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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Lightshot normally starts on Windows when you press PrtSc (also labeled PrntScr or Prnt Scrn). When nothing happens, the usual causes are that Windows has assigned Print Screen to Snipping Tool, Lightshot lost its registered hotkey, or a laptop’s FnLock layer is sending a different key event. Work through the checks below in order; they move from the least disruptive setting change to hardware and installation diagnostics.
First, identify what is failing
Press PrtSc once and watch for Lightshot’s selection overlay. If Windows Snipping Tool opens instead, Windows owns the key. If absolutely nothing appears, Lightshot may not be running, its hotkey registration may be stale, or your keyboard may be sending another code. If Lightshot opens with Fn+PrtSc but not PrtSc, the laptop’s function-key layer is the likely cause.
Before changing settings, try a temporary alternate Lightshot shortcut such as Insert or Ctrl+PrtSc. A working alternate key proves that the Lightshot installation and capture editor are functioning; the problem is then specific to Print Screen ownership or the keyboard layer.
1. Confirm Lightshot is installed and running
Check the tray
Look in the notification area beside the Windows clock. Lightshot should have a tray icon. If it is missing, open Lightshot from the Start menu. The official Lightshot FAQ instructs Windows users to install the application and press PrntScr to begin a capture. An outdated or damaged installation can also stop global hotkey registration.
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Install the current build
If Lightshot is not present, or launching it does not create a tray icon, install the latest build from Lightshot’s official download page. After installation, sign out or restart Windows if the installer requests it. If the shortcut still fails after the steps below, the official FAQ directs unresolved users to Skillbrains support.
2. Give Print Screen back to Lightshot
Recent Windows versions include a setting that opens Snipping Tool when Print Screen is pressed. That setting can intercept the key before a third-party utility receives it.
- Open Settings.
- Choose Accessibility, then Keyboard.
- Find Use Print Screen key to open screenshot tool.
- Turn the setting Off.
- Restart Windows, then press PrtSc again.
Microsoft support guidance recommends disabling this option when a third-party screenshot application cannot claim PrtSc. Microsoft Community Support Specialist Rota Ye summarized the configuration as: “You first disable ‘Use Print Screen key to open screenshot tool’.” The wording can vary slightly by Windows release, but the Accessibility → Keyboard location is the relevant path.
3. Re-register Lightshot’s General Hotkey
Lightshot can lose its global registration after an update, sleep cycle, or another program taking the combination. Reset the registration without reinstalling:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Right-click the Lightshot tray icon.
- Open Options.
- Go to Hotkeys or General Hotkeys (the label depends on the build).
- Clear the checkbox for the current Prnt Scrn shortcut.
- Click Apply or Save.
- Open the same panel, enable Prnt Scrn again, and save.
- Restart Windows and test the key.
A Microsoft Q&A report describes this uncheck–apply–check reset restoring the shortcut for some users. It is reversible and does not remove captures or account data.
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4. Check the laptop’s FnLock layer
Many laptops print “PrtSc” on a shared function key. Depending on the keyboard’s FnLock state, pressing that key alone may send a media or function command rather than Print Screen.
- Press Fn+PrtSc once as a diagnostic. If Lightshot opens, the software is working.
- Try the keyboard’s FnLock toggle (often Fn+Esc, although the exact key is manufacturer-specific), then press PrtSc again.
- Check the laptop maker’s keyboard utility or manual for a “function-key mode” setting.
A Microsoft Community report found that enabling FnLock allowed Lightshot to open with PrtSc. Do not assume the same toggle combination on every model; use the key labels or the manufacturer’s documentation.
5. Use an alternate hotkey while isolating conflicts
In Lightshot’s Hotkeys/General Hotkeys options, assign Insert or Ctrl+PrtSc temporarily. Test each combination in a text editor and with Lightshot:
| Test | What it tells you | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Alternate Lightshot key works | Lightshot is running; PrtSc is intercepted or remapped. | Leave the alternate key in place, or repeat the Windows Print Screen and FnLock fixes. |
| Fn+PrtSc works, PrtSc fails | The keyboard’s Fn layer is changing the event. | Toggle FnLock or change the keyboard mode. |
| No Lightshot key works | The application may not be running or its installation is damaged. | Restart Lightshot, reinstall it, and contact Skillbrains support if needed. |
Other utilities can register global shortcuts too, including keyboard managers, remote-desktop software, screen recorders, and overlay tools. Close them temporarily, then retest. Avoid changing several hotkey systems at once; one change at a time makes the cause clear.
