There are many ways to take screenshots on Windows 10 PC or laptop. Among them, using the Snip and Sketch tool of Windows is a popular method of capturing the screen of your Windows PC or laptop. And many users prefer this method to capture the screen and take screenshots as it allows the users to capture a portion of your screen. You can drag the snipping tool to the area that you want to capture, and it’ll capture the screen. Mostly, users use the shortcut to open the Snip and Sketch tool. However, many Windows users often have faced issues using the Windows + Shift + S Key as it’s not working on their PC.
If you are facing the same issue, then you just have come to the right place. Windows + Shift + S key is the most convenient way to open the Snip and Sketch tool on Windows. And when it’s not working, you may face issues when capturing the screen of your PC or laptop. We have provided some solutions below that’ll help you fix the Windows Key + Shift + S not working issue easily. So, you can just follow the methods below and fix this issue easily on your Windows PC. You can also read about Ubisoft Service is currently not available issue on your PC.
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What does Windows + Shift + S Key Do?
Windows + Shift + S is a shortcut key that helps you to open the Windows Snip and Sketch application on your Windows PC. Windows Snip and Sketch help you to take screenshots on your PC. So, you can easily take screenshots using these keys.
Why It’s Not Working?
There could be various reasons why the Windows + Shift + S keys aren’t working on your Windows PC. Below, we have provided some of the reasons why it might not work on your Windows PC.
- The Keyboard keys are not working
- Snip and Sketch notifications are disabled on your PC
- Snip & Sketch application is corrupted
No matter what the reason is, you can fix this issue easily on your Windows PC. Just follow the steps below to fix Windows + Shift + S Key not working on your Windows PC.
How to Fix Windows + Shift + S Key Not Working on Windows?
1. Restart Your PC
The first thing that you need to do when you face the Windows + Shift + S key not working issue is, you should restart your PC and try pressing the shortcut. Sometimes, restarting your PC can solve this problem. So, just restart your PC, and see if it’s working or not.
2. Enable Snip & Sketch Notifications
If the Snip & Sketch feature is opening on your PC, but you are not able to take a screenshot with it, then you should check the notification option for Windows Snip & Sketch tool.
When you drag the snipping option on your screen and try to capture the area, you have to release the drag to capture a particular area. However, if it’s not showing the screenshot option after releasing the mouse button, there’s a chance that the notification for Snip & Sketch is turned off.
So, just follow the steps below if you want to enable the notifications for Snip & Sketch tool on your PC.
- First of all, open the Settings option of your Windows PC by searching in the search box of Windows.
- Now, click on the ‘System’ option from there.
- Then, go to the ‘Notifications & actions’ option.
- Search for the ‘Snip & Sketch’ tool and see if the notifications are off.
- If the notifications are off for this tool, just turn it on.
- Then, press Windows + Shift + S key and see if the Snip & Sketch is working or not.
3. Change the Keyboard
If you are not able to open the Windows Snip & Sketch tool after pressing Windows + Shift + S shortcut, then you should change the keyboard you are using and see if the shortcut is working or not.
This method is for those users who are not able to open the Snip & Sketch tool by pressing the shortcut keys. If it’s not opening, there could be an issue with the keyboard you are using.
To test the keyboard, you can open Notepad on your PC and type all the keys one by one, especially the ‘S’ key. If the ‘S’ or ‘Shift’ key is damaged, just try to use another keyboard and press the shortcut to open the Snip & Sketch tool on your PC.
4. Enable Clipboard History
When you capture a screenshot with the Snip & Sketch tool of Windows, it is automatically saved in the clipboard of your PC. So, if you are able to open the Snip & Sketch using the shortcut key, but not able to take screenshots with it, then you can enable the clipboard history of your PC, and see if it’s working or not.
Follow the below methods to open the clipboard history on your Windows PC.
- Search for the ‘Settings’ option in the search bar of Windows.
- Open the Setting option.
- Then, go to System>Clipboard option and turn on the clipboard history option from there.
- That’s it. Now, press the Windows + Shift + S keys at a time and see if you are able to take a screenshot with the Snip & Sketch tool of your Windows PC.
5. Reset Windows Snip & Sketch Tool
The next method that you can use to fix the Windows + Shift + S Key not working issue is, you can reset the Windows Snip & Sketch tool and then check if it’s working or not.
