Snipping Tool in Windows 11 can stop opening, ignore the keyboard shortcut, capture without showing the edit prompt, or copy a snip that will not paste. The right fix depends on where the failure happens, so start with the launch and shortcut checks before moving into repair, updates, reinstall, and Windows repair.
Work through the steps in order. Each one uses Microsoft's current Windows 11 paths and avoids old Snip & Sketch-era fixes that no longer apply.
1. Restart Snipping Tool and open it from Start
Begin with the fastest fix when the app is open, frozen, or behaving oddly.
- 1.Select the Close button in the upper-right corner of the Snipping Tool window.
- 2.Select Start.
- 3.Enter snipping tool.
- 4.Select Snipping Tool from the results.
If the app opens this way, test the current shortcuts next. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S to open the screenshot overlay, or press Windows logo key + Shift + R to open the screen-recording overlay. On a Surface keyboard with a Snipping key, press the Snipping key or use Windows logo key + Shift + S.
2. Set the Print Screen key correctly
- 1.Select Start.
- 2.Select Settings.
- 3.Select Accessibility.
- 4.Select Keyboard.
- 5.Turn Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping On.
Use this when Snipping Tool opens from Start but the keyboard key does the wrong thing. If another screenshot app is taking over the key, return to the same page and turn Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping Off. Use Windows logo key + Shift + S for Snipping Tool after that.
3. Repair the app before resetting it
Repair comes first because it fixes Snipping Tool without clearing its data.
Use Windows app repair when Snipping Tool opens poorly, crashes, or keeps failing after a restart: select Start, select Settings, select Apps, select Installed apps, select the More icon next to Snipping Tool, select Advanced options, then select Repair.
If Repair does not fix the problem, go back to Advanced options for Snipping Tool and select Reset. Reset clears Snipping Tool app data and settings, so use it after repair fails.
4. Update Windows and Store apps
Snipping Tool is a Microsoft Store app tied into Windows components, so update both sides before reinstalling it.
- For Windows updates, select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. When an update appears, select Install now.
- For app updates, open Microsoft Store, select Library, then select Get updates. Install the available updates for Snipping Tool and other Microsoft Store apps.
If Windows Update will not install updates, run the Windows Update troubleshooter: select Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then select Run next to Windows Update. Restart the PC when it finishes, then return to Windows Update and select Check for updates again.
5. Fix Microsoft Store install problems
- 1.Press Windows logo key + R.
- 2.Type wsreset.exe.
- 3.Select OK.
- 4.Wait for the blank Command Prompt window to close.
- 5.Wait for Microsoft Store to open automatically.
When Snipping Tool will not update or reinstall from Microsoft Store, clear the Store cache first. Next, check the Store requirements Windows uses for app availability. Select Start, enter Microsoft Store, and select Microsoft Store when it appears. Sign in with your Microsoft account when Windows asks for it.
Then correct the clock and region. Select Start > Settings > Time & language > Date & time, turn Set time automatically On, then set the correct Time zone. For Store region, select Start > Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region, then choose the correct Country or region.
6. Restore notifications and clear the clipboard
Sometimes Snipping Tool captures successfully, but Windows hides the notification or the clipboard blocks the paste. Treat those as notification and clipboard problems instead of reinstalling the app again.
For missing capture notifications, select Start > Settings > System > Notifications. Select Snipping Tool under Notifications from apps and other senders, adjust its notification preferences, and set Do not disturb to Off.
For snips that copy but do not paste correctly, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard, then select Clear in the Clear clipboard data area. You can also press Windows logo key + V and select Clear all.
7. Reinstall Snipping Tool cleanly
- 1.Select Start.
- 2.Open Settings.
- 3.Select Apps.
- 4.Select Installed apps.
- 5.Find Snipping Tool.
- 6.Select the More icon on the right.
- 7.Select Uninstall.
- 8.Select Uninstall again to confirm.
Use reinstall after restart, repair, reset, and updates fail. Remove Snipping Tool from Windows Settings, then install it again from a Microsoft source.
To reinstall from the Store, open Microsoft Store, select Library, find Snipping Tool, and select Install. You can also open Microsoft's official Snipping Tool Store listing and select Get or Open in Store app.
If the Store interface is blocked and WinGet is available, open Terminal or PowerShell, run winget install 9MZ95KL8MR0L, then type Y and press Enter when prompted to agree to source terms. Microsoft also provides a support-page installer for Windows 64-bit, Windows 32-bit, and Windows ARM64 devices.
8. Repair Windows when app fixes fail
When Snipping Tool keeps breaking after the app-level fixes, repair Windows system files. Microsoft lists DISM first and System File Checker second.
- 1.Open an elevated Command Prompt.
- 2.Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
- 3.Wait for DISM to complete.
- 4.Run sfc /scannow.
- 5.Keep the window open until verification reaches 100%.
If the problem began immediately after a specific Windows update, select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. Select the update you want to remove, then select Uninstall. Some updates cannot be removed, and removing security updates changes the PC's protection level.
For a deeper Windows repair that keeps the current Windows version, select Start > Settings > System > Recovery. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now, then continue through the prompts. This option can be missing on work or school managed PCs, and it requires Windows 11 with the 2022 annual update plus the February 2024 optional update or later installed.
If you have a restore point from before Snipping Tool stopped working, open Control Panel, select Recovery, choose Open System Restore, select Next, and follow the prompts to choose the restore point.
9. Separate managed PC blocks from app failure
On a work or school PC, Snipping Tool can be missing because default Microsoft Store apps were removed by policy. If Microsoft Store is unavailable too, contact the administrator for that device and ask whether Snipping Tool was removed by policy.
- On Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365 Cloud PCs, screen capture protection blocks protected remote content in screenshots and screen sharing. That produces blocked remote content, not a local Snipping Tool crash.
- Skip old fixes that tell you to install the 2021 KB5008295 certificate update manually for a current Windows 11 PC. Use Windows Update instead.
- Also skip legacy bare ms-screenclip: and ms-screensketch: integration advice; Microsoft deprecated the old launch protocol on May 1, 2025. Current app integrations use Microsoft's updated Snipping Tool protocol, which still uses the ms-screenclip: scheme in a structured form such as ms-screenclip://capture/image or ms-screenclip://discover from a packaged Windows app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Windows Shift S do nothing in Windows 11?
Open Snipping Tool from Start first. If it still fails, repair it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Snipping Tool > Advanced options > Repair, then update Windows and Microsoft Store apps.
Why does Print Screen not open Snipping Tool?
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping. If another screenshot app conflicts with it, turn that setting off and use Windows + Shift + S.
Why does Snipping Tool capture but not show a notification?
Turn Snipping Tool notifications back on from Settings > System > Notifications > Snipping Tool, and set Do not disturb to Off.
Why can I capture a snip but not paste it?
Clear Windows clipboard data from Settings > System > Clipboard > Clear. You can also press Windows + V and select Clear all.
Should I download Snipping Tool from a third-party site?
No. Use Microsoft Store, Microsoft's official Snipping Tool Store listing, Microsoft's support-page installer, or the WinGet command for the official Store package.
