Snipping Tool Not Opening on Windows 11

You press Win+Shift+S, but nothing happens. Or you click the Snipping Tool icon in the Start menu, and it just hangs for a second, then closes. Maybe you get a blank white window that never loads. This usually happens right after a Windows 11 update — especially the big feature updates like 22H2 or 23H2.

The most common cause is a corrupt cache file inside the app's storage. Windows updates sometimes mess up the permissions on those cache folders, and the app can't read or write to them anymore. Another common cause is that the shortcut key gets reassigned by another app — like a screen recorder or a clipboard manager.

Here's the fix. Follow these steps in order. Do not skip any.

Step 1: Reset the Snipping Tool app

This clears the cache and resets the app's settings. You won't lose your saved screenshots — those are saved as separate image files in your Pictures folder.

1. Open Settings. Press the Windows key, type "Settings", and press Enter.
2. Go to Apps on the left sidebar, then click Installed apps.
3. In the search box at the top, type "Snipping Tool".
4. Click the three dots (⋯) on the right side of the Snipping Tool entry.
5. Select Advanced options.
6. Scroll down to the Reset section. You'll see two buttons: Reset and Repair.
7. Click the Reset button first. A warning pops up saying it will delete app data. Click Reset again to confirm.
8. Wait 10 seconds. You should see a checkmark appear next to Reset.

After this, try opening Snipping Tool again. Use the Start menu or press Win+Shift+S. If it still doesn't work, move to Step 2.

Step 2: Repair the Snipping Tool app

If reset didn't fix it, the app files themselves might be damaged. The Repair option can fix that without deleting your settings.

1. Go back to the same Advanced options page for Snipping Tool (Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Snipping Tool > Advanced options).
2. In the Reset section, click the Repair button (not Reset).
3. Wait for it to finish — you'll see a checkmark. This takes about 5 seconds.

Now try Win+Shift+S again. If it still doesn't open, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Re-register the Snipping Tool app with PowerShell

This is the nuclear option. It removes and re-installs the app's package registration. You need to run a command. Don't worry — it's safe if you copy it exactly.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin). If you get a User Account Control prompt, click Yes.
2. Copy and paste this command exactly (right-click in the PowerShell window to paste):

Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.ScreenSketch* | Reset-AppxPackage

3. Press Enter. You'll see a progress bar that finishes in a few seconds. If it says "Reset-AppxPackage" completed successfully, you're good.
4. Close PowerShell and restart your computer.

After restart, test Snipping Tool again. This command fixes about 90% of stubborn cases.

Step 4: Check if another app is stealing the Win+Shift+S shortcut

Some apps — like ShareX, Greenshot, OBS, or even some clipboard managers — can grab the Win+Shift+S key combination before Windows gets it. If you have any of those installed, they might be the problem.

Temporarily close those apps. Right-click their icon in the system tray (near the clock) and choose Exit or Quit. Then try Win+Shift+S again.

If that works, you have two choices:

• Change the shortcut key inside that app to something else (like Ctrl+Shift+S).
• Or uninstall the other app if you don't need it.

Step 5: Make sure the Snipping Tool shortcut key is enabled

Windows 11 has a toggle that controls whether the Win+Shift+S shortcut works at all. Sometimes updates flip it off.

1. Open Settings (Win + I).
2. Go to Accessibility on the left sidebar.
3. Click Keyboard.
4. Scroll down to the Print Screen shortcut section.
5. Make sure the toggle for Use the Print Screen key to open screen capture is set to On.

This toggle also controls the Win+Shift+S shortcut. If it's off, neither works.

What to check if it still fails

If none of the above works, here are three more things to check:

• Run Windows Update. Go to Settings > Windows Update and click "Check for updates". Sometimes Microsoft releases a fix for the Snipping Tool through a patch. Install any pending updates and restart.
• Check for corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as admin (right-click Start > Windows Terminal (Admin)), then run sfc /scannow. Let it finish, then restart. This can fix deeper Windows file problems that affect the Snipping Tool.
• Create a new Windows user profile. If the issue only happens on your current user account, the profile might be damaged. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account. Test Snipping Tool on the new profile. If it works there, you know the old profile is the problem.

If you've tried all this and the Snipping Tool still won't open, consider using the Print Screen key method instead. Press the Print Screen key (PrtScn) on your keyboard, and it should open the same capture toolbar. If even that doesn't work, you might have a deeper Windows issue that needs a repair install or a full reset.

But honestly — 9 times out of 10, just resetting the app from Settings (Step 1) gets it working again. Start there. Don't overthink it.