How to Enable Print Screen for Snipping Tool in Windows 11
Using the Print Screen key to open Snipping Tool (a built-in screen capture app) lets you take screenshots in Windows 11 with a single key press instead of juggling the default Win+Shift+S shortcut. Turning on this hidden setting swaps the old behavior where pressing the PrtSc key just copies your whole display to the clipboard.
You need Windows 11 version 22H2 or later to use this feature. Setting up the shortcut takes less than thirty seconds through the main system options.
Enable the Print Screen key for Snipping Tool by going to Settings Accessibility Keyboard and turning on “Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping”. This allows a single press of the PrtSc key to launch the snipping overlay.
How to enable Print Screen for Snipping Tool
To enable print screen Windows 11 shortcuts for the built-in screen capture tool, open the Settings app, go to Accessibility, and turn on the keyboard setting that uses the PrtScn button to open screen snipping. This lets you quickly capture your screen without opening the app first.
- Open the Settings app by pressing Win+I.
- Click on Accessibility in the left sidebar.
windows 11 new settings button - Select the Keyboard tile.
windows 11 accessibility tile - Find the toggle labeled “Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping”.
windows 11 accessibility keyboard tile - Switch the toggle to On.
windows 11 keyboard use the print screen button to open screen snipping
Troubleshooting: Print Screen not working
When your print screen not working Windows 11 shortcut fails to open the Snipping Tool, you can fix the issue by updating your keyboard drivers through Device Manager or installing the latest app updates from the Microsoft Store to restore normal shortcut functionality.
- Keyboard Drivers: Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand Keyboards, right-click your keyboard, and select Update driver.
- Background Apps: Ensure the Snipping Tool is updated via the Microsoft Store.
- Admin Check: If the key is mapped to a third-party app, you may need Administrator privileges to disable the conflicting software in the Task Manager .
Reverting to legacy behavior
How to auto-save screenshots
To automate this, ensure OneDrive is enabled. OneDrive automatically syncs your Pictures\Screenshots folder to the cloud. You can check this in OneDrive Settings Backup Manage backup.
Summary
Making your Print Screen key launch the Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is a quick way to make taking screenshots easier.
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Richard
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Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
[…] To start recording your screen, open the Snipping Tool app. […]