Windows 11 Screenshots Start to Work Differently

Changes to the operation of the Print Screen key were made during testing

The other day, Microsoft released a fresh test build of Windows 11 KB5025310 in the beta channel. As the testers noticed, in the new assembly, Microsoft changed the principle of the Print Screen key (for creating screenshots) and its default behavior.

Windows 11 Screenshots Start to Work Differently

Standard keyboards for Windows PCs and laptops have a dedicated Print Screen key that you can press to quickly take a screenshot and save it to your clipboard. This behavior of the PrtScr button has been standard for 30 years, almost since Windows 3.1.

In this new test build, Microsoft has made it so that pressing the PrtScr key opens the Snipping Tool (Scissors) for editing, instead of saving the screenshot to the clipboard.

This small change can make a big difference in the work habits of many users. However, the new way of working may be more convenient for those who are new to the Windows operating system. For those who did not like the innovation, the beta version has a special switch to disable this option (Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard).