Windows 11 is ditching this almost 20-year-old classic feature

By Luke Larsen Published April 11, 2023

People don’t like change, especially when it comes to Windows. As if centering the taskbar in Windows 11 wasn’t enough, Microsoft is now going to alter a Windows keyboard shortcut that’s been around forever. We’re talking about Print Screen, commonly written as PrtSc on keycaps, which currently takes a full-screen screenshot of the screen and saves it to your clipboard. Of course, it can also be used in combination with various keys for other screenshotting shortcuts.

But in recent years, Microsoft has been pushing its separate app, Snipping Tool, which was a modern replacement for Snip & Sketch. Compared to using Print Screen, though, Snipping Tool is a more effective and full-featured way of capturing, saving, and editing screenshots. There’s no need to paste your screenshot into Paint just to save it. It can also record video of your screen.

The new snipping tool in Windows 11. — Windows

According to Windows Latest, Microsoft may swap out the functionality of the Print Screen key to just open Snipping Tool. Overall, I think that’s a smart change. Snipping Tool is great, offering a more modern way to screenshot in the Windows operating system.

Recommended Videos

The only downside is the time it takes to open up Snipping Tool and click on one of the options. When you need a quick screenshot, sometimes that quick keypress can be a lifesaver.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Fortunately, you’ll still be able to turn off the feature in Settings under Accessibility > Keyboard, where you can toggle between the two capabilities of the Print Screen key.

The feature was found in a version of Windows 11 in the Beta Channel, so how this update will roll out isn’t clear.

Topics

Senior Editor, Computing

Luke Larsen is the Senior Editor of Computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.

Computing

Is Windows 11 acting up for you? This might be why

The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

This year's big Windows 11 update, 24H2, started a phased rollout in October and just became available to more PCs yesterday, December 4, as spotted by Windows Latest. To check if your PC is ready for it, just head to the settings page and check for updates -- if an update is not there for download yet, you'll have to wait until later in the rollout process.

Getting new things first isn't always a good thing when it comes to software, however. It can take quite a while for a new Windows build to be announced as "stable," and 24H2 is far from earning that title at the moment.

Computing

Microsoft won’t back down on Windows 11’s biggest hurdle

The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft has reaffirmed that it will not lower the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, solidifying the need for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and a compatible CPU. This decision leaves many older PCs ineligible for the upgrade. Microsoft emphasizes that these standards are vital for improved security and performance.

As per a recent blog post titled “TPM 2.0 – a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11,” Microsoft reaffirmed its decision not to relax Windows 11’s strict hardware requirements. TPM 2.0 is a hardware-based security feature that protects sensitive data and ensures secure boot processes. Microsoft argues that such measures are nonnegotiable as the company continues to address rising cybersecurity threats. The minimum requirements include a list of approved CPUs, starting from AMD Ryzen 2000 and Intel 8th Gen processors, that offer advanced security features and better performance efficiency.

Computing

Windows 11 Recall finally arrives, but with one new problem

Recall screenshot.

The Windows 11 Recall feature has been troublesome since its announcement. Now that the feature is available in a testing capacity, it is still causing users some issues.

Tech reviewers testing the feature have observed that Recall will now fail to save the snapshots that allow the function to work. CNBC noted that it may take “several minutes” for a snapshot to save, which may leave delays in the AI processing. Tom Warren of The Verge, noted on Bluesky that snapshots were not saving at all in his experience.