Looking For A Quick Resolution? Here’s What You Can Do!
If the Win+Shift+S suddenly stops working, the first thing you can do is to restart your PC. In some cases, a simple restart can resolve the issue.
Secondly, you can physically clean all your keys. This can ensure the keyboard is working just fine!
Another way to follow is to use the PrntScrn or Print Screen instead of Win+Shift+S. With PrntScrn, you can take a full-screen screenshot and paste it into a snipping tool.
Or? Well, you can use tools like Microsoft Paint to capture the copied image.
Now, if the keyboard driver is outdated or malfunctioning, it might cause issues with the keyboard’s overall functionality.
Top Methods That You Can Follow If Your Windows Shift S Not Working
If you still feel the issue has not been resolved, you can opt for a very detailed troubleshooting method. In the following, I am going to provide you with such methods.
Method 1: Always Make Sure That You Have Kept Your Keyboard History Clean.
To guarantee that your Clipboard history is wiped off and that Windows 10 or Windows 11 is set up to save pictures, follow these steps:
First, open the Settings application,
Then go to the Clipboard settings, and
Finally, choose the option to clear all previously stored data.
It is also necessary to check that the “Clipboard history” function is activated in the same settings menu in order to let it save new items, such as pictures.
Method 2: Check Your Snip And Sketch Tool
When your Windows+Shift+S not working, you can use the built-in Windows screen capture tool Snip & Sketch. You must ensure its notifications are enabled.
Mostly, this tool uses system notifications, which have, in fact, replaced the older Snipping tool, to perform its function properly after the screen has been captured. Windows 10 and Windows 11 setting validation steps are listed below:
- The setting app is to be opened.
- The System category should be selected from the left pane.
- The Notifications tab is to be clicked.
- Scroll down the list to find Snip & Sketch (or Snipping Tool in the latest Windows 11 updates).
- If the switch is currently off, this option is to be turned on.
- A notification will pop up after taking a screenshot.
- Click it to open and edit the captured image once the option is enabled.
Method 3: Always Reset Snip And Sketch
If Windows+Shift+S is not working, a possible solution is to reset the Snip & Sketch (or Snipping Tool) application.
To carry out this process, you have to go through the following steps in either Windows 10 or Windows 11:
- First, open the Settings app. Second, you have to go to the Apps category,
- Then, in the left-hand pane, select either the Installed apps or Apps & features tab.
- Third, scroll down the list of apps until you see Snip & Sketch (or Snipping Tool).
- Finally, you can either click the entry to view it fully or select the three vertical dots beside the app’s name, then click Advanced options.
Method 4: Use A Proper Snipping Tool
The original Snipping Tool is still present in Windows 10 and Windows 11, providing a feature set that closely matches that of the newer Snip & Sketch experience.
With this tool, you can effortlessly take a screenshot and then either save or copy it. To access the old Snipping Tool:
- Launch the application (by typing “Snipping Tool” in the search bar of the Start menu).
- Press the New button in the tool’s interface to start screen capture.
- The display will dim, and you can use your mouse to draw the area you want to capture.
- The moment the area is marked, the picture gets taken and appears in the tool’s window.
- You can then either copy the picture to your clipboard for instant use or save it as a file.
Be aware that the latest versions of Windows usually prompt you to use the more packed Snip & Sketch app by default when you open the old tool.
Method 5: Unplug And Then Replug Your Usb Devices
Another thing that you can do when your Windows+Shift+S not working, to use a USB device (such as a gaming peripheral or display adapter) connected to your computer. In that case, the device might be overriding the default screen capture settings.
To resolve this possible conflict, just disconnect the USB device causing the issue, then reconnect it.
This will cause your computer to detect the device again and restore the default Windows settings, which should fix your ability to take screenshots with the shortcut.
Method 6: Always Try To Keep Your Pc Drivers Well-Updated
Outdated Windows installations or device drivers may cause keyboard shortcuts like Win + Shift + S to malfunction, especially when pressed together.
Keeping your system’s drivers up to date is a normal troubleshooting procedure. To automatically check for and install updates for your keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals, consider using third-party software.
These tools also offer a free 7-day trial! Just follow these steps to apply the method:
- Go to the official third-party website.
- Click the Download Now button to install the software.
- After installation and running, the application will scan your computer for outdated drivers and assist you in updating them.
- Once the applications are done, you will be ready to try out the Win + Shift + S shortcut one more time, to check if the problem is fixed or not?
Method 7: Turn On The Clipboard History
The clipboard history feature being turned off or its storage being full is quite likely the reason you can’t copy images to your clipboard.
Enabling the clipboard history setting and checking if captures are being saved correctly are the necessary steps to take now:
- Open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows logo key + I on your keyboard at the same time.
- Choose System from the menu on the left.
- Then, click on the option for Clipboard history.
- Check that the switch for Clipboard history is set to On.
- Now that this function is on, you can try it out by taking a screenshot with the shortcut Windows logo key + Shift + S.
- After that, you can instantly find out if the image was saved to the clipboard by pressing the Windows logo key + V to bring up the clipboard history viewer.
Wrapping It Up!
To sum up, the above troubleshooting techniques help you resolve the most common issues that prevent you from using the Win + Shift + S shortcut to take a screenshot in Windows.
If the problem persists after completing all these steps, the next, most appropriate actions would be to test the keyboard physically and update the Windows operating system and device drivers.
To achieve an effective, automated driver management solution, consider a third-party application.
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