Microsoft releasing frequent Windows 11 updates to bring important changes and upgrades to various aspects of the company’s popular operating system. As is the case with all newly released software, Windows 11 still has a handful of bugs and the latest one that has come up short is the Snipping Tool. So, if your Microsoft Windows 11 is facing issues, then we show you how to fix the ‘Snipping Tool not loading’ error.
Windows users will be aware that the Snipping Tool enables the taking of screenshots and making quick edits before sharing them. It comes installed with Microsoft Windows 11. You could easily invoke it via the Windows+Shift+Esc key combinations and it hardly takes a second or two to open.
However, like every native Windows application, it can sometimes suffer from glitches and refuse to open or even suddenly crash when taking a screenshot. If you want to resolve this Snipping Tool issue, here are the steps you need to follow.
How to Fix: Snipping Tool Not Working in Windows 11
Grant Background Apps Permissions
- Click on the Start Menu button
- Go to Settings (or press Win Key + I)
- Click on the Apps tab to the left
- Click on Apps & features
- Scroll down till you find Snipping Tool
- Click the three-dot menu
- Click on Advanced options
- Click “Always” under the Background App Permissions setting
- Restart your PC or laptop
Install The Old Version Of Snipping Tool
If you have recently updated your PC to Windows 11, then there would be a Windows 10 backed-up folder by the name of Windows.old that would be having backed-up apps and system files, including the Snipping Tool.
So to fix the error we will be installing that Windows 10 version over the current one as performing this downgrade might fix the underlying issue.
- Bring up the File Explorer via Windows+E shortcut keys.
- Then copy-paste the below location in the address bar and hit Enter:
C:/Windows.old/Windows/System32/
- Now copy the SnippingTool.exe file from that directory, and then head over to the below location
C:/Windows/System32/
- Then paste the copied SnippingTool.exe in this directory.
- After that, head over to the below location:
C:\Windows.old\Windows\System32\en-US\
- Now copy the SnippingTool.exe.mui file from that folder paste it in the below location:
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\
- If you get any prompt to replace files, reply in the affirmative (YES/OK).
Now check if the Snipping Tool not working issue on your Windows 11 PC has been fixed or not. If it works out for you, then you could also create a shortcut of the ‘working’ Snippet Tool onto your desktop.
For that, head over to the location where you had pasted the SnippingTool.exe [C:/Windows/System32/], then right-click on that EXE file > Show More Options > Create a Shortcut.
Restart The Snipping Tool
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Windows 11 Task Manager
- Search the Process tab for Snipping Tool
- Right-click the entry
- Click on the ‘End task’ option
- Try to load the app again.
If there was a temporary glitch with the Snipping Tool, restarting the app might help get rid of it.
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Repair or Reset The App
- Click on the Start menu
- Search for Snipping Tool
- Right-click entry
- Select App settings
- Choose Repair to fix the app without losing your data and settings.
If this doesn’t work, you will have to try and reset the app using the button under Repair, but this setting will erase your Snipping Tool data including settings.
Other Fixes For Snipping Tool
- Run the Windows Troubleshooters in the settings app
- Disable Focus assist
- Run the sfc /scannow command in the command prompt to check for corrupted and damaged files
- Also, try to launch the app with the built-in keyboard shortcut.
These are all quick and easy fixes to get the useful Snipping Tool working again. If none of these work, users can contact Microsoft support for additional options.
