How-To

How to Fix Snip and Sketch Not Working on Windows

By Brian Burgess

Published October 19, 2022

The Snip & Sketch tool might stop working on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. If it does, fix it using these steps.

Microsoft is replacing its older Snip & Sketch tool with the more straightforward Snipping Tool for screenshots. The Snip & Sketch tool is still included on Windows 10, though, and provides the ability to take and annotate screenshots.

However, like other Microsoft apps, it can stop working correctly. It might take the shop but doesn’t give you the annotated screen or doesn’t display notifications after taking a screenshot.

If you’re having problems, we’ll show you how to fix Snip and Sketch not working on Windows below. The steps should work for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 users.

Reset the Snip & Sketch Tool

If the Snip & Sketch tool isn’t working correctly, there are several things you can do to get it working again. First, start with the basics by checking for Windows Update and restarting your PC.

After your system is up to date and restarted, begin by resetting the Snip & Sketch app.

To reset the Snip & Sketch tool:

1. Press the Windows key and open Settings.
2. When the Settings app launches, navigate to Apps > Apps & features.
3. In the app search field, type snip & sketch and select the Advanced options link.
4. Scroll down in the window, click the Reset button, and click it again to verify.
5. Wait while the reset process completes. When a checkmark appears next to the button, the reset process is complete.

After resetting the app, restart it and see if it’s working. If it’s still having problems, continue with the following options.

Disable the Focus Assist Feature

The Focus Assist feature on Windows keeps unwanted notifications from displaying on the screen and interrupts your workflow. However, it can cause apps to not function properly by preventing them from launching.

To disable Focus Assist on Windows:

1. Press the Windows key and open Settings from the Start menu.
2. When Settings launches, navigate to System > Focus assist.
3. Select the Priority only option and click Customize your priority list.
4. On the Priority list, ensure the Snip & Sketch tool is on the Apps list.
5. If Snip & Sketch isn’t on the priority list, click the Add an app button and choose Snip & Sketch from the list of apps that appears.

If that doesn’t work, turn Focus assist entirely off while you’re using the Snip & Sketch tool.

Perform a Clean Boot of Windows

Another reason the Snip & Sketch tool isn’t working is other apps and services are interfering with it. To help avoid the problem, you should try a clean boot of Windows. A clean boot uses the minimum startup apps and drivers to load Windows.

After doing a clean boot, you can see if the Snip & Sketch tool is working. If it is, the tedious part is adding one app or service at a time to determine the culprit.

Enable Snip & Sketch Notifications

You might have an issue where notifications show that you took a screenshot, and it is more difficult to get to the shot for annotating. If the Snip & Sketch tool seems to be working but isn’t displaying correctly, enable notifications for the app.

To enable Snip & Sketch app notifications:

1. Open Settings from the Start menu.
2. When Settings launches, navigate to System > Notifications & actions.
3. Toggle the Get notifications from apps and other senders option to the On position.
4. Scroll down the list of apps and toggle on the switch next to Snip & Sketch.
5. If it’s already on, turn it off for a couple of seconds and turn it back on.

Run SFC and DISM Scans

Corrupt system files can have an impact on system performance and stability and cause system apps like Snip & Sketch to stop working properly.

To resolve the problem, you can use built-in tools like System File Checker and Deployment Image Service and Management to scan and fix the problem. These tools will scan and fix corrupt system files on your PC.

To run SFC and DISM scans:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Search for powershell and select the Run as Administrator option on the right.
3. Run the following command and hit Enter:

   sfc /scannow

4. Following the SFC scan, run a DISM scan by running the following command:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

These scans can take several minutes to complete. Before running them, make sure to back up your data and run them while not using your PC.

Taking Screenshots on Windows

While Microsoft is phasing out the Snip & Sketch tool, it’s still available for use on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (currently). If you rely on it for your screenshot needs and it isn’t working, one of the solutions above should get it working.

If it doesn’t work, you can reset Windows to factory settings as a last resort. However, before resetting it, you need to back up your files to OneDrive or a paid service like BackBlaze. You should also create a full system backup so you’re able to recover your PC.

Instead of going through that hassle, you might want to consider a different screenshot and editing option like TechSmith’s SnagIt. You can also use the other tool Microsoft includes in Windows—Snipping Tool. If the Snipping Tool isn’t working, you’ll need to troubleshoot the problem further.