How To Fix Print Screen Key Not Working: 9 Easy Fixes For Windows

After the recent windows update, many of us are facing problems with our print screen key not working. And it’s annoying when you can’t pin the error.

So, I set out to find what’s actually causing it. And after countless research, trying, and testing, here are all the solutions I found for my Print Screen Key Not Working.

1. Use On-Screen Keyboard

There might be some issue with the button on your keyboard itself. To check for it, try using another keyboard or using the on-screen keyboard. 

1. Go to the search bar on the taskbar.
2. Type On-screen keyboard.
3. When it opens, click on the Print Screen Button there.

If this works, you might need a replacement of the button or the Keyboard.

2. Use the Right Combination of Keys

If you have a third-party snipping tool installed, using the Print Screen key alone might suffice. However, in many cases, you will need other combinations as well. Try some of these:

1. Windows + Alt + Print Screen
2. Alt + Print Screen
3. Alt + Fn + Print Screen
4. Fn + Print Screen

3. Paste Into Another Application

In many cases, using the Print Screen button saves the copy into screenshots / another assigned folder in the C-drive. However, in some cases like you’re on an older version of Windows, the Print Screen only serves the purpose of copying the screen. If you’re not able to find your screenshots in the folder, try the following steps.

1. Use one of the combinations of keys from the list in the previous method.
2. Go to an Image application, like Paint.
3. Use Ctrl + V 
4. Now, you can crop the image as you need it or save it just like that.

If the above steps did not help with your print screen key not working, the issue is probably on your device or system itself. There are several ways to solve them, so let’s go through them one by one.

4. Close Background Applications

Several applications could be interfering with the Print Screen function. You can close them to see if the issue is fixed.

1. Press CTRL + SHIFT + Esc to open the task manager.
2. Look for these files in the processes tab.
   One drive
   Snipping tool
   Dropbox
   Since they are arranged in alphabetical order, you can find them easily as well.
3. Click on them and press delete.

4. Check to see if the Print Screen key is working again.

5. Fix OneDrive Settings (Optional)

If you have OneDrive installed on your PC, pressing Print Screen should automatically save the copy. However, sometimes, a OneDrive bug or glitch can prevent this from happening. Fortunately, the fix is straightforward.

1. Right-click on the One-drive icon from your taskbar and click settings.
2. Go to the settings tab. If it’s not selected, click on the box next to “Automatically save screenshots I capture to OneDrive.” 
3. If it’s selected, click on it to uncheck it and then select it again.
4. Refresh your system and see if the Print Screen key is working again. 

6. Enable Print Screen

The Print Screen function might be disabled from your system. There are two ways in which you can fix this.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

1. If you have the F[lock] or Fmode keys on your Keyboard, click on them.
2. Check if the Print Screen key is working.

Using Ease of Access

1. Go to the search bar and type “Ease of Access” and press Enter.
2. From the left panel, click on Keyboard.
3. Scroll down to the section named Print Screen. Turn on the toggle button to enable “Use Print Screen to enable Snipping tool.”
4. Restart your device and check if the shortcut key is working.

7. Update your Driver

Some bugs on your keyboard driver can cause some buttons on your Keyboard to malfunction. However, you can quickly revert that by doing a quick Driver update.

1. From the search bar, go to Device Manager.
2. From the list, click on Keyboard.
3. Next, right-click on the Standard PS/2 Keyboard, and select update driver.
4. Select “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
5. If there are any drivers to be updated, they will appear on your screen. Select them to continue the updates.
6. Once your device is restarted, check to see if the Print Screen key is working.

8. Install the latest Windows updates

If you have not installed the latest update from Windows, there might be some issues with the Print Screen option. 

1. Go to Windows settings from the search box. You can also use Windows + I to launch it. Go to Update and Security.
2. Under the Windows Update, click on Check for Updates.
3. If there are any updates, download and install them.
4. Once the PC restarts, check if the button is working.

9. Use Third-Party Apps

If all the above options did not help you fix the Print Screen key not working problem, you might have to resort to a third-party app. From the Snipping tool to Lightshot, many applications help you take screenshots and edit them, so you can pick what’s the best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I know my Print Screen is disabled?

After you click on the Print Screen button alone ( or in another combination mentioned above), go to C-Drive> pictures > screenshots. If you do not see the recent snap, go to Paint and click on Paste. Lastly, go to One Drive if you have it installed, and check the screenshots folder. If all of these methods do not work, your Print Screen is disabled.

2. How do I take a Screenshot without the Print Screen button?

If you’re on the Windows 10, press the Windows + Shift + S to open the snipping app, and just drag the cursor to take a screenshot. Otherwise, you can use other third-party apps that allow you to change the keys for snapping (called Hotkeys) to anything you like.

Final Words

We hope this article helped you resolve your issue so that you can start snapping away! If it did, which one worked for you? Don’t forget to share this with your friends because Print Screen not working is a problem more common than you think!

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