12 Fixes For Print Screen Not Working On Windows (2023)

Are you running into a print screen not working issues? You’ve come to the right place. Many users face this abrupt issue which puts them on edge. You might think it is as simple as replacing the keyboard, but that might not be the case.

The Print Screen button and function seem so insignificant, yet a lot of us use it. Whenever we need to capture an image on our computers, we use the Print Src button.

It is easy to copy the screen to your clipboard and then paste it anywhere. Many people use it to capture Screen Shots and paste them into the Paint to save an image.

With this guide, you will easily find the reason behind the print screen button not working. Furthermore, you will learn how to solve the issue, depending on the type of problem you’re facing.

This is your one-stop solution with hand-picked fixes for the issues. From workarounds to complete fixes, let’s begin exploring the options:

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Why Is My Print Screen Button Not Working Windows 10?

There can be many reasons for the Print Screen button not to work:

It could be a hardware issue. Check the USB cable or PS2 cable connectivity. Make sure that your driver supports it.
If you’re using a Bluetooth keyboard, check for the batteries and such.
Make sure that there hasn’t been any physical damage to the keyboard. This applies to any spill or liquid damage from water and such.
You might have some essential Windows 10 updates pending.
Sometimes, the latest or outdated drivers can cause the issue, so it is worth checking out.
Make sure that you are using the correct hotkeys for your Laptop or PC manufacturer. Often, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba, and such have different shortcut keys.
Check and see if some third-party app is causing the problem.
If you’re using third-party screenshot capturing tools, you may face a similar issue.
Check for potential viruses and malware.
If you use Cloud storage, that place is worth checking out as well.

You will find solutions and other guides related to all these problems below. Remember, if none of these solutions works, you might want to reset the Windows.

Solutions For Print Screen Not Working In Windows

Stop A Few Background Apps
Check The Screenshot Save Location
Check The Function Key And Keyboard’s Keys
Update The Drivers For Keyboard
Use The Troubleshooter For Hardware
Use The On-Screen Keyboard
Use The Game Bar To Capture Screenshots
Check For The Updates For The Operating System
Check The F-Lock Key
Check The One Drive Settings
Try The Registry Editor Fix
Try To Use Some Alternative Tools

1. Stop A Few Background Apps

Some segments in your PC will prevent you from taking the screenshots. The background apps like OneDrive and Dropbox can prevent you from taking screenshots. This also applies to third-party screen capture programs like Snippet Tool or Prntsrc. Most of these apps could have a default override program.

So, it is a good idea to start closing each app that you have. Do this for each app step-by-step and check the Print Screen button each time. This will help you learn if any background app is the culprit for the function not working.

If you find the culprit app, you can choose to keep it closed or uninstall it permanently. It is a good idea to run your system in a Safe Mode to see if the Print Screen Functioning is working there. If so, you can resume and repeat the steps until you find the problem-causing app.

Use CTRL + Shift + ESC. This will open the Task Manager
Now, right-click on the programs and select End Task. Do this only for the non-essential programs.

You can also try to clean boot the PC. It is also known as the Safe-Mode mentioned above. Just follow these steps:

Press Windows + R key and type msconfig. Hit the enter. This will open the System Configuration window.
Now, go to the General tab and find the Selective Startup section. Uncheck the ‘Load Startup Items’ in the section. Keep the ‘Load System Services’ checked on.
Now, go to the Services tab and check on ‘Hide All Microsoft Services.’
After that, you will find a couple of services on the list that isn’t Microsoft Essential. Click on Disable All option. Then select open.
Now restart the PC.
After that, use the Print Screen button and see if it is working

If it works, then the problem is indeed some application or tool.

2. Check The Screenshot Save Location

Sometimes, the third-party apps, especially Cloud Storages, would save the screenshot separately. Other tools like Snippet or PrntSrc, often keep them in your database. As a result, you might not have the Print Screen function working as well as you think it should.

So, it is a good idea to check out if you have any cloud service or third-party screen capture tool. Check if you are saving the screenshots there by mistake. You can also access your Pictures folder in the ‘This PC’ or ‘Documents’ option. See if there is a screenshot folder, then check if it is storing your screenshots.

