Snipping Tool Not Working on Windows 11/10? Here Are the Real Fixes (2026)

If your Snipping Tool is not working on Windows, you are not alone. This is one of the most searched Windows issues in 2026, and it has a handful of known causes with straightforward solutions. Whether the app refuses to open, crashes immediately, freezes on capture, or just shows a blank white screen, this guide walks you through every fix that actually works, in order of how likely each one is to solve your problem.

What Actually Causes the Snipping Tool to Stop Working

Before jumping into fixes, it helps to understand why this happens. The Snipping Tool in modern Windows (Windows 10 and Windows 11) is a Microsoft Store app. That means it depends on things like app permissions, Windows update integrity, Microsoft Store services, and system file health. Any one of these going wrong can break it.

The most common culprits:

• A Windows Update that changed app permissions or overwrote system files
• The Snipping Tool app itself is corrupted or outdated
• Background services that the app depends on have been disabled
• Focus Assist or screen capture blocking is active
• A Group Policy setting has restricted the app (mostly on work PCs)
• Date and time settings are wrong, which blocks Microsoft Store apps from functioning

Quick Fixes to Try First

These take less than two minutes and resolve the problem for a large percentage of people.

Restart the Snipping Tool Process

Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), look for any instance of “Snipping Tool” under the Processes tab, right-click it, and select End Task. Then try opening the app again. Sometimes a hung background process is all that is going on.

Use the Keyboard Shortcut Instead

Press Windows + Shift + S. This launches the snip overlay directly. If this works but the app icon does not, the shortcut infrastructure is intact and the issue is with the app launch itself, which narrows your troubleshooting.

Check If the App is Simply Hidden

Sometimes Windows moves app windows off-screen, especially after changing monitor setups. Press Alt + Tab to see all open windows. If Snipping Tool appears in the list but is not visible, right-click its taskbar icon and select “Move,” then use your arrow keys to pull it back into view.

Fix 1: Repair or Reset the Snipping Tool App

This is the most effective fix for most users. Windows lets you repair app installations without losing anything.

1. Open Settings (Windows + I)
2. Go to Apps > Installed Apps (Windows 11) or Apps > Apps and Features (Windows 10)
3. Search for Snipping Tool
4. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select Advanced options
5. Scroll down and click Repair first
6. If that does not fix it, return and click Reset

Reset will clear the app’s local data and restore default settings. It is safe to use and takes about 30 seconds.

Fix 2: Update the Snipping Tool Through Microsoft Store

An outdated version of the app is a very common cause of breakage, especially after major Windows updates.

1. Open the Microsoft Store
2. Click Library in the bottom-left corner
3. Click Get updates
4. Wait for Snipping Tool to appear in the list and update

If the Store itself is not working, you can manually update by searching “Snipping Tool” in the Store and clicking Update if the button appears.

Fix 3: Run System File Checker and DISM

If something in Windows core files is corrupted, no amount of app-level fixes will solve it. Run these two tools back to back.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search for cmd, right-click, Run as administrator), then run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for that to complete, then run:

sfc /scannow

Restart your PC when both are done. According to Microsoft’s official documentation, SFC can detect and replace corrupted protected system files automatically.

Fix 4: Re-register the Snipping Tool with PowerShell

This re-registers the app with Windows, fixing issues where the app exists but is not properly recognized by the system.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator (search PowerShell, right-click, Run as administrator)
2. Paste this command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.ScreenSketch | Remove-AppxPackage

3. Then reinstall it from the Microsoft Store by searching “Snipping Tool” and clicking Get/Install.

If Remove-AppxPackage gives an error, skip to the next fix.

Fix 5: Check and Fix the Date and Time Settings

This sounds unrelated but it genuinely matters. Microsoft Store apps validate against server time, and if your system clock is significantly off, apps can fail to launch.

