How to Fix Print Screen Not Working on Windows 10

How to Fix Print Screen Not Working on Windows 10.

With the Print Screen button, you can easily take a screenshot in Windows 10. PrtScr is one of the most recognizable keys on a keyboard, and everyone knows how to use it. This is the easiest way to take a screenshot as it captures the entire screen, which can be useful sometimes.

However, the tips below might help when Print Screen isn’t working on your Windows PC or Mac. Mac computers don’t have a Print Screen button, but the built-in screenshot shortcuts might not work, and we’ll help you fix the problem if you ever get it.

What to Do When Print Screen is Not Working

Try some of the quick fixes below and see if they help before moving on to other solutions in this guide.

Quick Fixes

• Check the clipboard on your computer to make sure the screenshot was saved there. Press Windows logo key + V to access the clipboard.
• Update your operating system.
• Use the onscreen keyboard to access the PrtScn virtual button and take a screenshot. Select Start> All Programs> Accessories> Ease of Access> On-Screen Keyboard.
• Hold down the F Lock or F Mode keys to turn them off and see if the Print Screen key works again.
• Disable any third-party screenshot software such as Snagit on your system.
• Check out our guide to taking full screenshots in Chrome and Firefox if the Print Screen button doesn’t work in those browsers.
• Make sure the key itself is working properly. You can do this with an online key tester. In the event of a breakdown, the keyboard may need to be replaced. It might also be worth getting a mechanical keyboard, which is known to be more durable and last longer.

How to Fix Print Screen Not Working in Windows 10

You can fix the problem where the print screen is not working on your Windows PC using the following solutions.

Use the hotkey combination

Windows 10 has many useful keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots. Use the hotkey combinations below to see if you can take these alternate screenshots.

1. Press Alt + PrtScn to capture the currently selected window.

1. Press the Windows logo key + PrtScn to take a screenshot. In this case, the screenshot will be saved in File Explorer> Pictures> Screenshots.

You can also use Fn + Windows logo key + PrtScn on your laptop.

1. If your PC uses a HID keyboard driver, use Fn + PrtScn to capture the screen. If your device does not have a PrtSc key, use Fn + Windows logo key + Space bar to take a screenshot.

These keyboard shortcuts will save this image to the Windows clipboard. Open a photo application such as MS Paint and paste the image if you want to save it as a file.

Update keyboard driver

If the keyboard driver is outdated, damaged, or incorrect, it may cause Print Screen to function incorrectly and may require an update.

1. Right-click Start> Device Manager.

1. Select the Keyboards section to expand it, right-click the keyboard and select Update Driver.

1. Then select Search automatically for updated driver software to install the latest keyboard driver.

1. Restart your computer and see if the Print Screen feature works.

Note. You can also visit the keyboard manufacturer’s official website, find the latest driver, download and install it.

Use game bar

If you still can’t use the Print Screen feature, you can use the Game Bar to take a screenshot. Game bar is a built-in feature in Windows 10 that allows you to record screen and take screenshots while playing PC games.

1. Press Windows logo key + G to open Game Bar and take a screenshot of everything on the screen.

1. On the game bar screen, click the screen capture icon.

1. Then select the camera icon to take a screenshot.

Your screenshot will be saved in the Captures folder. Select This PC> Local Drive (C:)> Users> User> Video> Captures.

Edit Windows Registry

The Windows registry stores information such as user profiles, applications installed on your PC, and other information needed to configure your system. You can edit the registry to fix the problem with the Print Screen button not working on your computer.

Note. Follow these steps carefully as any small mistake can negatively affect your computer. Before you start, create a system restore point or back up your computer, including your media files.

1. Right-click Start> Run, type regedit in Run and press Enter or select OK.
2. Go to this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Explorer.

1. Right-click File Explorer, select New> DWORD and rename it ScreenShotIndex.

1. Double-click the DWORD, set Value to 1, and click OK.

1. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Explorer Custom Shell Folders.

1. Check to see if the string value data is being read {B7BEDE81-DF94-4682-A7D8-57A52620B86F}% USERPROFILE% Pictures Screenshots.

1. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.
2. Press PrtScn or Windows logo key + Fn + PrtSc. You can check the screenshot in File Explorer> Pictures> Screenshot folder.

How to Fix Print Screen Not Working on a Mac

While your Mac may not have a PrtScn button, the built-in screenshot function may stop working and you may not know how to fix it. Here are a few things to try.

• Make sure your screenshots are available in the correct place, i.e. on your desktop, as this will determine whether the screenshots feature works or not.

• Use the Preview or Screenshot app (macOS Mojave or later) to take screenshots.
• Restart your Mac and take screenshots with Shift + Command + 3 to take a screenshot of the entire screen or Shift + Command + 4 to capture a portion of the screen.

• Check if keyboard shortcuts are enabled for screenshots or they are reassigned for other actions. Go to Menu> System Preferences> Keyboard> Shortcuts.

• Use Grab to take a screenshot. Select Go> Applications> Utilities> Collect to open it, and then select Take Snapshot to take a screenshot. In macOS Mojave and later, Grab has been superseded by a new tool. You can access it by pressing Command + Shift + 5.
• Reset NVRAM to fix functionality and basic Mac applications.

Other Alternatives

Here are some alternatives to the Print Screen button:

• Use the built-in Use Snip & Sketch feature for Windows.
• Use tools like Snagit or Skitch to take great screenshots on Windows and Mac computers.

Get Print Screen Working Again

If you take a lot of screenshots, read our guides on how to take screenshots on your Chromebook, as well as helpful tips and tricks for taking screenshots on your Mac like a pro.

Leave a comment and let us know if this tutorial helped restore the Print Screen feature on your computer.

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How to Fix Print Screen Not Working on Windows 10

How to Fix Print Screen Not Working on Windows 10