6. Verify capture and save actions
Once the selection overlay appears, drag a region and use Lightshot’s documented editing shortcuts: Ctrl+C copies the result to the clipboard and Ctrl+S saves it on Windows. On Mac, the corresponding documented shortcuts use Command. If selection works but copy or save does not, the global shortcut problem is already solved; investigate clipboard permissions, the destination folder, or another application locking the file.
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Windows versus Mac behavior
Windows
PrtSc/PrntScr is Lightshot’s documented Windows start key. Windows Snipping Tool ownership, a stale Lightshot registration, and FnLock are the principal causes covered here.
Mac
Lightshot’s official hotkey page shows a Command-based start shortcut and Command+C/Command+S for copy and save. The on-page key graphic can change with the installed version, so verify the current graphic instead of relying on a literal sequence from an older article. The Windows Accessibility setting and FnLock steps do not apply to macOS.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
“PrtSc opens Snipping Tool”
Turn off Use Print Screen key to open screenshot tool in Accessibility → Keyboard, restart Windows, and test Lightshot. If Snipping Tool still opens, check whether a device-management policy or keyboard utility is re-enabling the option.
“PrtSc does nothing, but Insert works”
Lightshot is healthy and Print Screen is being claimed or remapped. Re-register Prnt Scrn in Lightshot, restart, then inspect FnLock and other global-hotkey utilities.
“Only Fn+PrtSc works”
Switch the laptop’s FnLock state and test both forms. Keep the working combination as a temporary Lightshot shortcut if the hardware mode cannot be changed.
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“The problem began after a Windows update”
First check the Print Screen ownership setting; an update can restore or change Snipping Tool integration. Then re-toggle Lightshot’s General Hotkey and restart. Reinstall only if no Lightshot shortcut works.
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This is a capture-content issue rather than a start-key issue. Wait for the page to finish rendering, try a different window, and check whether an overlay or protected application is blocking capture. Lightshot’s shortcut cannot force a protected window to expose its contents.
Least-disruptive fix order
- Test Fn+PrtSc and an alternate Lightshot hotkey.
- Disable Windows’ Print Screen screenshot-tool setting.
- Re-toggle Lightshot’s Prnt Scrn registration.
- Restart Windows.
- Change FnLock or close competing hotkey utilities.
- Reinstall Lightshot and contact Skillbrains support if every shortcut fails.
This order prioritizes reversible toggles, preserves your Lightshot configuration, and uses alternate-key tests to distinguish a key conflict from an application failure.
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FAQ
Can I use Lightshot and Snipping Tool together?
Yes, but assign different shortcuts. Disable Windows’ Print Screen integration if Lightshot must own PrtSc, and open Snipping Tool from its Start-menu entry or another shortcut.
Will reinstalling Windows be necessary?
No. The documented fixes are application and keyboard settings. Reinstall Lightshot only after confirming that no Lightshot hotkey works and the tray process is missing or damaged.
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Why does the key work in some applications but not Lightshot?
Print Screen can be delivered normally to an application while a global screenshot utility fails to register the system-wide shortcut. That pattern points to hotkey ownership or registration, not a defective keyboard switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Lightshot and Snipping Tool together?
Yes. Assign different shortcuts; disable Windows’ Print Screen integration if Lightshot must own PrtSc.
Will reinstalling Windows be necessary?
No. Reinstall Lightshot only after confirming that no Lightshot hotkey works and its tray process or installation is damaged.
Why does the key work in some applications but not Lightshot?
A global hotkey registration can fail even when ordinary key input works, indicating ownership or registration conflict rather than a defective switch.
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