How To Fix Snipping Tool Not Working

If the error “The snipping tool is not working on your computer right now” has been showing up when trying to take screenshots, you are not alone. Microsoft’s digital certificate, which recently expired, is one of the main causes of this issue.

The article provides reasons for why this could be happening and a variety of tested fixes on this issue. 

Why is the snipping tool not working?

Fix Snipping Tool Not Working

Below are some of the tested fixes for the issue. We suggest you try this fix first and explore the other fixes if the issue continues to persist.

Change the Date

If the issue is caused due to the expiration of the digital certificate, you can change the date to trick the device into thinking the certificate is not expired. To do this, please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Windows logo.
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Select “Time & Language”.
4. Turn the toggle off on “Set time automatically”.
5. Click on Change besides Set the date and time manually.
6. Change the date to October 31, 2021 or earlier.
7. Try using the snipping tool again.  
8. Once it is working, you can change your time from manual to automatic again.

Use Alternative Shortcuts:

You can also use alternative shortcuts. This will not have the features of Snipping Tool but you can take screenshots. The shortcuts are:

1. Win+PrintScreen, which will save the screenshots in the Pictures library. 
2. Alt+ PrintScreen, which will save the screenshots to the clipboard. 
3. Win+G, which will direct you to X-box Game bar from where you can take screenshots. 

Update Windows

Since Windows has already fixed the issue with the update, you can try updating your Windows to fix the issue. To do this, please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Windows logo.
2. Click on the gear icon to go to Settings.
3. Click on Windows update.
4. Click on Install now.
5. Restart the computer and see if the problem continues to persist.

Check the Short-cut Key for Snipping Tool

If the problem only comes up when trying to use the short-cut key, it could be that the device has a different short-cut key or none at all. To check the short-cut key for Snipping Tool, please follow the steps below.

1. Go to the search menu.
2. Type Snipping Tool.
3. Right click on the result and select Properties.
4. Go to the Short-cut tab.
5. Under short-cut key, check to see what has been saved. If there is None, you can add in the short-cut key of your preference as well.

Restart the App

You can also try restarting the app to see if that fixes the issue. Users have commented on the method working especially after an update additionally, sometimes if the software has launching problems, this can fix it. To restart the app, please follow the steps below:

1. Select Windows Task Manager
2. Scroll down to find the Snipping Tool under the Process tab.
3. Right click on Snipping tool and click on End Task.
4. Try opening the Snipping tool again.

Repair Snipping Tool

You can also use Window’s in-built repair tool to fix the Snipping tool not working. To do this, please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the search menu.
2. Type Snipping Tool.
3. Right click on the result.
4. Click on App Settings.
5. Under the Reset option, click on Repair.

Perform a Clean Boot

As mentioned above, different third-party applications could also interfere with the functioning of the snipping tool. You can check to see whether this is the issue by performing a clean boot. This starts the device with minimal applications and drivers so it allows you to know if there is any conflicting software. To do this, please follow the steps below:

1. Go to the search menu.
2. Type System Configuration and click on it.
3. Go to the Services tab.
4. Check Hide all Microsoft services in the bottom.  
5. Select Disable All.
6. Go back to the system configuration and Select Start-up tab. 
7. Click on Open Task Manager.
8. Select the items and Click on Disable located on the bottom.
9. Go back to the Start up tab and click on ok.
10. Restart your computer and check to see if the snipping tool works
11. If it works, go back to the list, select each of them and individually and find which specific application is the culprit.

Use System File Checker

If corrupt system files are preventing the Snipping tool from working, you can also use the System file checker to repair the files. To do this, please follow the steps below.

1. Go the the search menu.
2. Type command prompt.
3. Right click on the result and select Run as Administrator.
4. On the command box, type in sfc /scannow.
5. Press enter.
6. Wait for the scan to be complete.
7. Then type snippingtool.exe to open the snipping tool and see if it works.

Allow the Snipping Tool to Run in the Background. 

Snipping tool may not be working due to insufficient permission that prevents it from running smoothly. To check this and change the settings, please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Windows logo.
2. Go to Settings by clicking on the gear icon.
3. Click the Apps option from the left hand menu.
4. Click on Apps and features.
5. Under the App list, search for Snipping Tool.
6. Click on the three dot menu beside the app option.
7. Select Advanced options.
8. Under Background apps permissions.
9. Click on Always.

Troubleshoot to Find Other Causes

You can also troubleshoot to see other causes. The good thing about running a troubleshooter is that it also recommends solutions for the problem it finds. To run the troubleshoot, please follow the steps below. As the Snipping tool is an in-built feature, you can troubleshoot the Windows Store Apps to see if the device can detect any issues. 

1. Click on the Windows logo.
2. Click on the gear icon to go to Settings.
3. Go to the System tab.
4. Click on Troubleshoot.
5. Select Additional Troubleshooters.
6. Scroll down and locate Windows Store Apps.
7. Click on Run the troubleshooter.
8. Allow the device to troubleshoot and see if an error is found.

 Frequently Asked Questions 

What Is the Short-cut Key for Snipping Tool ?

The default shortcut key for the snipping tool is Windows key+Shift+ S. However, you can customize the shortcut key through its Properties. 

What Is Alternative to Snipping Tool ?

Windows has come up with Snip and Sketch, intended to replace the Snipping tool that was available from the Windows 10 October 2018 update. 

Why Is My Snipping Tool Not Working ?

Your snipping tool is probably not working due to Microsoft’s digital certificate expiring. You can also see other causes and fixes in the article above.