We will tell you how to fix Windows Shift S Not Working. Imagine coming across something interesting on your laptop, desktop computer, or smartphone that you want to share with others.
You may share this exciting information with others more effectively and efficiently if you take screenshots as soon as possible.
Additionally, screenshots may be helpful in various situations, such as reporting logistical information to support personnel in the form of error messages, recording an exhilarating moment during your gaming session, capturing images that cannot be saved, and so forth.
If you love taking screenshots on your Windows 10 PC, you might also know about the Snip and Sketch Tool (also known as the snipping tool).
It’s a universal app for your Windows computer (Your Windows 10 must have the Creator’s Update installed to use the screenshot utility snipping software), which can be accessed by pressing the Windows 10 screenshot Windows + Shift + S shortcut on your keyboard.
But in some unique cases reported by users worldwide, Windows key Shift S not working has left people puzzled and pondering for a solution.
Therefore, through this focused and comprehensive tutorial, we will go through various methods on How to fix Windows + Shift + S not working issue on Windows 10 and 11.
Why is Windows + Shift + S Not Working on your computer screen?
According to some user reports submitted on online forums, we have culminated the data and equated a probable cause for such an irritating issue. The reasons why the Windows Shift S, not working issue occurs on your system are given below:
- Shortcut conflict with different software installed in your Windows 10 system (such as OneNote 2016)
- The shortcut key Windows + Shift + S is not enabled globally for taking snapshots.
- Your Windows + Shift + S shortcut command might fail to get registered inside the system due to a fault with your keyboard.
- The Snip & Sketch media creation tool might be unresponsive.
- If you have a game controller plugged into your Windows system, it might create a conflict with the keyboard shortcut.
How to Fix Windows + Shift + S Not Working Issue?
- Enable the Clipboard History Windows feature
- Enable the Snip & Sketch Screenshot Utility
- Reset the Snip & Sketch Media creation tool
- Physically Clean Your Keyboard Keys
- Use OneNote’s System Tray Icon for Screen Clipping
- Use the Print Screen key if Windows key + Shift + S is not working
- Uninstall Snip & Sketch and Install it Again
- Change the default OneNote Screenshot Hotkey Via Regedit to prevent clashing
- Disable the Global Windows + Shift + S Hotkey Using Regedit
- Unplug your USB Devices and Plug Them In Again
- Perform a System Restore to fix Windows + Shift + S not working issue
After looking at why the “Windows Shift S not working” issue arises, we have devised several simple methods to troubleshoot the Snipping Tool on your computer.
You can be assured that after applying these methods on your side, you can again use Windows + Shift + S to capture an illustrative snapshot of your display screen. Follow the procedures given below serially, and make sure to skip to the next one if the current method doesn’t work.
1. Enable the Clipboard History Windows feature
The clipboard history windows feature plays a crucial role in the operation of the Snip and Sketch snapshot tool.
The Windows Key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut might fail to capture a portion of your computer screen and transfer it to your clipboard if the Clipboard History is not enabled correctly. Follow the steps below to enable clipboard history for the snipping tool:
- Head over to the Start Menu on your Windows computer, and click on the Gear icon on the left sidebar to open the Settings menu.
- Please get to the System category by left-clicking on it.
- Again on the left sidebar, you will see System settings for different categories of Windows, such as Display, Sound, etc.
- Select the Clipboard option from the left side pane.
- The right side displays different clipboard settings. Toggle the Clipboard History feature to the right for enabling it.
- Close the Windows Settings window and Restart the system to confirm all the changes.
- You can now use the Windows + Shift + S keyboard button to open the screenshot utility. Access clipboard history by pressing Windows key + V to view and use previously copied snapshots easily .
2. Enable the Snip & Sketch Screenshot Utility
It might seem futile when the Snip and Sketch Tool does not appear after pressing the Windows + Shift + S buttons on your keyboard, but it can also indicate that notification for the Snipping Tool is disabled.
When the Windows Shift S keys are pressed in succession, a notification similar to the one given below is supposed to appear at the bottom right corner of your screen.
The message is essential for further modification of the screenshot image, and these options can be enabled through the steps given below:
- I was hoping you could get to the Windows Settings menu through the shortcut keys Windows + I.
- Head over to the System category on the front page of Windows Settings.
- From the various options on the left side panel, click on Notifications & actions.
- The page on the right-hand side displays the notification settings for the apps installed on your Windows system.
- Among the installed application list under “Get Notifications from these senders,” find the Snip & Sketch system app, and check if its notifications are enabled.
- If not, slide the toggle to the right side to completely enable it.
- Close the Windows Settings window to confirm changes.
- Try taking a screenshot of the display screen if Windows + Shift + S keys are working.
3. Reset the settings of the Snip & Sketch Media creation tool
Like any other system or desktop app in Windows 10, the Snip & Sketch tool has its application and user settings controlled by the Windows 10 OS.
In its default state, the Windows key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut triggers a screenshot response inside the Snip & Sketch app, and a sketch window appears for you to chalk out your desired portion of the display screen.
But in the long run, some external software might change these settings. Therefore, you need to follow the steps below to reset the Snip & Sketch user settings and restore them to their normal functioning state:
- Open the Windows Settings window by pressing the Windows + X shortcut keys on your keyboard and pressing the N button separately.
- Once inside the Settings menu, click on the Apps category from the main page.
- You will be taken directly to the Apps & Features section on the next page, where all the installed software is listed alphabetically.
- Find the Snip & Sketch application from this list after scrolling down.
- After clicking on the app, click on Advanced options under the Snip & Sketch app title.
- On the subsequent Snip and Sketch app setting page, click on Reset under the Reset section.
- Click on Reset again from the warning popup that appears below.
