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When trying to install Greenshot on fresh copy of Windows 10, the following error occurs

enter image description here

Please, note that the question is about Windows-10. Questions about Windows-7 and below are not "duplicate".

UPDATE

How to install Greenshot so that PrintScreen work?

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  • 1
    I don't see a question here. The message displayed is a warning, not an error message, and seems pretty self-explanatory.
    – kreemoweet
    Nov 29, 2016 at 17:33
  • Download the ZIP file of Greenshot (no installer) from GitHub:: github.com/greenshot/greenshot/releases and extract all files to run Greenshot.exe
    – Biswapriyo
    Aug 11, 2017 at 13:33

10 Answers 10

57

On a new PC, press printscreen and the first time OneDrive pops up and offers you to save screenshots. Select No and the key will be free for Greenshot.

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  • 6
    Ctrl-PrintScreen seems to be commandeered by DropBox, in case any future readers see this. The same advice applies from @userJT Oct 13, 2018 at 14:55
  • 1
    Same thing here: Dropbox was blocking the Printscreen button. Pressed "Printscreen", clicked "No thanks" and then "Retry" on Greenshot. Everything works fine now!
    – Ariel
    Dec 21, 2019 at 18:05
11

I encountered the same warning message about the hot keys.
My solution (Windows 10):

  1. Go to "Settings" > "Ease of Access" > "Keyboard".
  2. Turn off Print Screen shortcut 'Use the PrtScn button to open screen snipping'. I think this disables the standard program using the hotkey
  3. Now, the PrntScn button works with Greenshot.

Hope this helps :)

1
  • Note - I did need to restart Greenshot after following these steps, and then it worked perfectly.
    – atconway
    Jul 24, 2023 at 14:28
10

Greenshot cannot register the desired hotykey (PrntScreen) if another program has already registered it, that's why it gives you that warning message.

If you want Greenshot to work with the PrntScreen, you need to find out which program is blocking the hotkey, it is most likely either OneNote or DropBox. Configure them not to use the PrntScreen hotkey, and restart Greenshot. Read more here: http://getgreenshot.org/faq/my-prntscreen-key-no-longer-works-with-greenshot/

In case you want to use Greenshot but still don't want to turn off that specific feature of OneNote or Dropbox, another alternative would be to change Greenshot's hotkey, you can easily do so in Greenshot's settings dialog.

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  • 2
    It was DropBox for me.
    – Chris
    Aug 23, 2017 at 20:41
  • 1
    This is the answer. Was OneDrive for me, but it could be any other program which is hogging the printscreen button.
    – Daniel
    Jun 23, 2018 at 12:35
  • 1
    Still unable in Win 10 Pro. I never saw a dialog from Greenshot having trouble, nor a setting or dialog in OneDrive. I have it unchecked in Dropbox, and do not have EvernoteHelper. I have OOSU10 and played with the OneDrive setting in there, thought it may have helped, but Greenshot still seems to want focus before the hotkey works again.. I noticed it does work more generally now, but not with an install program and others like OOSU10 currently focused...
    – Pysis
    Jul 14, 2018 at 16:32
  • 1
    @Pysis not sure wether this is still relevant, but the problem you describe is a different one. If the currently focused window is running with admin privileges, Windows does not send hotkey notifications to programs running without. A possible solution would be to run Greenshot with admin privileges. See here: getgreenshot.org/faq/…
    – jklingen
    Jan 6, 2019 at 18:55
  • 1
    That may be a good point, and would clear up the intermittent nature of the error. I was just having the problem recently the other day, until I simply left clicked Greenshot in the tray, then pressed the hotkey, or unfocused and pressed, then it worked.
    – Pysis
    Jan 9, 2019 at 22:28
7

Try this:

Launch Powershell as admin (Start > type Powershell > Right click Run as admin)
Copy and paste the following

New-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Control Panel\Keyboard" -Name PrintScreenKeyForSnippingEnabled -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force


I noticed this line whiz past when running a Windows 10 debloat script. (it enabled the option)
I read through the script, found the line and reran with it set to "0"

5

Adding on top of @userJT's solution -

Initially, Greenshot complained about "PrintScreen" and "Ctrl + PrintScreen" for me. It appears that "PrintScreen" was taken by OneDrive and "Ctrl + PrintScreen" - by DropBox. After you disable both, problem goes away.

Full list of steps -

  1. See the error message like in the question. Panic, google, get to this page :)
  2. Note the first key that Greenshot complains about.
    • In most of the cases it will be "PrintScreen", so let's take it as an example.
  3. Press "PrintScreen" on your keyboard.
  4. OneDrive will pop up, prompting to save screenshots to OneDrive. Choose "No, Thanks" there.
  5. Click "Retry" in Greenshot's dialog, note the keys that are still taken.
  6. Repeat steps above for keys that Greenshot cannot register until it succeeds.
    • In my case it was "Ctrl + PrintScreen" that was taken by DropBox.
  7. Enjoy shortcuts in Greenshot :)

HTH.

2

for Windows 11, the setting is in "Settings/Accessibility/Keyboard/Use PrtSc to Open Snipping tool" enter image description here

0

I had the same problem and non of the solutions above worked. I found this link on the Greenshot web

https://getgreenshot.org/faq/how-can-i-use-the-windows-key-as-global-hotkey-for-greenshot/

Just follow the instructions on how to edit your greenshot.ini file. Change the following line: RegionHotkey=None

To be this: RegionHotkey=PrintScreen

0
  • Right click on the OneDrive in your System Tray
  • Click on the "Gear Icon"
  • Click on "Settings"
  • Uncheck "Automatically save screenshots..." 1
  • Retry associating PrintScr / Ctrl+PrntScr / Etc... on Greenshot
  • Try again!
  • Done!!

OneDrive Settings

0

Anyone had issues assigning a hotkey to "Open Image from clipboard" not working for me on a new PC (Win 10)... it has worked for me in others.

I add Ctrl + Z in here: "; Hotkey for opening the clipboard contents into the editor ClipboardHotkey= Ctrl + Z" and Greenshot doesn't recognize it

I even swapped the commands just to see if I had a window interference but it's not the case.

enter image description here

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    As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please edit to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center.
    – Community Bot
    Nov 4, 2022 at 15:34
-1

Just try pressing the PRTSCR key without the FN key. That works for me now since a recent windows 10 update

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    How is that supposed to answer the question?
    – RalfFriedl
    Oct 9, 2019 at 16:51
  • This doesn't answer the OP's question - although the OP's question isn't very clear.
    – Glenn
    Oct 9, 2019 at 18:37

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