How to fix Windows + Shift + S in Windows 11?

September 30, 2022February 12, 2023 Digvijay Kumar

Snipping Tool is one of the most useful Windows utilities that lets us capture a snapshot of any window or part. We mainly use the Windows + Shift + S shortcut key to open the snipping tool in the few steps. However, in recent times, many Windows 11 users have started facing issues with accessing the snipping tool using the Windows + Shift + S key combination.

This is causing problems for many Windows 11 users, and they are constantly looking for ways to fix this problem. Fortunately, this problem can be solved with a few troubleshooting methods Here in this guide, we have mentioned some tried and tested solutions to help Windows + Shift + S not working on your Windows 11 PC.

What is the reason for Windows + Shift + S not working in Windows 11?
How To Fix Windows + Shift + S Not Working in Windows 11
More Blog’s
Frequently Asked Questions
Final word

What is the reason for Windows + Shift + S not working in Windows 11?

One of the most common causes of this problem can be faulty keyboard keys. Apart from this, there can be other reasons behind the problem of Windows + Shift + S not working.

Old keyboard drivers
Improper functioning of File Explorer
Issues with Registry Editor
Faulty USB port
Problems with the keyboard or its keys
Misconfigured settings
Restricted app permission
Disable Snip & Sketch
Conflict between Snipping Tool and OneNote Shortcuts

How To Fix Windows + Shift + S Not Working in Windows 11

We have mentioned over twelve tried-and-tested solutions in this section to help you solve the problem.

1. Restart your PC

A common solution to this problem is to reboot the system in most cases, rebooting the system fixes the problem immediately You can try rebooting your Windows 11 PC to see if the issues are resolved.

2. Clear the Keyboard Keys

We recommend cleaning the keyboard to ensure all keys press and work properly Sometimes dust particles occupy the space below the keyboard keys and prevent them from being pressed properly. So, wiping the keyboard can solve the problem.

3. Check your USB Port

Chances are, some of the USB ports on your PC are faulty and causing this problem You need to make sure that all your USB ports are working properly to check this, you can try connecting your USB keyboard to another device and see if it works properly. If the keyboard works perfectly with other devices, there must be an issue with your system’s USB port You can repair them to fix this problem.

4. Change Date & Time in your System

One of the most recommended solutions to fix this problem is to change your system’s date and time settings. Interestingly, this solution is managed by an independent consultant from Microsoft Therefore, this solution is more likely to solve the problem You can follow the steps below to change your system’s date and time settings.

1. To open the Settings app Press Windows + I key.

2. Open Time & Language from the left navigation pane.

3. Click on Date & Time to open date and time settings.

4. Select the time automatically and toggle off the Set time zone automatically.

5. Click on Change to change the date and time.

6. On the next screen, select the random date and time and save the changes.

7. Use Windows + Shift + S key combination to check if the problem is fixed.

5. Update Keyboard Driver

Outdated keyboard drivers can also be one of the culprits of this problem Therefore, you need to make sure that all your keyboard drivers are up to date, not leading to this problem. You can follow the mentioned steps to update your keyboard drivers from Device Manager.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run program.

2. In the Search Box type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.

3. Find Keyboards in Device Manager.

4. Double-click Keyboards to view all keyboard drivers installed on your system.

5. Right-click on any keyboard driver and select Update driver from the given list of options.

6. Select Search automatically for drivers on the How you want to search Windows screen.

7. You have to wait until the system updates the driver and displays the final message.

8. Follow the same with the rest of the keyboard drivers.

9. After everything is done, try using Windows + Shift + S shortcut to see if the problem is solved.

6. Turn on Notifications for Snipping Tool

When we press Windows + Shift + S on our keyboard, a rectangular notification appears on the screen with some options to capture the snapshot. If you are not receiving notifications, you may have disabled notifications for snipping tools. Enabling snipping tool notifications is very easy, and the steps below demonstrate the same.

1. Open Settings app on your system.

2. Open the Notifications tab.

3. Find out Snipping Tool in Notifications from Apps & other sender’s section.

4. Make sure Snipping Tool toggled is on.

5. Click on Snipping Tool.

6. In the Priority of the Notification Center section, select the Top.

7. Press Windows + Shift + S shortcut key to check whether you are able to take screenshot or not.

7. Restart Windows Explorer

Some Windows features work with Windows Explorer the Snipping Tool is one of the tools that Windows Explorer uses to do the job properly Many Windows 11 users have reported that the Windows Explorer app malfunctioning may also be responsible for this issue. They also say that restarting Windows Explorer can fix the problem You can follow the following steps to do the same.

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc key’s combination.

2. Search Windows Explorer in the list of Processes.

3. Right-click on Windows Explorer and after that click on Restart.

4. Once done, Restart the PC.

5. Try using Windows + Shift + S to launch the Snipping Tool.

8. Repair & Reset the Snipping Tool

Windows also allows you to repair and reset system programs such as Snipping Tool. If restarting the Windows Explorer program doesn’t solve the problem, you can try repairing and resetting the Snipping Tool. Follow the steps below to repair and reset Snipping Tool.

