Has your screen key failed you when you wanted to capture a screenshot? You have every reason to be frustrated but don’t give up yet. All you need to do is identify the issue you’re facing and try one of these 6 easy fixes:
Try These Easy Solutions:
- Update Your Keyboard’s Driver
- Check Whether Your Print Screen Key Is Enabled
- Stop All Running Programs
- Update Your Computer’s Operating System
- Use Hotkey Combinations
- Use an Alternative Tool
#1: Update Your Keyboard’s Driver
You ought to try this solution if you’re working with an incorrect or old driver. If this is the case, then you can go on ahead and manually update your driver or, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can also use Driver Easy to have this done automatically.
Driver Easy can automatically inspect your system and diagnose your driver issues. In doing so, you wouldn’t have to know what system your computer is running on, or risk downloading incorrect drivers or even making a mistake in the installation process.
All you need to do is automatically update your driver via the Pro or Free Version of Driver Easy. The only difference between the two is that the Pro Version will take 2 more clicks and will get you a 30-day money back guarantee and full online support.
Here’s what you need to do in either version:
Step 1: Download Driver Easy and install it onto your computer
Step 2: Launch Driver Easy and click on the large green button that reads ‘Scan Now’. Upon doing so, Driver Easy will begin scanning your computer to automatically detect problematic drivers.
Step 3: When Driver Easy’s scan results return with a flagged keyboard driver, click on the ‘Update’ button to automatically start a download of the correct driver.
Alternatively, the Pro Version will allow you to ‘Update All’ flagged drivers that may be out of date or missing from your system.
Step 4: Once the download is complete, you should restart your system and try the Print Screen key to check whether it works.
#2: Check Whether Your Print Screen Key Is Enabled
Have a look at your keyboard and try to find an F Mode or F Lock key. If such keys aren’t present on your keyboard then you can skip this fix. However, if you can find either of these keys, try one of them and then check whether your Print Screen key works.
The F Mode and F Lock keys are meant to disable Print Screen keys in computers.
#3: Stop All Running Programs
Some programs like the Snipping Tool, Dropbox and OneDrive have the ability to take over your system’s Print Screen key. For this reason, you should try closing all running programs on your system and then check to see whether you can capture screen.
#4: Update Your Computer’s Operating System
Another fix will require you to check whether your computer’s operating system is up-to-date. To do so, here’s what you will have to do: Step 1: Launch you Start Menu and then type ‘Windows Update’ in the search box. When the search returns, click on ‘Windows Update’ (if you’re working on Windows 7) or ‘Check for Updates’ if you’re already working with Windows 10.
Step 2: Either way, if Windows Updates are available, then you can go ahead and install them in your system. Once the installation is complete, go ahead and try your Print Screen key again.
#5: Use Hotkey Combinations
If your Print Screen key doesn’t seem to work, your system might require hotkey combinations to get the job done. These combinations usually vary from system to system but chances are that the following may solve your problem.
- Alt key + PrtScn: This combination will capture the entire screen and save a copy to the clipboard. You can use Paint or any other editing application to paste the screenshot and save it for later use.
- WinKey + PrtScn: This combination will also capture a screenshot of the entire screen and will automatically save the image to a default screenshot folder on your disk.
Note: If you’re working on a laptop, chances are that your hotkey combinations will also include the Fn key. For example, Fn + Alt key + PrtScn or Fn+ WinKey + PrtScn or Fn + PrtScn.
#6: Use an Alternative Tool
If none of the above methods seem to get the job done, then you can easily capture your intended screen with the Windows built-in Snipping Tool. This tool was also recently updated to offer users the chance to capture many different kinds of screenshots like capturing a particular window or a rectangular area within an open window.
To use this tool, follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch the Start menu or press ‘WinKey + S’ and then type ‘Snipping Tool’. When the search results return with an icon of scissors, click on it to launch the tool.
Step 2: When the rectangular window is open on your screen, click on Mode and then choose any of the screenshot options from the pop-up menu.
● Capturing a Free-Form Snip
A free-form snip lets you draw a free-hand shape around a window or your desktop to take a screenshot. To begin, right click and hold (preferably) on top of the area you would like to select and begin drawing the free-hand shape. When you release your mouse, the selected area will be snipped and displayed on the Snipping Tool clipboard.
● Capturing a Rectangular Snip
A rectangular snip is the default option and can automatically be used when you click on New. When you do so, you can take a snippet of anything on your desktop or window in the shape of a rectangle. To begin, right click and hold your mouse and drag it to cover the desired area of the screenshot.
● Capturing a Window Snip
Clicking on Window Snip will allow you to capture any open window on your screen. After setting this mode, click on ‘New’ and drag your cursor over to the window you would like to capture. Click on this window and your screenshot will be copied onto the clipboard.
● Capturing a Full-Screen Snip
This particular snip requires just one click. After you have switched to the Full-Screen Snip mode, just click on New and the screenshot of your entire screen will be copied to the clipboard.
