not require advanced technical knowledge to set up.

Step 1Open Settings

Open Windows Settings ⚙️ by pressing two keys simultaneously: the Win (identified by the Windows logo) and the I key.

Step 2Go to Keyboard Settings

With Settings open, navigate to the menu on the left side. Click on Bluetooth 🔷 & devices. On the right side of the window, additional options will appear. Scroll down until you find Keyboard and click on it.

Step 3Find the Print Screen Setting

Windows 11 Keyboard settings contain the control to change your Print Screen Snip Sketch behavior. Look for the setting labeled Use the Print Screen key to open screen snipping.

Step 4Turn it On or Off

Print Screen Snip Sketch activation is controlled by a toggle switch in your keyboard settings. Move the switch next to Use the Print Screen key to open screen capture to the On position to make the key launch the Snipping Tool, or switch it to Off to restore the default behavior.

• To Turn ON Print Screen for Snipping Tool: Make sure the switch next to "Use the Print Screen key to open screen capture" is set to On. When it's on, pressing your Print Screen key will open the Snipping Tool, letting you choose an area to capture.
• To Turn OFF Print Screen for Snipping Tool: Move the switch to the Off position. If you turn this off, pressing your Print Screen key will go back to its old behavior. It will take a picture of your whole screen and copy it to your clipboard. You would then need to paste it into another program, like Paint or Word, to save it.

Step 5Close Settings

Windows 11 applies your Print Screen Snip Sketch changes automatically once you toggle the option, allowing you to close the Settings window immediately. Test your key by pressing it to confirm the Snipping Tool opens, and restart your computer if the key does not respond right away.

If pressing Print Screen doesn't immediately yield the expected result, try closing all open applications and testing it again. A full system restart is rarely necessary but can serve as a reliable final step if the setting appears resistant to change.

Option 2Using the Registry Editor (For Advanced Users)

Registry Editor provides an alternative way to set up the shortcut if you prefer advanced system tweaks. Creating a backup of your registry before making changes prevents accidental system errors while modifying your keyboard shortcut keys.

Before you begin: It is highly advisable to create a backup of your Registry before making any modifications. This ensures that you can revert to the previous configuration if any issues arise.

Step 1Open the Registry Editor

Registry Editor opens in Windows 11 by pressing the Windows key and R on your keyboard to launch the Run dialog box. Type regedit into the box, press Enter, and click Yes on the User Account Control prompt to access the system database needed for your Print Screen Snip Sketch setup.

You may encounter a User Account Control prompt asking for permission to allow this app to make changes to your device. Click Yes to proceed.

Step 2Go to the Correct Registry Key

Registry keys for keyboard settings are located by pasting specific paths into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window. Type or paste HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard into the address bar and press Enter to jump directly to the correct folder for your Print Screen Snip Sketch configuration.

Watch the left sidebar as the folders update to confirm you landed on the Keyboard key.

Step 3Find or Create the Setting

PrintScreenKeyForSnippingEnabled is the specific DWORD value required to control your Print Screen Snip Sketch feature through the registry. Locate this value on the right side of the screen, or right-click an empty space, select New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value to create it if it is missing.

• If you find it: Double-click on it.
• If you don't find it: Right-click on an empty space in the right side. Move your mouse over New, then click on DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new entry will appear. Type PrintScreenKeyForSnippingEnabled as the name and press Enter. Then, double-click on this new entry.

Step 4Change the Value Data

Value data adjustments control whether your Print Screen Snip Sketch shortcut is turned on or off in the registry. Double-click your entry, set the Base to Hexadecimal, type 1 into the Value data box to turn the feature on, or type 0 to turn it off, and click OK.

• To Turn ON Print Screen for Snipping Tool: In the box that says "Value data", type the number 1. Make sure "Base" is set to "Hexadecimal". Click OK.
• To Turn OFF Print Screen for Snipping Tool: In the box that says "Value data", type the number 0. Make sure "Base" is set to "Hexadecimal". Click OK.

Explanation: Within the Registry, a value of 1 typically signifies "On" or "Enabled," while a value of 0 indicates "Off" or "Disabled." This particular setting determines whether the Print Screen key is associated with the screen snipping feature.

Step 5Close Registry Editor and Restart

You can now close the Registry Editor window. For this alteration to be fully implemented, a restart of your computer is usually required. Following the restart, test your Print Screen key to verify it is functioning as intended.

Summary

Print Screen Snip Sketch configurations can be managed using either the standard Windows Settings app or the advanced Registry Editor. Both methods allow you to map your keyboard shortcut so that pressing the Print Screen key opens the Snipping Tool instantly for capturing your screen.