3. Check The Function Key And Keyboard’s Keys

Before you move to another solution, it is wise to check for hardware errors. If you’re using the keyboard of your laptop, also try to use the Fn Key, also known as the function key.

Depending on the manufacturers, many prnt src buttons work only with the Fn key. It is the same as pressing CTRL + C to copy something. So, give it a try. You can change the function key’s use by going into the laptop’s settings.

Meanwhile, if you’re using the keyboard with the computer, try other shortcut keys. If that doesn’t work, use the notepad or word app. In there, press each key on your keyboard individually.

Check to see if each key is working or not. If it is working, then it should be fine. Otherwise, the problem is with your keyboard. You might need a replacement.

Here are some shortcuts:

Fn + Print Screen.
Windows + Print Screen Key
Alt + Print Screen Key
CTRL + Print Screen Key

4. Update The Drivers For Keyboard

Often, many Windows 10 issues are related to the driver’s updates. If you have tried other diagnoses and still find there to be a problem, start with drivers. Often, outdated or updated drivers can cause miscommunication between the system and hardware. Make sure that you’re using the manufacturer’s specific drivers for your keyboard.

In other words, check the manufacturer of your keyboard. Then visit their official website and download the driver from there. These are the most compatible drivers.

But, you can also update, disable, or roll back the keyboard driver. How? Follow these steps:

Right-click on the Window’s Icon at the bottom left corner. Select Device Manager from the list.
Then go to the Keyboards section and expand it. If there are too many drivers, you might want to right-click each. Then go to properties. There, you will find a Driver Tab. Click on it.
In the driver’s tab, there are various commands available for you. There is an Update Driver option. Click on it and select the automatic option to find and download drivers. If that doesn’t work, use the manual option, but you’d have to download driver files for that first.
If the drivers are already up to date, try the roll-back driver option. It sometimes works because your system might not be as advanced to handle the latest drivers.
You can also try to uninstall the driver and then restart the PC. After that, click on ‘Scan for Hardware Changes.’ The PC will download the relevant drivers.
Disabling and Enabling drivers works the same as restarting the Device. You can do it to relaunch the software driver.

5. Use The Troubleshooter For Hardware

If you haven’t had any luck so far, it comes down to using the troubleshooter. For the common problems in Windows, it is worth using the troubleshoot option. The built-in troubleshooting tools can prove to be highly effective for you:

Go to the Search bar at the bottom and type for the Control Panel.
Open the Control Panel and search for the Troubleshooter. It will give you Troubleshooting, as a result.
Click on it and find Hardware And Sound Troubleshooter.
If you scroll down, you will find the Keyboard on the list. Click on it and select ‘Run This Troubleshooter.’
Now, all you need to do is follow the on-screen introductions.
Once you follow through and finish with the instructions, check if the Keyboard is fine.

Use the Print Screen key and see if it is working. If not, you can try other solutions below.

6. Use The On-Screen Keyboard

This is also a great workaround. If you can’t seem to solve the problem so far, it is worth using the on-screen keyboard. If you’re incapable of buying a new keyboard, you can use this option.

It is a temporary solution, not a permanent one. So keep that in mind. The on-screen keyboard can still work while you use the external keyboard. All you will have to do is click on some buttons by using the mouse.

To launch the On-screen keyboard, go to the Search Bar below and search for ‘On-Screen Keyboard.’
It will show you the result. Now, click on it to launch it.
Now, as you can see, it replicates the original keyboard. You can use various commands on it.
If you use the options button, it will take you to other settings. Thus, you can customize it as well.

7. Use The Game Bar To Capture Screenshots

Another great workaround for you is to use the Game Bar. It is a built-in feature for Windows 10 users. With it, many gamers and users capture videos and screenshots of the gameplay on Windows 10. If you want to record screen or capture snaps, you can give it a try:

Press the Windows Key + G to open the Game Bar
In the top-left collection of tools, you will find an option to take a screenshot, also known as Screen Capture. Click on it.
Once you click on it, the screenshot will save. The location would be: This PC > Local Disk C > Username > User > Videos > Captures.

It is a great tool to keep in use when you have run out of any other option to take screenshots on your Windows 10 system.