Repair the Snipping Tool

1. Open Settings app by pressing Windows + I.

2. Head to the Apps section to view all installed applications.

3. Search Snipping Tool in the Search Bar.

4. Click on Three Dots and select Advanced options.

5. Scroll down and click on Repair.

6. The system will now start repairing the Snipping Tool. You can check the program bar to see the progress of the scan.

Reset the Snipping Tool

1. Search for the Snipping Tool in the Apps section.

2. Look for the Reset option in the Reset section.
3. Click on Reset and allow the system to clear all data associated with the Snipping Tool.
4. Press Windows + Shift + S to see if the Snipping Tool is now working properly or not.

9. Enable Clipboard History

One of the reasons for this problem can be a disabled clipboard history feature. If the Clipboard History option is turned off on your system, you will not be able to save copied images and text to the clipboard. You cannot paste a screenshot you have copied with the help of the Snipping Tool. You need to enable clipboard history option by following below steps.

1. Click on the Search icon in the taskbar to open the Windows Search Bar.

2. Type Clipboard settings in the Search Bar.

3. Click on Clipboard settings given in the section.

4. Once the Clipboard setting is opened, enable Clipboard history by clicking on the toggle.

5. Again, press the Windows + Shift + S again to see whether the shortcut key is working.

10. Use Alternate Shortcut Keys to Take a Screenshot

Windows + Shift + S is the most commonly used key combination to launch the Snipping Tool. In addition, you can also use the Fn + Prt Sc shortcut to open the Snipping Tool to capture a snapshot.

11. Disable Global Shortcut Key

One of the solutions to eliminate this problem is to completely disable the Windows + Shift + S shortcut. Several Windows 11 users said that this solution helped them resolve the issue. You can also try the same method by following the steps as given below.

1. Open the Registry Editor app.

2. Head to the mentioned location to disable the global screenshot shortcut:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Right-click on an empty space and click on the New option.

4. Select String Value from the menu.

5. Name the new string: Disabled Hotkeys.

6. Double-click on Disabled Hotkeys and enter S in the Value data field.

7. In the end, click on OK.

8. You need to now Restart the system to save all the changes permanently.

12. Change the OneNote Hotkey with Regedit

Many users reported disabling the global shortcut key methods worked for them. In case it doesn’t work for you, you can try changing the OneNote Hotkey from the Registry Editor. Follow the below-mentioned steps to modify the OneNote Hotkey.

1. Press the Windows key and type Registry Editor in the Search Bar.

2. Open the Registry Editor and head to the mentioned location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0OneNoteOptionsOther

3. Right-click on an empty part and select New from the given options.

4. Select DWORD (32 bits) Value from the given options.

5. Type Screen Clipping Shortcut key in the Value name field and press Enter.

6. Double click on the Screen Clipping Shortcut key and select Hexadecimal as the Base.

7. Add 5A in the Value data field.

8. Lastly, click on OK.

9. Now You have changed the OneNote Hotkey. You need to now use the Windows + Shift + Z shortcut key whenever you want to capture screenshots.

13. Reset the PC

The last solution that really solves the Windows+Shift+S not working issue is resetting the PC. You can try resetting your Windows 11 PC to root out this problem. Resetting a PC is very easy, and the steps below explain the same.

1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.

2. Click to the Recovery tab.

3. Click on Reset PC under the Recovery options section.

4. Select Keep my files on the popup and let the system reset all the settings.

5. Let the entire system restore, excluding documents stored on your system.

More Blog’s

How to Clean install Ubuntu to your PC ?

How to Clean Install Windows 11 ?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Windows Shift S not working?

One of the causes of this problem is a bug in the keyboard As a result, you are unable to capture screenshots on your Windows 11 PC.

How do we use Shift S in Windows 11?

You can use the Windows + Shift + S shortcut key to launch the Snipping Tool and capture a snapshot of your favorite part or window.

How do we get Windows Shift S to work?

You can try cleaning your keyboard keys to make sure there are no dust particles under the keys that prevent them from pressing down completely. We also recommend enabling the Clipboard History option on your system.

How do we enable clipboard history?

Open the Settings app on your system Type clipboard settings in the search bar and open it Enable the Clipboard History option in Clipboard Settings, and you’re done.

Did Windows 11 get rid of the snipping tool?

Windows 11 comes with a snipping tool to easily capture snapshots You can simply open the Snipping Tool by pressing Windows + Shift + S or Fn + PrtScr to take a screenshot.

Final word

Undoubtedly, the given methods will help you to fix the problem. You just follow these steps as mentioned above. All these methods have been tested by me, so, I assure you that this is the best way to fix this problem.

TrndTech

How to fix Windows + Shift + S in Windows 11?

Table of Contents

What is the reason for Windows + Shift + S not working in Windows 11?