1. Right-click the clock in your taskbar and select Adjust date and time
2. Turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically
3. Click Sync now if the button is available
4. Restart your PC and try the Snipping Tool again

Fix 6: Enable the Print Screen Key for Snipping (Windows 11)

In Windows 11, there is a setting that controls whether pressing Print Screen opens the Snipping Tool or copies to clipboard the old way. If this is misconfigured, behavior can be unpredictable.

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard
2. Toggle on Use the Print Screen button to open Snipping Tool

This also makes sure the Snipping Tool is set as the default screenshot handler.

Fix 7: Check Group Policy (Work or School PCs)

If you are on a managed device at work or school, an IT policy might be blocking the Snipping Tool. There is a Group Policy called “Prevent the use of Snipping Tool” that administrators can enable.

To check if this applies to you:

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter
2. Navigate to: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Tablet PC > Accessories
3. Look for “Do not allow Snipping Tool to run”
4. If it is Enabled, change it to Not Configured or Disabled

Note: Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

Fix 8: Reinstall via PowerShell for All Users

If Snipping Tool is completely missing or nothing else works, this command reinstalls it from the Windows image itself.

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.ScreenSketch | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Then check the Start Menu for the Snipping Tool.

Fix 9: Create a New Windows User Account

If Snipping Tool works in a new user account but not yours, the issue is profile-specific. This points to corrupted user settings or registry entries within your profile. You can either migrate to the new account or go deeper into user profile repair.

To test this: Settings > Accounts > Other Users > Add account. Sign in with a local or Microsoft account and test the Snipping Tool there.

Fix 10: Check for Conflicting Screen Capture Software

Third-party apps like Snagit, ShareX, Lightshot, or similar tools sometimes register global hotkeys that conflict with the Snipping Tool’s keyboard shortcuts. Temporarily disable or quit these apps and test whether the Snipping Tool starts behaving.

You can also check which apps are running at startup: Task Manager > Startup tab. Disable suspicious screen-related apps and restart.

Snipping Tool Error Reference Table

Symptom	Most Likely Cause	Best Fix
App does not open at all	Corrupted app install	Fix 1: Repair/Reset
Opens then immediately closes	Missing system dependency	Fix 3: SFC + DISM
Blank or white screen	Rendering conflict	Fix 1 then Fix 4
Win+Shift+S not working	Shortcut not registered	Fix 6: Accessibility setting
“This app can’t open” error	App permissions or policy	Fix 7: Group Policy
Works for new user but not you	Corrupted user profile	Fix 9: New user account
Crashes after Windows Update	App version mismatch	Fix 2: Update from Store

When to Use an Alternative

If none of these fixes work and you need to get something done right now, there are solid alternatives:

• Windows + Print Screen: Saves a full screenshot directly to your Pictures > Screenshots folder without opening any app
• Windows + Shift + S: Even if the Snipping Tool app is broken, this shortcut sometimes still works
• ShareX (free, open source): A powerful screen capture tool that replaces Snipping Tool entirely for many power users. You can read more about it at getsharex.com
• Xbox Game Bar (Windows + G): Has a built-in screenshot and clip capture feature

Preventing This from Happening Again

Once you have the Snipping Tool working again, a few habits help keep it that way:

• Keep Windows Update current. Most Snipping Tool issues appear right after updates, but they are usually patched quickly in subsequent updates.
• Do not disable Microsoft Store or its related services (WSService, StorSvc) to “speed up” Windows. Snipping Tool depends on these.
• If you use a system optimizer or cleaner app, make sure it is not clearing app data for Microsoft Store apps.

Conclusion

The Snipping Tool not working on Windows is almost always fixable without reinstalling Windows or doing anything drastic. Start with the Repair/Reset option in Settings, update the app through the Microsoft Store, and run SFC + DISM if those do not help. The vast majority of cases are solved by one of these three steps. The remaining edge cases, like Group Policy blocks or corrupted user profiles, are handled by the other fixes in this guide.

Work through the list methodically and you will have it running again. If the app is genuinely beyond repair on your current setup, ShareX or the built-in Win+Shift+S shortcut can cover your needs in the meantime.