Can I assign "Print Screen" as a shortcut for Snipping Tool?

I'm using the Snipping Tool on Windows 7. When I click on the Snipping Tool's Properties in the Start menu, I can assign a shortcut like Ctrl+F12 to it

Can I also assign only the key PrintScreen as a shortcut for Snipping Tool?

Martin Thoma

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 2 705

any 3rd party screenshot tools can grab the print screen key to capture automatically – phuclv – 2017-06-12T02:26:09.357

Pin it in the taskbar. If you want to use it its just a click. – Vlad – 2018-01-17T06:08:14.417

No answer, but a recommendation http://www.picpick.org/en/

– bummi – 2012-12-26T13:34:47.793

You can use AutoHotKey to make "Print Screen" key -- or another -- do almost anything you wish.

– martineau – 2012-12-26T13:43:46.637

Answers

Not without installing special software. System hot keys must be in the following format:

Ctrl + Alt + Another key

Not all keys may be used as the last key, so just experiment to find what works. Unfortunately Print Screen doesn't. I just use Ctrl-alt-p

skibulk

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 189

2How is this answer different to what I already figured out? – Martin Thoma – 2014-08-07T20:49:30.673

5@moose the answer is different because it answer's your question "no, not without installing special software" – David LeBauer – 2015-05-19T19:38:30.433

Using Windows 10, Win+PrtScrn will do a full shot and save to your pictures folder. Also, Ctrl+PrtScrn will let you make a selection.

Dave

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 41

2+1 Awesome, actually a great answer and does exactly what was asked for, only issue is with Ctrl+PrtScrn is snipping tool must already be open and blank – AquaAlex – 2016-03-16T07:19:11.787

First I used this AutoHotkey script to capture the PrtScr key and emulate a Win+PrtScr keypress, which then runs Snipping Tool for you:
```
SendMode, Input
PrintScreen::
  Send, {LWin Down}{PrintScreen}{LWin Up}
return
```
Put a link to the script in the Start Menu/Startup folder to launch it at every startup.
But then I got tired of not being able to customize where the files were being saved. So I abandonded Snipping Tool and installed Greenshot instead (2.5Mb), which can be customized a bit more. Greenshot is free as opposed to SnagIt mentioned in another answer.

stcruy

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 31

If you want print screen key to trigger a snip-like prompt, you could try using Snagit. It, by default, does what you are seeking.

Zombies

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 3 214

1I would prefer not to install a new piece of software. – Martin Thoma – 2012-12-26T15:01:53.217

1@moose I'm afraid you can't change the behavior of the PrintScreen key without using 3rd party software. – Alexey Ivanov – 2012-12-27T14:56:34.333

Do you have a Microsoft source for that? How does 3rd party software change the behavior? Does the 3rd party software have to run in background for this to work? – Martin Thoma – 2012-12-28T11:03:33.340

2It uses the Windows API to do this. The Windows shell, as is, doesn't support that apparently, so yes, it would have to run in the background. I think the suggestions of AutoHotKey sounds pretty lightweight. – Zombies – 2012-12-29T04:20:08.743

You can't alter the behavior of the print screen key without 3rd party software. If you're looking for a free tool to let you do more than just plain screenshots, check out Lightshot: https://app.prntscr.com/en/index.html

I have it assigned to the Pause key, but you can have it use Print Screen instead.

J. Lin

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 114

-1

Onedrive seems to be another culprit for grabbing the printscreen key, I pulled this from sourceforge:

I've fixed it by myself. First problem was OneDrive from Microsoft where I had activated the auto store screenshot in tab "Auto save" in the settings. "Automatically save screenshots I capture to OneDrive". After unchecking this option directly Dropbox asked for activating this feature for itself but after denying it I was able to reassign the PrintScreen key to Greenshot! Would it be possible for Greenshot to tell the user which application has beens registered for the PrintScreen key? So the user is not tapping in the dark like me. Also it's very hard to find anything via google. Most hits points to DropBox but I know that I didn't had activated the feature at Dropbox. But OneDrive I didn't though about or had forgotten it because it had ask once after computer installation and I didn't used the feature activly...

BlackICE

Posted 2012-12-26T13:23:01.663

Reputation: 99