- After resetting the snipping tool, restart your PC to confirm the changes, and use the Windows + Shift + S hotkeys again to see if they work correctly.
4. Physically Clean Your Keyboard Keys
The “Windows Shift S is not working” problem might occur due to unwanted sand or food particles being trapped under your keyboard keys, and whenever the keys are pressed, the keypress action is not triggered.
Therefore, it becomes necessary for us to maintain our keyboards, especially those on our laptops since they are much more prone to damage than desktop or mechanical ones.
Follow the tips given below for making your keyboard squeaky clean:
- Attach a narrow nozzle to your vacuum cleaner to suck out any particle from your keyboard. Set the vacuum speed to as lowest as possible to avoid damage.
- Take a soft brush and gently brush off the particles present around the keyboard buttons.
- Consult your technician to replace your keyboard if the keyboard button isn’t responding.
5. Use OneNote’s System Tray Icon for Screen Clipping
If you are a OneNote 2016 user, you might not need to use the Windows + Shift + S key to capture snapshots.
Alternately, you may program OneNote 2016 to automatically take a picture whenever you click on its system tray icon.
The steps given below will demonstrate how to take a screenshot on your Windows computer through OneNote’s system tray icon:
- Make sure OneNote is running on your computer.
- In the system tray, right-click the OneNote icon. This will open the context menu for that icon. You might have to click the notification area’s up arrow to right-click that icon.
- Click on “Take a screenshot” on the context menu.
- Then, you can choose an area to take a picture of, and the Select Location in the OneNote window will open.
- To take a picture, you can click the OneNote system tray icon. Then, you can open the Select Location in the OneNote window.
- If you can’t find OneNote’s system tray icon, right-click on the Win 10 taskbar and choose Taskbar settings from the drop-down list. Click Select which icons show up on the taskbar to open a list of icons like the one shown above. Make the Send to OneNote Tool icon show up in the system tray and toggle it to the right.
6. Use the Print Screen key if Windows key + Shift + S is not working
The Snipping application allows the usage of the PrtScn / PrintScrn / PrintScreen button on the keyboard to open the Snip and sketch window.
The Print Screen method for taking snapshots of your computer screen is a unique accessibility feature of Windows, and you can enable this through the following steps:
- Open Windows Settings from the gear button of the Start Menu.
- Inside the main screen of the Settings window, click on Ease of Access.
- Click on the Keyboard option from the left sidebar.
- On the right page, scroll down the keyboard settings and find the option to Use the PrtScn button to open screen snipping.
- Turn the feature on by toggling the box underneath.
- You can now press the PrtScn button to capture a screenshot.
7. Uninstall Snip & Sketch and Install it Again
If resetting the user settings of the Snipping tool didn’t work out, you can use the steps given in this method for fixing the Windows key + Shift + S Not working issue:
- Open Windows Settings by pressing this shortcut key: Windows Key + I
- Once inside the Settings menu, click on the Apps category from the main page.
- You will be taken directly to the Apps & Features section on the next page, where all the installed software is listed alphabetically.
- Find the Snip & Sketch application from this list after scrolling down.
- Click on it to expand its options, and press Uninstall to delete the screenshot utility from your system.
- Open the Microsoft App store, and install the Snip & Sketch application again.
8. Change the default OneNote Screenshot Hotkey Via Regedit to prevent clashing
Some users have reported that adjusting the keyboard shortcut for the OneNote 2016 hotkey for screen clippings has resolved the issue. OneNote does not come with any built-in choices for configuring hotkeys, which is a shame. As a result, you’ll need to adjust its hotkey using the Registry Editor, the steps of which you can get here:
- Open the Registry Editor by typing Regedit inside the Run dialog box (Windows + R) and pressing Enter.
- Search the key inside the Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OneNote\Options\Other- Select the Other folder from the left side.
- Right-click on a space on the right pane.
- Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value to make a new entry.
- Inside the Title bar, type ScreenClippingShortcutKey
- Double-click on it to edit its value.
- Type 5A inside the value box (which sets the shortcut to Windows+Shift+Z)
- Click on OK to confirm changes, and restart your computer to see if the Windows + Shift + S Not Working issue is fixed.
9. Disable the Global Windows + Shift + S Hotkey Using Regedit
As an alternative, you may deactivate the global Windows + S hotkey, which will prevent the Snipping Tool from opening when you hit the Windows key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut combination.
- Open the Registry Editor by typing Regedit inside the Run dialog box (Windows + R) and pressing Enter.
- Search the key inside the Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced- Right-click on the Advanced folder in the left sidebar.
- Select New > String Value.
- Use DisabledHotkeys as the title for the new registry value.
- Double-click to open it, enter S in the Value data field, and press OK to confirm
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
10. Unplug your USB Devices and Plug Them In Again
Many users have faced the problem of Windows Shift S Not Working when a game controller is connected to their computer via a USB port. Here is how to fix the issue:
- Disconnect any USB device connected to your computer.
- After disconnecting, restart your computer.
- Connect them after the computer boots up to fix the Snipping tool shortcut error with ease.
11. Perform a System Restore to fix Windows + Shift + S not working issue
You might try restoring your system to an earlier state when the Win + Shift + S (Snipping tool) was operational if none of the previously mentioned techniques were effective. Follow the steps given below to perform a perfect System Restore operation:
- Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows Key + R hotkeys.
- Type strut inside the Run box and press Enter to launch the System Restore Utility.
- Inside the System Restore window, click on Next.
- Select a System Restore point, whichever one is preferable for you.
- Click Next to confirm your resort point choice.
- Press the Finish button to begin the restoration process.
- Your PC will automatically reboot and begin its restoration process on the next boot. Once everything is complete, you can try checking if the Windows + Shift + S Not Working issue has been fixed.