Windows 11 Print Screen button now directs users to the Snipping Tool

Microsoft is making some changes to the functionality of the print screen button in Windows 11. Instead of copying a screenshot to the clipboard, pressing the print screen button will now open the Windows Snipping Tool. This change is currently being tested in Windows 11 Beta preview builds 22621.1546 and 22624.1546 (KB5025310). While this may seem like a small change, it has the potential to surprise users who have become accustomed to using the print screen button in a certain way for over two decades.

Fortunately, users who prefer the old print screen button functionality can disable this change in the Windows 11 Settings. Alternatively, they can create the PrintScreenKeyForSnippingEnabled DWORD value under HKCU\Control Panel\Keyboard and set it to 0 in the registry file. This will allow users to continue using the print screen button to copy screenshots to the clipboard as they have done for years.

Microsoft has not guaranteed that new features in Windows 11 preview builds will make it into final releases. However, this change is a minor feature that can be disabled and is promoting another Windows tool. It is likely to be included in a future public Windows release.