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

windows-7 keyboard-shortcuts screenshot snipping

60,670

Solution 1

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

Solution 2

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.

Solution 3

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.

Solution 4

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.

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Martin Thoma

I also have a blog about Code, the Web and Cyberculture and a career profile on Stackoverflow. My interests are mainly machine-learning, neural-networks, data-analysis.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Martin Thoma almost 2 years

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?
- Admin over 11 years
  
  No answer, but a recommendation picpick.org/en
- Admin over 11 years
  
  You can use AutoHotKey to make "Print Screen" key -- or another -- do almost anything you wish.
- Admin about 7 years
  
  any 3rd party screenshot tools can grab the print screen key to capture automatically
- Admin over 6 years
  
  Pin it in the taskbar. If you want to use it its just a click.
Martin Thoma over 11 years

I would prefer not to install a new piece of software.
Alexey Ivanov over 11 years

@moose I'm afraid you can't change the behavior of the PrintScreen key without using 3rd party software.
Martin Thoma over 11 years

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?
sarath over 11 years

It 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.
Martin Thoma almost 10 years

How is this answer different to what I already figured out?
David LeBauer about 9 years

@moose the answer is different because it answer's your question "no, not without installing special software"
AquaAlex over 8 years

+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