Windows 11 Print Screen Not Working [Proven Solution 2024]

Written By Farhan Max

You are doing important work on your PC and need to take screenshots to share with your family, friends, or colleagues.

But when you click on the Print Screen key to take screenshots, the key is not responding. You have tried many times to take screenshots by pressing the Print screen key but alas! Every time you get the same result.

Are you worried and frustrated about your situation and can’t find a way out?

Don’t worry. If you are looking for an ultimate solution to your print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 computer, you are in the right place then.

I have been in a similar situation as you, and I have been able to get out of this issue with proper tests and research. So, this post will show you some of the best practical and effective techniques to solve your print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 computer.

Keep reading and precisely follow the instructions to fix the print screen not working issue.windows-11-print-screen-not-working

Check out our latest post: Show Folder Size in Windows 11.

Why does Print Screen not Work on Windows 11?

Some potential reasons create the print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 computer. This section will discuss the possible cause of the print screen not working on your Windows 11 computer.

Here are the most common reasons to face the print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 PC:

Corrupted or Problematic Drivers

A corrupted or problematic device driver is the most common reason for the print screen not working on a Windows computer. If you do not keep your keyboard driver up to date, it may cause print screen not working issues in your Windows 11 computer device.

So, keep your device drivers always up to date to avoid print screen not working issues in your Windows 11 computer device.

You may also like to read: Can I Use Windows 11 Full Screen Start Menu?

Outdated Windows

Another reason for the print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 computer is outdated Windows OS. When your Windows OS is outdated, your system may conflict with the Snapping tool functionality that creates the print screen not working issue.

So, update your Windows regularly to avoid the print screen not working problem in your Windows 11 computer device.

Corrupted System Files

Corrupting system files is one of the most common reasons for the print screen not working on your Windows 11 computer device. When the system files become corrupted, your application may become conflicting.

To fix the print screen not working problem on your Windows 11 computer, you need to repair or reset your windows.

You’ve seen the possible potential reason for the print screen not working issue on your Windows 11 computer so far. I’ll show you several tested and proven solutions to solve the problem in the next part.

So, let’s dive into the main section to solve the print screen not working issue.

Follow our guide to Fix Windows 11 Green Screen of Death

How to Fix Print Screen not Working on Windows 11

Many Windows 11 users reported that, after upgrading Windows 10 to 11, the print screen is not working when they use it to take screenshots.

The situation is very annoying and frustrating because the print screen is a convenient key to quickly taking screenshots.

In the previous section, you’ve seen the possible potential reason for the print screen not working issues on your Windows 11 computer so far. This section will show you several tested and proven solutions to solve the problem.

So, let’s dive right in to know the solution for the print screen not working issue.

Here are the steps to fix the print screen not working issue on Windows 11:

1. Check your Date & Time Settings

If your date and time are not set correctly, it creates the print screen not working issue on your Windows 11 computer.

To solve the print screen not working issue, check your date and time to ensure it is correct. If not, then set the date and time.

Also, follow our guide to fix remote desktop not working on Windows 11.

Follow the steps below to check your date and time to solve the print screen not working issue:

  • Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings. Windows-system-settings
  • Click on the Start icon at the left side corner at the taskbar and select Settings app under the Pinned apps to open the System Settings. windows-11-settings
  • Select the Time & language tab on the left side settings menu panel.
  • Select the Date & time option at the top of the right side window to check your time. windows-11-time-language-date-time
  • Turn off the Set time automatically option if the option is switched on.
  • Click on the Change button next to the Set date and time manually. set-date-and-time-manually
  • Set the date to October 31 or before then click the Change button to save the changes. set-the-date
  • Change the date by the latest date and click the Change button to save the changes. latest-date
  • Check to see whether your problem is solved. I hope this solution is solved your problem effectively.

Quickly check out our latest fix for Bluetooth Toggle Missing On Windows 11.

2. Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

When you encounter any problem with your Windows 11 system, try to run your problem-related troubleshooter. The troubleshooting method can help you to detect and fix your problem automatically.

So, to solve the print screen not working problem, you can run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter on your Windows 11 system computer.

Follow the steps below to run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter:

  • Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings.
  • Click on the Start icon at the left side corner at the taskbar and select Settings app under the Pinned apps to open the System Settings. windows-11-settings
  • Select System tab on the left side settings menu panel.
  • Select Troubleshoot option on the right-side system window. Troubleshoot
  • Click on the Other troubleshooter’s Other-troubleshooter
  • Scroll down and find the Windows Store Apps troubleshoot option under the Other
  • Click on the Run button to run the Windows Store Apps windows-11-windows-store-apps
  • Wait a few seconds to detect and resolve the Microsoft Store problems. windows-11-windows-store-apps-detecting
  • After a few seconds, Windows Store Apps troubleshooting is completed.
  • Click on the View detailed information to view the detailed information on the problems. windows-11-windows-store-apps-view-detailed-info
  • Click on the Close button to close the troubleshooter window. windows-11-windows-store-apps-view-detailed-info-close
  • Try to retake screenshots using the Print Screen key to see whether the problem is solved.