Sometimes, because of many issues, the Snip & Sketch tool may not work. So, you have to reset the tool and then try to use the shortcut keys to capture screenshots on your Windows PC or laptop.
Follow the below steps if you want to reset the Windows Snip & Sketch tool.
- First of all, open the Settings option on your Windows PC.
- Then, open the ‘Apps’ option from there.
- Now, search for ‘Snip & Sketch’ in the search box of the Apps section.
- Click on it and then click on ‘Advanced options’.
- Scroll down, and you’ll get the ‘Reset’ option. Click on it to reset the Windows Snip & Sketch settings.
- That’s it. Now, open Windows Snip & Sketch using the shortcut and see if it’s working or not.
6. Reinstall Windows Snip & Sketch
You can also try reinstalling the Windows Snip & Sketch app from your PC and see if it’s working or not. Re-installing means first you have to uninstall it from your PC, and then download it again. This way, all the settings and other options of Windows Snip & Sketch will be reset. So, it might fix the Windows + Shift + S key not working issue on your Windows PC. You can follow the steps below to reinstall Snip & Sketch on your PC.
- First of all, open the Settings option on your Windows PC.
- Then, open the ‘Apps’ option from there.
- Search for ‘Snip & Sketch’ there.
- When you find it, click on it.
- Now, click on ‘Uninstall’ to uninstall Snip & Sketch from your PC.
- After uninstalling, open Microsoft Store, and then search for the Snip & Sketch app there.
- Install it on your PC.
- That’s it. Now, press the Windows+Shift+S key and see if it’s working or not.
7. Enable PrtScr Key to Capture Screenshot
If there are issues with the Windows + Shift + S key, then you can try the PrtScr key to open the Snip and Sketch tool as well.
Usually, the shortcut to open Snip & Sketch tool on your PC is the Windows + Shift + S key. However, you can also add another shortcut key which is the PrtScr key to open the Snip & Sketch tool on your PC.
So, if the other shortcut isn’t working, just use the PrtScr to open Snip & Sketch. But, you have to enable the shortcut first. Below, we have described how you can enable the PrtScr key of your Windows PC to open the Snip & Sketch tool.
- First of all, open the Settings option of your Windows PC. You can use the search option of Windows to search for the Settings option.
- Then, go to the Ease of Access>Keyboard option.
- There, you’ll find the Print Screen shortcut option. Enable it.
That’s it. After enabling this option, just press the PrtScr key on your keyboard and you’ll see that it’s opening the Windows Snip & Sketch tool. So, you don’t have to press the Windows + Shift + S Key to open snip & sketch.
8. Use 3rd party Apps to Take Screenshot
If any of the above-mentioned methods aren’t working, then you can use a 3rd party screenshot-taking app and take screenshots easily on your Windows PC.
There are plenty of other 3rd party screenshot-taking tools are available for Windows. So, just choose any of them if you are unable to open the Windows Snip & Sketch tool and if Windows + Shift + S key not working on your PC.
Here are some of the popular alternatives to the Windows Snip & Sketch tool that helps you to take screenshots on your Windows PC.
- Snagit
- Lightshot
- Screenrec
- Greenshot
- ShareX
Just use any of the 3rd party screen capturing tools on your Windows PC, and you’ll be able to capture screenshots without any issues. These 3rd party tools even have features that you won’t get on the Windows Snip & Sketch tool.
Frequently Asked Quesions (F.A.Q)
What is Windows Shift S?
Windows+Shift+S is a shortcut key that helps you to open the Snip & Sketch tool on your PC. Snip & Sketch is a tool that helps you to capture screenshots on your Windows PC.
Why is Windows Shift S not working?
There could be various reasons why these keys not working on your PC. However, above, we have provided solutions that you can use to fix this issue.
Can I reinstall Windows Snip & Sketch?
Yes. You can uninstall Windows Snip & Sketch and reinstall it on your PC without any issues.
Conclusion
So, guys, I hope you have liked this guide. It’s really annoying when you want to use the Windows Snip & Sketch tool, and it’s not working. If the shortcut keys are not working, you may face issues when opening this tool from the Start menu again and again. And if the tool is not saving screenshots, then it could be another issue. However, we have described all the possible solutions above. So, you can follow the solutions and fix this issue on your Windows PC. If you have any questions or queries, you can ask them in the comment section below. You can also provide your feedback in the comment section.
