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6 Ways to Fix Snipping Tool Not Working on Windows 11

Quick Tips
  • The Snipping Tool can malfunction such reasons as temporary app glitches, insufficient permissions to operate in the background, or corrupt app files.
  • Try restarting the Snipping Tool app or your PC to see if that helps.
  • Consider resetting or reinstalling the Snipping Tool if the issue persists.

Fix 1: Ensure Snipping Tool Notifications Are Enabled

Snipping Tool may fail to show screenshots after capturing them if you have turned off its notification permission. Hence, it’s the first thing you should check.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and head to System > Notifications.

Notifications on Windows 11

Step 2: Scroll through the list to locate the Snipping Tool and enable the toggle next to it.

Enable Snipping Tool Notifications on Windows

Fix 2: Disable Do Not Disturb

Have you enabled Do not disturb mode on your Windows PC? If so, Snipping Tool notification won’t appear. Here’s how to turn it off.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and head to System > Notifications.

Step 2: Turn off the toggle for Do not disturb.

Disable Do Not Disturb on Windows 11

Fix 3: Allow the Snipping Tool to Run in the Background

Snipping Tool may fail to respond to its keyboard shortcut if the app does not have the necessary permission to run in the background. Here’s what you can do to change that.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and head to Apps > Installed apps.

Installed Apps on Windows

Step 2: Scroll through the list to locate the Snipping Tool app. Click the three-dot menu icon next to it and select Advanced options.

Advanced Options for Snipping Tool

Step 3: Under Background apps permissions, use the drop-down menu to select Always.

Allow Snipping Tool to Run in the Background

Exit the Settings app and press the Windows key + Shift + S on your keyboard to access the Snipping Tool.

Fix 4: Repair or Reset the App

Apps on Windows 11 are bound to encounter problems occasionally. Thankfully, your Windows PC can repair most app-related issues on its own. Here’s how to repair the Snipping Tool app on Windows 11.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu. Type snipping tool in the text box, right-click on the first result, and select App settings from the list.

Open Snipping Tool App Settings on Windows

Step 2: Scroll down to the Reset section and click the Repair button.

Repair Snipping Tool on Windows

If the problem persists, try resetting it from the same menu. Doing so will delete all the app data and reset app configurations.

Select reset to reset snipping tool

Fix 5: Reinstall the Snipping Tool App

If repairing or resetting the Snipping Tool does not work, try reinstalling the app on your Windows 11 PC to get it working. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu.

Step 2: Type snipping tool in the text box. Right-click on the first result and select Uninstall.

Uninstall Snipping Tool in Windows 11

Step 3: Hit Uninstall to confirm.

Confirm Uninstall Snipping Tool in Windows 11

Step 4: Open the Microsoft Store on your PC to download and install Snipping Tool.

Fix 6: ‌Enable Automatic Date and Time

This may seem strange, but if your Windows 11 PC is set to an incorrect date or time, apps like Snipping Tool may fail to work. To avoid such issues, enable the automatic date and time feature on Windows by following the steps below.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app. In the Time & language tab, click on Date & time.

Date and Time Settings on Windows

Step 2: Enable the toggle next to Set time automatically.

Set Date and Time Automatically on Windows

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Last updated on 07 May, 2024

2 Comments

  1. Or we can uninstall the Snip tool and install a third-party app. Nice work Microsoft; they borked so many things in Windows 11.

  2. Step one should be to make sure your Notifications are turned on. A Microsoft update turned them off and I couldn’t figure out why my screenshot wasn’t popping up. Turned Notifications back on and it was working again.

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