Change Default Print Screen Key Behaviour in Windows

Let’s learn how to change the default Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows. Microsoft has changed the default behavior of the Print Screen (PrtScn) key with the Windows 11 Build 22621.1776 (KB5026446) version or later.

Print Screen is one of the useful features which help users to capture screenshots or print the screen very easily. Usually, the Print screen can be easily done by pressing the Print Screen key on your Keyboard. This post lets you know more about the change in print screen behavior.

The Windows 11 Build 22621.1776 (KB5026446) release changes the Print screen behavior to Snipping Tool. Before this update, you can easily capture the entire print of your screen in a single Click. Print screen old behavior changed the default on your Settings on the New Update.

Windows updates allow users to change the new features and turn to the old behavior. Users can easily change this setting on their Windows 11 PC. Due to Windows 11 new update, the snipping tool is automatically opened instead of the Print screen option when you click on the PrtScn key.

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What are the Advantages of Print Screen on Windows 11 PC?

Change Default Print Screen Key Behaviour in Windows

The Print Screen option always helps users to capture a screenshot easily. You can easily paste this screenshot, paint, word, or share it quickly. The following are the Advantages of Print screens on Windows 11 PC.

1. Helps to capture a screenshot easily
2. Capture the entire screen
3. Helps to save images on the screenshot folder automatically
4. It is very easy to paste to paint

Print Screen Option Changes on Windows 11 PC

Before the Windows 11 Build 22621.1776 (KB5026446) update, capturing screenshots of the entire screen was very simple. But after the update, the print screen behavior changed to a snipping tool.

So, users can only capture the entire screen by dragging the + symbol on the snipping tool. The below table shows the print screen option behavior changed to the snipping tool in different modes on your Windows 11 PC.

Different Snipping Tool ModesUsed to
Rectangular modeIt helps to capture rectangular-mode screenshots
Freeform modeIt helps to capture an area on the screen by drawing an irregular shape with your mouse
Window modeIt is used to capture Window mode screenshots
Fullscreen modeIt is used to capture Fullscreen mode screenshots
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – Table.1

Rectangular Mode

The Rectangular Mode option helps you to capture a screenshot in rectangular mode on your PC. When you click the Print Screen (PrtScn) key on your Keyboard, the snipping tool is automatically opened, and Rectangular mode is selected by default. The screenshot below shows the Rectangular mode screenshot captured using the Print Screen key.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.1
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.1

Freeform Mode

Freeform mode captures screenshots of a selected area on your screen by drawing an irregular shape with your mouse. Users can easily capture freeform mode screenshots by clicking the Print Screen key and selecting Freeform mode. The screenshot below shows the Freeform mode screenshot using the Print Screen key.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.2
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.2

Window Mode

The Window mode allows users to capture screenshots in window mode. You can easily use this mode by clicking the Print Screen key on your Keyboard and selecting Window mode. The screenshot below shows the window mode screenshot using the Print Screen key.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.3
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.3

Fullscreen Mode

Fullscreen mode is used to capture the entire screen screenshot on your PC. Before the update, capturing the entire screen by clicking on the Print Screen key on your Keyboard is easy. But now you should select Full-screen mode after clicking the Print Screen key. The screenshot below shows a Fullscreen mode screenshot using the Print Screen key.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.4
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.4

Note:- Print Screen can be easily captured by keyboard Shortcut Windows Key + PrtScn

How to Change the Print Screen New Behavior

The PrintScreen new behavior can be easily changed through Settings Menu. The New update automatically changed the Print Screen (PrtScn) behavior through the Settings Menu. You can change it at any time and convert it into old behavior. The below list and screenshot show how to change PrintScreen’s new behavior.

  • Select Settings application from Start Menu
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.5
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.5

After selecting the Settings Menu, Click on the Accessibility option from the left. Select the Keyboard Section from the Interaction section.

From the Keyboard option “Use the Print screen to open Snipping Tool” option enable automatically via Windows 11 new update. The below screenshot shows how selected Print Screen new behavior.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.6
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.6

You can easily change the New behavior of the Print Screen through Settings. It can be done by turning off the “Use the Print Screen key to open Snipping Tool.” For disabling, toggle the pane to the left side. The screenshot below shows how to change the Print Screen’s new behavior to the old one.

Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows - fig.7
Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows – fig.7

I hope the Print Screen Key Behavior in Windows information is helpful. Please follow us on HTMD Community and visit our website HTMD Forum if you like our content.

Author

Gopika S Nair is a computer enthusiast. She loves writing on Windows 11 and related technologies. She is here to share quick tips and tricks with Windows 11 or Windows 10 users.

7 thoughts on “Change Default Print Screen Key Behaviour in Windows”

  1. Thank you for this!! I have a unique way of working using print screen and the new version was totally slowing my process down! lifesaver.

    Reply
  2. Thank you so much for sharing this technique to return to the much nicer process of just capturing the entire screen, without the need for a time wasting second click.

    Reply
  3. So, how do I “unmap” the hot key for print screen from snipping tool? I use snagit, and I can’t map capture to print screen because it is already mapped.

    Reply
  4. I was really annoyed to discover that Windows 11 had changed the printscreen function so that it required two clicks. I lost some data I thought I had printed.
    So I welcomed your instructions. However, when I turned “Use the print screen key to open the snipping tool,” print screen no longer worked at all.
    Do you have any further insights?

    Reply
  5. Thanks, you’ve provided a very useful service. That “snipping tool” nonsense was really annoying me but you’ve completely resolved the issue. Give yourself a cookie!

    Reply
  6. Omg thank you so much for this Gopika! Lifesaver indeed! I was wondering why it changed to become 4 options instead of the previous way of print screen.. Thank u again!

    Reply

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