8. Check For The Updates For The Operating System

There’s a possibility that you might have an error in updates. Getting faulty or broken updates can lead to several errors. It applies to something as simple as Print Screen not working. So, if you want, you can check this solution out, as it could help you fix the problem.

Press Windows + I key together and open Settings. There, you will find the ‘Update & Security’ option. Click on it. Go to Updates and click on ‘Check For Updates.’
After that, let it automatically install the updates. If this works, then great. Otherwise, if you’ve already updated, go to view the update history.
See if you can find an update from the time the Print Screen button stopped working. If there is any entry, click on it and select to uninstall the update.
Your PC will restart. But now, you can check and see if the print screen key is working. If it is, then great. But, if the print screen key is still not working, you can reinstall the latest updates.

9. Check The F-Lock Key

Many keyboards today come with an F-lock key. It is available on external keyboards that allow you to lock the F1 to F12 keys. Some users prefer it because they might trigger some functions by mistake.

F-lock key toggle can help the F1 to F12 keys use the actual functions they are meant for. After all, come multimedia keyboards also have other functions like mute, volume control, and so on. So, it helps in using the default F key functions.

Most laptops and keyboards come with Fn (function key) for this purpose. But, it could be possible that you have an additional F-lock key. It could hinder screenshot options. So, it is worth checking and toggling on or off.

10. Check The OneDrive Settings

As mentioned earlier, there is a possibility that your OneDrive will store the images. This can also happen with any other Cloud storage application or service that you use. So, it is wise to access the settings for them. As OneDrive is the default cloud storage, we will cover its settings. If you have some other cloud storage, check its settings.

Go to the Taskbar in the Bottom Right corner. Find the OneDrive icon and right-click on it.
Select settings and go to the Backup option. There you will find ‘Automatically Save Screenshots I Capture To OneDrive.’
Now, if it is checked, uncheck it. Or do the other way around to see if Print Screen Button is working or not.
Don’t forget to save the settings and exit.

Now check your Print Screen Button and see if it works fine.

11. Try The Registry Editor Fix

Often, if none of the solutions worked, you can solve it from Registry Editor. Now, modifying the registry can leave a positive or negative impact. So, make sure to make a system backup, restore point, and such before trying these. If you’ve tried everything else to find the Print Screen button, this should fall last on the priority.

Press Windows + R key and type regedit. Press Shift + Enter to Run As Administrator. As an admin, if you have set a password, it will ask for it. Once you provide it the admin permission, move ahead.
Go to the File option and search box. You can type the directory of the command line: Computer/HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer.
There, you will find a file, ‘ScreenshotIndex.’ It should be on the right side of the panel.
Now, if you can’t find the file, right-click on the panel and click on DWORD (32-bit). It should be a Value under the ‘New’ option.
Now, name it ‘ScreenshotIndex’, and after creating, double-click on it. Go to the Hexadecimal value data and set it to 4.
Next, go to another folder: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Find and open something like {B7BEDE81-DF94-4682-A7D8-57A52620B86F}
See what its value data is set to. Copy and paste this: %USERPROFILE%\Pictures\Screenshots.
If you can’t find any such file, use the New option and create a String Value File.
You can also change the Value (4 in the previous DWORD file to 395 and see if that works)

12. Try To Use Some Alternative Tools

You could try to use third-party tools if nothing has worked so far. There is a Prntsrc tool and a Snippet tool. The Snippet tool is quite popular. Yet, the PrntSrc tool is very easy-going and smooth on any system. You can also try TinyPNG and other similar tools.

If you’re already using them, then remove them. Often, PrntSrc comes with short-cut keys. It has one to capture images, and another to upload them to the site for the URL. So, check for it to make sure that it is not active.

Conclusion – Print Screen Button On Keyboard Not Working

Now you have the complete list of solutions for the print screen button not working. You can try and use this for various devices like the Lenovo print screen button not working. It applies to the print screen button not working on Lenovo ThinkPad and other models.

Some people also face issues with the ‘insert print screen button not working.’ This is for the snipper or prntsrc tool. So, check out their respective settings. At best, you can also use these steps to access the lightshot print screen button not working issue.

Hopefully, you found the guide worthwhile in that it helped you fix the issues. So, go ahead and fix your print screen key forever.