The Windows Shift + S keyboard shortcut is an incredibly useful tool for quickly capturing screenshots on your computer. However, many users have reported issues with this shortcut suddenly not working after a Windows update or for no apparent reason.
If you are facing this frustrating problem of the Shift + S screenshot shortcut not working properly, don’t worry – there are several things you can try to get it functioning again. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the top solutions to fix the Windows Shift + S screenshot shortcut.
Table of Contents
Enable Notifications for Snip & Sketch
The first thing to check is whether notifications for the Snip & Sketch app are enabled. Snip & Sketch is the default Windows screenshot tool, and is what handles the Shift + S shortcut. Follow these steps:
- Open Settings and go to System > Notifications & actions
- Scroll down and check if Snip & Sketch is listed in the apps. If not, toggle the switch for it on.
- Restart your PC and try the Shift + S shortcut again.
Turn On Clipboard History
Another potential culprit could be that clipboard history is not enabled on your system. The Shift+S screenshots are saved temporarily to the clipboard before they can be pasted.
To enable clipboard history:
- Go to Settings > System > Clipboard
- Turn on the Clipboard history toggle switch
- Restart computer and check if Shift + S works now
Reset Snip & Sketch
If the above steps don’t work, you can try resetting the Snip & Sketch app entirely:
- Open Settings and go to Apps > Apps & features
- Locate Snip & Sketch in the app list and click on it
- Click Advanced options and then the Reset button
- Restart PC and test the shortcut again
Resetting will restore Snip & Sketch to default settings and hopefully resolve any underlying issues.
Update Keyboard Drivers
An outdated or corrupt keyboard driver could also potentially cause the Shift + S shortcut to stop working. Here’s how to update drivers:
- Type “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar
- Expand the Keyboards category
- Right-click on your keyboard device and select Update driver
- Restart computer and check if fix worked
Use Keyboard Shortcut Troubleshooter
You can also run the Keyboard Shortcut troubleshooter, an automated Windows diagnostic tool:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot
- Run the Keyboard Shortcuts troubleshooter tool
- Follow on-screen prompt and apply fixes
- Test Shift + S afterwards
Disable Background Apps
Other programs running in the background can sometimes interfere with the Shift + S shortcut. Try closing down any unnecessary apps and then checking if the print screenshot function starts working properly again.
Use Alternative Screen Capture Tools
If none of the above solutions are able to get the shortcut functioning again, you can resort to using a third party screen capturing tool instead such as Snagit or Greenshot. These will allow you to take screenshots using other hotkeys or methods.
Some of these tips may be able to successfully troubleshoot and fix the frustrating issue of Windows Shift + S screenshot shortcut not working on your computer. Let us know in the comments if any of these solutions worked for you!
Conclusion
The Windows Shift + S keyboard shortcut is no doubt very convenient for quickly capturing screenshots. However, many users face the annoying problem of this shortcut suddenly stopping to work properly after a Windows update or for unknown reasons.
Luckily, as outlined in this comprehensive guide, there are several troubleshooting steps you can follow to try and fix the non-working Shift + S screenshot shortcut:
- Make sure Snip & Sketch notifications are enabled
- Turn on Clipboard history
- Reset the Snip & Sketch app
- Update outdated keyboard drivers
- Run the Keyboard Shortcut troubleshooter
- Close background apps causing potential conflict
- Use an alternate third party screen capturing tool
Following one or more of these solutions should hopefully resolve the issue for you. Do leave a comment if you found this guide helpful or if you have any other tips to share!
