Are you encountering " Print Screen not working" while trying to capture a screenshot on Windows 10 via Print Screen (PrtSc) key? Well don’t worry because you are not alone, many Windows 10 users have experienced the Print Screen feature suddenly stopped working and complained about the error on forum threads.
Well, this is indeed very disturbing but a common problem, if you are still dealing with Windows 10 screen capture not working issue or Print Screen key no longer working, then luckily for you, Right place.
In this article, you will learn how to fix the print screen button not working issue and how to take a screenshot on Windows 10 if you don’t quite know how.
But before diving into the fix, learn more about the Print Screen or PrtSc button.
What is the PrintScreen button and how to use it?
Print Screen key saves a bitmap image of the current screen or simply put, PrintScreen button is used to capture a screenshot to Windows by pressing Alt key Print Screen or PrtSc key Clipboard.
#It will capture the currently selected window. You can now paste the screenshot into any application like Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Paint, etc. and save the image.
However, while screen capture the Prt Sc button is also used to turn on high contrast mode by pressing Left Shift Left Alt Print Screen Keys.
Also in Windows 10 and Windows 8, press Windows key PrtSc key to capture a screenshot and save the screenshot to disk (default image location).
Having said that, it is obvious that the Print Screen key is very useful, but as mentioned above, in many cases, the Print Screen button does not work in Windows 10 for many users.
So let’s see what is causing the problem and we will fix it later.
Why doesn't my print screen work in Windows 10?
Well, the Windows 10 Print Screen not working problem occurs due to several unexpected reasons:
- Interference from third-party applications
- Installed for the keyboard Outdated or incorrect drivers
- Blocking screenshots if the F Mode key or F Lock key on the keyboard is enabled
- If your Windows is out of date
- Or due to security policy.
So, these are some of the common causes of print screen not working Windows 10 issue.
Now learn how to fix the problem and start taking screenshots in Windows 10.
What to do if your print screen key doesn't work in Windows 10?
As mentioned above, the print screen button does not work properly for no particular reason, so you need to give possible solutions to the problem:
Initial Fix
Well, don’t get confused, first learn how to take a screenshot on Windows 10. Doing so will not only allow you to capture the screen on your Windows 10 computer, but it will also resolve the Windows 10 print screen not working issue.
- First check if your keyboard is connected properly and then restart your PC.
- Then after restarting, press Windows key PrtSc key and check if the print screen key works.
- If not, please press the Print Screen (PrtSc) key> to open Paint > And use Ctrl V key to paste the captured screenshot.
- If it still doesn't work, press the Fn PrtSc button and check if the print screen doesn't work properly, If the problem is solved, relax, move on and follow the next solution.
Stop running programs in the background
Well, as mentioned before, many apps that run in the background (such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Snippet Tool etc.) may cause Print Screen key issue and prevent taking screenshot on your computer/laptop.
So, it is recommended to check whether these programs are running in the background and then close them. Please follow the steps given:
- First, press Ctrl Shift Esc key > to open the Task Manager.
- Then, right-click Programs > and select End Task to close them. Now that the program is closed, try using the screenshot hotkey in Windows 10.
- Check if F mode or F lock key is enabled on your keyboard. Check if there is an F Mode key or F Lock key on your keyboard, that is what blocks the Print Screen key from taking screenshots on Windows 10.
It causes Print Screen not working Windows 10 issue, so to enable or allow Printscreen key to work again, press - F Lock key or F Mode key again.
Update Keyboard Driver
As mentioned earlier, outdated or incorrect keyboard drivers may cause issues with Windows 10 print screen not working properly.
So, in this case, try updating your keyboard driver to resolve the issue. Please follow the steps given:
Press the - Windows X key > and select Device Manager from the list that appears to open it.
Now- expand the Keyboards directory andright-clickStandard PS/2 Keyboard > SelectUpdate driver.
and select "- Search automatically for updated driver software"> Wait for Windows to automatically search and install the latest driver .
After completing the entire process>- Restart your PC and check if you can fix the Prtsc button no longer working issue is resolved.
But if you still encounter problems, please follow the steps below and try updating the keyboard driver again.
Here you need to - Visit the driver's manufacturer website and download the necessary driver. Check if the downloaded file is compressed > Then extract the driver files.
##After that>
Open Device Manager- > Expand Keyboard>Right click on Standard PS/2 Keyboard> and selectUpdate Driver.
Then select "
Browse my computer for driver software- ".
Then click "
Let me choose- from a list of available drivers on my computer."
Finally, select the new driver from the list > click
And
restart- PC to save changes.
Now try to capture a screenshot using Print Screen key and check if the Print Screen not working Windows 10 issue is fixed.
Run the hardware troubleshooter for your keyboard
The Windows 10 operating system has many built-in troubleshooters to overcome common Windows problems.
Therefore, you can run the built-in hardware troubleshooter as the problem may be related to a misconfigured keyboard. Follow these steps:
Press the
Windows key- > and type Troubleshooter> in the search box and click in the list that appears Troubleshooting Settings.
- On the right side of the window > find Keyboard and click to run this troubleshooter.
Next, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process
After completing the scanning process, verify whether the Print Screen command starts in Windows 10 in operation.
Update your Windows 10 operating system
Updating Windows 10 is always a good idea to resolve various issues, so check if your Windows 10 is up to date here.
So, follow these steps to update Windows 10 with the latest updates:
- Press Windows Key I > Open Settings > Then click Update & Security.
- Now under the update status > click on the Check for updates option. If there are any updates available for your PC/Laptop > then install the updates.
- Then restart your computer.
Using Hotkey Combinations
Well, there are certain screenshot hotkeys in Windows 10 that you can try if pressing the PrtSc key doesn’t work for you.
Try the following given hotkey combinations:
- Press Alt key PrintScreen key : This will capture the currently selected window and allow it to be saved by drawing or Save screenshots with any other editing application.
- Press WinKey PrintScreen key: It saves the image to the default image location on disk.
- If using a laptop, use Fn WinKey PrintScreen.
Use Snipping Tool
If none of the above fixes resolve the Windows 10 print screen not working issue and it is not working properly on your computer To capture screenshots, use an alternative - Snipping Tool.
Well, this is a Windows built-in tool that allows you to take a screenshot of the entire currently active portion of the screen. Please follow the steps given to use it:
- Click on the Windows S key> and in the search box, type snipping tool > from Click an application in the list to launch it.
Now click - Mode and select the appropriate screenshot mode from the popup menu.
It is now expected that you can start using the Print Screen command in Windows 10 without any issues.
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