Snipping Tool Not Working on Windows 10 or 11? Fixes and an Alternative
Snipping Tool is the screenshot app built into Windows. Sometimes it stops opening, ignores Win + Shift + S, or takes a screenshot you can't find afterwards. Here is what to check, in order — and what to use instead when you want a screenshot as a link, not just on the clipboard.
How to fix Snipping Tool
- Restart it and Explorer. Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) → find Snipping Tool → End task. Restart Windows Explorer from the same list. This fixes most cases where Win + Shift + S stops responding.
- Check notifications. Win + Shift + S puts the screenshot on the clipboard and shows it in a notification. With notifications off or Do Not Disturb on, it looks as if nothing happened. Settings → System → Notifications — turn them on for Snipping Tool.
- Repair or reset the app. Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Snipping Tool → Advanced options → Repair, then Reset if that doesn't help.
- Update Windows and Snipping Tool. Some failures come with updates — check Windows Update and the Microsoft Store.
- Check what owns PrintScreen. OneDrive, Dropbox, Lightshot and other tools take over the key. If PrintScreen doesn't open Snipping Tool on Windows 11, look at Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard.
- Games. Fullscreen games often block Snipping Tool; switch the game to borderless windowed or use Win + Alt + PrintScreen (Xbox Game Bar).
Why people replace Snipping Tool
Even when it works, Snipping Tool has limits:
- No link. To send a screenshot to a chat or support, you save it, find the file and attach it — five steps every time.
- No history. A screenshot you took yesterday and didn't save is gone.
- A basic editor. Pen, highlighter and crop. No arrows, boxes, numbered steps or blur for personal data.
Shot2Net: a Snipping Tool alternative with links
- PrintScreen, and the link is on your clipboard. Select a region — it's uploaded and the link is copied. Paste it anywhere.
- Works on Windows 11. Shot2Net captures PrintScreen itself, so Snipping Tool no longer pops up. Alt + PrintScreen grabs the active window, Ctrl + PrintScreen the whole screen; shortcuts can be changed.
- An editor for how-tos. Arrow, line, rectangle, ellipse, highlighter, pencil, numbered steps, text, blur and pixelate, crop.
- History. Every screenshot stays on your PC, and you can copy its link again at any time.
- Works offline. Copying and saving to a folder need no cloud.
- Video. On the Pro plan — record a region or the full screen to MP4 and share it as a link (no audio).
| Snipping Tool | Shot2Net | |
|---|---|---|
| Region, window, full screen | yes | yes |
| Link on the clipboard right after capture | no | yes |
| Screenshot history | no | yes |
| Arrows, boxes, numbered steps | no | yes |
| Blur personal data | no | yes |
| Screen recording | yes, to a file | yes, as a link (Pro) |
FAQ
Can I use Shot2Net and Snipping Tool together? Yes. Shot2Net takes PrintScreen; Win + Shift + S still opens Snipping Tool.
Is Shot2Net free? Yes. Screenshots, the editor, copying and saving are free and need no account. The cloud is free too: without an account files are kept for 7 days, with a free account — 30 days.
Where does Shot2Net save screenshots? On your computer, in Pictures\Shot2Net. Only what you upload goes to the cloud.
How do I give PrintScreen back to Snipping Tool? Quit Shot2Net or change its shortcut in Settings.
More on the built-in options: how to take a screenshot on Windows.