Check out our expert-recommended guide on How To Enable Telnet On Windows 11

3. Restart the Snipping Tool app

Restarting the Snipping tool application can solve the problem effectively because restarting the application can help to fix any application-related issues. It works like a charm.

So, you can try restarting your snipping tool application via task manager to solve your print screen not working problem.

Follow these steps to restart your Snipping Tool app:

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
  • Find and select the Snipping Tool under the Processes 
  • Click on the End task button at the bottom right-side corner of the window. snipping-tool-end-task
  • Press Win+S on your keyboard to open the Windows Search panel.
  • Type snipping and hit the Enter key or click on the search result to re-open the Snipping Tool. type-snipping
  • Try to retake screenshots using the Print Screen key to see whether the problem is solved.

Here’s a complete guide on how to fix Windows 11 spotlight not working.

4. Update Keyboard Driver

If the Print Screen is not working on your Windows 11 computer, you should try to update your keyboard driver to fix the problem if the problem is based on your keyboard hardware.

Follow the steps below to update your keyboard driver to fix the problem on your Windows 11 computer:

  • Press Windows Key + X on your keyboard and select Device Manager from the list. Or, windows-11-device-manager
  • Type Device Manager on the Windows search bar and press Enter key to open the Device Manager. windows-11-device-manager
  • Select the Keyboards option and click on it to expand to see the drivers list. keyboards-device
  • Select your Keyboard drivers one by one to update the drivers. Keyboard-drivers
  • Hit the Enter key to open the driver Properties window.
  • Click on the Driver tab to open the driver details and options.
  • Click on the Update Driver Properties-window-driver
  • Click on the Search automatically for drivers option to update the driver automatically. driver-automatically
  • Wait some time to finish updating your keyboard driver. keyboard-driver
  • Check to see whether your problem is solved.

Also, check our latest post on how PC won’t go to sleep mode in Windows 11.

5. Repair & Reset the App

You can repair and reset the app to fix the Print Screen not working issue on your Windows 11 computer. Sometimes, resetting apps can solve technical errors or issues. So, you can try this method to solve your problem.

Follow the steps below to repairing and resetting the Snipping Tool apps:

  • Press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings Windows-system-settings
  • Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar, and then click on the Settings icon under the pinned apps to open Windows Settings.
  • Select the Apps tab option from the left side settings menu panel.
  • Click on the Apps & features option at the top of the right side screen. apps-features-option-at-the-to
  • Click on the search bar and type snipping to find the Snipping Tool find-the-snipping
  • Click on the three-dot menu next to the Snipping Tool app and select the Advanced options. Advanced-options
  • Scroll down and find the Reset find-the-reset
  • Click on the Repair button to try to repair first. The app’s data won’t be affected. Now, check to restart your app and try to log in to see whether your problem is solved. problem-is-solved
  • Click on the Reset button to reset the app if the app still isn’t working. Note: The app’s data will remove permanently. remove-permanently
  • Relaunch the application and retake screenshots using the Print Screen key to see whether the problem is solved.

You may also like to read: Switch Domain Controller On Windows.

6. Run the  System File Checker (SFC) Tool

Another option to fix the Print Screen not working issue on your Windows 11 system is to run the System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan and restore the corrupted system files.

Follow the steps below to run the SFC tool:

  • Press the Win + S key on your keyboard to open the Windows Search panel.
  • Type cmd and click on Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt with admin privileges. command-prompt-and-click-on-run-as-administrator
  • Type the sfc /scannow Hit the Enter button to run the SFC tool to scan and restore the corrupted system files.sfc-scannow
  • Wait until the process is complete. sfc-scannow-done
  • After the successful scan, check to see whether your issue is solved.

Also, check out our separate post on fix computer won’t boot to BIOS on Windows 11.

Final Thoughts

The Snipping Tool is a handy tool for taking screenshots quickly on Windows 11 PCs. But many Windows 11 users reported that the print screen key is not working when they use it to take screenshots.

The print screen is not working on Windows 11 because of potential technical causes. In this post, I describe the possible causes of the print screen problem not working.

Here, I demonstrate several tested and proven solutions to solve the print screen not working issues on your Windows 11 computer. You can successfully solve your system’s print screen not working problem by applying these effective methods.

I hope you found this post to be informative. If you found your solution, please let me know which method works for you.

You may also look at other posts if you’re interested in learning more about similar topics.

About The Author
Farhan Max is a tech geek with a particular interest in computer hardware. He's been fascinated by gaming since childhood and is now completing his undergraduate studies while researching and testing the latest tech innovations. Alongside his love for all things geeky, Farhan is also a skilled photographer.

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