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I recently purchased a new laptop that uses Windows 10, like the laptops I've had before. And like before, one of the first things I did after setting up the laptop was download the printscreen application "Lightshot" to take better screenshots than Windows does. Usually, as soon as I download this application, Lightshot uses the prntscrn hotkey, I can press it and use Lightshot fine. But on this new laptop, every time I press printscreen it uses Windows' screenshot system. I've tried to look up why this is a problem. I've uninstalled Windows' Snip and Sketch. I've deleted Windows' Snipping tool. But every time I try to tell Lightshot to use the prntscrn hotkey (by right-clicking Lightshot app, going into Options, and setting it as the General hotkey), I get a notification telling me that there is another application using the prntscrn hotkey. I cannot for the life of me figure out which application is using the printscreen button.

Note: I do NOT have DropBox installed, so this is not a problem with DropBox. I also do not have the "automatically save screenshots" box ticked in settings, so that's also not the problem.

I read this question -- What other tool is using my hotkey? -- and tried setting the Lightshot hotkey settings to something other than prntscrn and then back to prntscrn to see if that would work like it did for this person. But when I tried to set it back to prntscrn, when I would press the prntscrn button it would just bring up Windows' screenshot application.

The Windows' screenshot application looks like this: enter image description here

I feel like I've tried just about everything under the sun and I don't know what else to do. Help?

Edit: I already have the "Print Screen Shortcut -- Use PrtScn button to open screen snipping" unchecked. It still hasn't fixed anything.

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7 Answers 7

Reset to default
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Before setting up or installing lightshot, turn off Print Screen Shortcut under Ease of Access Keyboard Settings, then install lightshot, it should register "prtscr" as default. Its working 101% fine at my end.

To turn off Print Screen Shortcut;

Step 1: Search for Ease of Access Keyboard Settings

Step 2: Find Print Screen Shortcut

Step 3: Turn off the toggle

enter image description here

Took the above screenshot using "lightshot", lol.

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  • 1
    for me, in Windows 11, I found the "Use the Print screen key to open Snipping Tool" setting under "Accessibility keyboard settings". Turned off and reinstalled lightshot.
    – Steve
    Jul 14 at 17:54
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This is how I solved it:

Look for Lighshot.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Skillbrains\lightshot > Right click > Properties > Compatibility > Run as administrator

enter image description here

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2

press Fn and printscreen.

It works for me. I had the same problem.

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  • Laptop keyboards often use the FB (function) key to enable "more" key functions on a smaller keyboard. This is the first thing to check whenever you're trying to use a key on a laptop and it isn't behaving as you expect.
    – music2myear
    Oct 24, 2020 at 2:26
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I've found this article while I was searching for a solution. It looks like OneDrive was using the PrtSc key to easily copy and save the screenshot for backup purposes. I changed this setting in the OneDrive's settings tab and it worked for me. :)

https://richardballard.co.uk/lightshot-failed-to-register-short-key-on-Windows-10/

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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
    Jan 1, 2022 at 7:11
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Changing Ease of Access Settings (as recommended in the other answers) did not work for me, but changing the HotKey to Shift Print Sc is one workaround. Open Lightshot options:

enter image description here

Change the Hotkey to Shift Print Sc:

enter image description here

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To restore the classic behavior of the PrtScn key (which allows other applications to use it as a hotkey)1, you can go to:

Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard

..and then on the right, under Print Screen Layout, uncheck the checkbox that says:

Use the PrtScn button to open screen snipping.

Print Screen Shortcut Settings

1 Tested with the latest version of Lightshot and the hotkey works just fine after disabling that option.

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  • Unfortunately, this box is already unchecked, and has been unchecked the whole time. Thanks for trying though, I really appreciate it!
    – Tori V.
    Jul 17, 2020 at 17:17
  • @ToriV. That's strange! Can you please specify in your question what version of Windows 10 you're using? I tested this with Lightshot and it works just fine.
    – 41686d6564
    Jul 17, 2020 at 17:20
  • I know it's crazy! It's a Lenovo IdeaPad Flex. It's Windows 10 Version 1909. I don't know if that helps or gives you any extra information.
    – Tori V.
    Jul 17, 2020 at 17:27
  • @ToriV. I'm not sure what went wrong. I'm using Win10 1909 as well. The hotkey works when I disable that option and stops working when I enable it as demonstrated in this gif. If it's feasible, you might want to reset your PC and try again to save yourself a lot of trial and error.
    – 41686d6564
    Jul 18, 2020 at 3:56
  • I'll maybe try that. Thanks for the help and all the suggestions, even the ones that didn't work. I'm grateful that you tried!
    – Tori V.
    Jul 19, 2020 at 2:55
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This is because of scissors function of the PrtSc button. To make it act as normal laptop PrtSc button u have to turn off functional Fn keys in BIOS and Lightshot now should work fine pressing only PrtSc button instead of Fn+PrSc as well as all ur F buttons will function like normal F buttons instead of changing brightness, volume ets. Hope this helps.

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