If Windows + Print Screen keeps creating names such as Screenshot (47).png, reset the per-user ScreenshotIndex value in the Windows registry. First move screenshots you want to keep, confirm the real Screenshots folder, export the Explorer registry key, set ScreenshotIndex to decimal 1, then restart Windows Explorer and test again.
Microsoft does not expose a normal Settings control for this counter in its current consumer documentation. The registry method below is a practical, community-supported fix for the classic automatically saved screenshot workflow; it is not a documented reset option for every screenshot application.
Confirm which screenshot workflow you are resetting
This procedure is primarily for the full-screen capture saved by Windows + Print Screen. Windows normally stores the image automatically and uses sequential names such as Screenshot (1).png.
- Print Screen: Usually copies the screen to the clipboard instead of creating a numbered file.
- Windows + Shift + S: Opens Snipping Tool. Depending on your Windows build and settings, the capture may be copied, saved automatically, or require a manual save.
- Snipping Tool > Save as: Uses the filename and location you select and may not use the same counter.
Microsoft documents Snipping Tool’s automatic-save behavior and folder controls, but does not state that its naming counter is controlled by ScreenshotIndex. See Microsoft’s Snipping Tool documentation before applying this fix to a different capture workflow.
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Before changing anything
Move screenshots you want to keep
Copy or move important images to another folder or drive. Do not delete them simply to reset numbering. For the cleanest test, temporarily move numbered screenshots out of the active Screenshots folder, especially any file named Screenshot (1).png.
Windows users report that existing files can affect the apparent result: the next capture may avoid a conflicting name or continue at a higher number. This is observed behavior reported in Microsoft Q&A, not a formally published filename algorithm (Microsoft Q&A discussion).
Check the destination folder
The normal location is %USERPROFILE%PicturesScreenshots, for example C:UsersYourNamePicturesScreenshots. If you use OneDrive or previously moved the Pictures folder, check the corresponding location, such as %USERPROFILE%OneDrivePicturesScreenshots.
Export the registry key first
- Press the Windows key, type
regedit, and open Registry Editor. - Approve the User Account Control prompt if it appears.
- Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer. - Select the Explorer key, then choose File > Export.
- Save the
.regbackup somewhere easy to find, such as Documents.
To restore the backup later, open Registry Editor and use File > Import. Microsoft describes this export-and-import process in its registry backup guidance. Export the Explorer key rather than changing unrelated registry areas.
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Reset the screenshot number in Registry Editor
- With Registry Editor open, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer. - In the right pane, find the value named
ScreenshotIndex. - Double-click it and select Decimal under Base.
- Enter
1, then select OK.
Setting decimal 1 is the appropriate choice when you want the next clean filename to be Screenshot (1).png. You can enter another desired starting number. Do not assume that entering zero will produce Screenshot (0).png.
The path and value are identified in Microsoft Q&A guidance, including this Windows 11 counter discussion. Microsoft’s main consumer support pages do not formally document ScreenshotIndex, so treat this as a practical Windows fix rather than an official Settings feature. Change the value under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, not under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE; it affects only the account whose registry hive you edit.
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Refresh Explorer and test the result
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Find Windows Explorer.
- Right-click it and choose Restart.
- Press Windows + Print Screen. On some laptop keyboards, use Windows + Fn + Print Screen.
- Open the active Screenshots folder and inspect the new filename.
If there is no change, sign out and back in or restart Windows. Community reports differ on whether a full restart is always necessary, so restarting Explorer is a refresh step—not a universal reboot requirement.
If the counter still jumps to a high number
1. Existing files are still present
Move all numbered screenshots from the active folder to a backup location and test once more. Check both local Pictures and any OneDrive Pictures folder.
2. OneDrive or folder redirection is involved
Windows may be saving to a redirected or synchronized Pictures folder rather than the local path you opened. Microsoft Q&A troubleshooting describes OneDrive-related and redirected-folder cases (folder troubleshooting and OneDrive discussion).
To inspect the known-folder setting, open:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders
Check the value associated with {B7BEDE81-DF94-4682-A7D8-57A52620B86F}. A commonly expected data value is %USERPROFILE%PicturesScreenshots, but do not change unrelated entries without a backup. These location details come mainly from community troubleshooting rather than a dedicated Microsoft counter specification.
3. The wrong user account was edited
HKEY_CURRENT_USER means the account currently running Registry Editor. If another person uses the PC, reset the value while signed in to that person’s Windows account.
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4. Explorer has not refreshed
Restart Windows Explorer again, then sign out and back in if necessary. Test with the exact Windows + Print Screen shortcut rather than Snipping Tool.
5. The value is missing
Take one screenshot with Windows + Print Screen and check the Explorer key again. If ScreenshotIndex is still absent, do not create values indiscriminately or edit similarly named entries elsewhere. The value is not publicly documented by Microsoft as a universal Windows 11 setting, and different capture workflows may not use it.
Why the reset may not apply to your capture
A reset of ScreenshotIndex may not change the filename when:
- You used Snipping Tool and selected Save as.
- Snipping Tool’s automatic-save workflow, rather than classic Windows + Print Screen, created the file.
- A third-party screenshot utility supplied the filename.
- OneDrive or another synchronization service controls the Pictures folder.
- The destination folder is redirected, unavailable, or not writable.
- An existing file creates a filename collision.
If screenshots are not being saved at all, first verify that you are pressing Windows + Print Screen, that the Screenshots folder exists, and that the destination drive is available. Reports about disconnected drives, permissions, and damaged shell-folder entries are troubleshooting evidence, not guarantees about every Windows 11 installation (Microsoft Q&A save-location troubleshooting).
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Advanced users can set the value in PowerShell under the affected account:
$path = 'HKCU:SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer'
if (Get-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name ScreenshotIndex -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name ScreenshotIndex -Type DWord -Value 1
} else {
New-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name ScreenshotIndex -PropertyType DWord -Value 1
}Run this in the intended user account, confirm the existing value type before changing it in a managed or customized environment, and restart Windows Explorer afterward. The command does not move existing files, repair folder redirection, or reset Snipping Tool’s separate naming behavior. It is an advanced alternative, not an official Microsoft-prescribed command.
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Choose a different naming approach when needed
| Approach | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
Registry ScreenshotIndex reset |
Classic Windows + Print Screen numbering | Requires registry editing and is not formally documented as a Settings feature |
| Move existing screenshots and reset | A genuinely clean sequence | Requires careful backup and file management |
| Restart Explorer | Refreshing the change without a full reboot | Does not repair a redirected or unavailable folder |
| Snipping Tool Save as | One-off captures with meaningful names | Not an automatic numbered workflow |
| Custom screenshot software | Templates, annotations, OCR, or automation | Adds installation, privacy, compatibility, and possibly cost considerations |
| PowerShell | Repeatable administration | More technical and cannot solve file-location problems |
For custom names, use Snipping Tool’s Save as command or organize captures into dated folders. Installing another utility solely to reset this counter is unnecessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting screenshots reset the number?
No. The counter is stored separately in the current user’s Explorer registry data. Deleting or moving files and resetting the registry value are separate actions.
Should I set ScreenshotIndex to 0 or 1?
Use decimal 1 when you want the next clean filename to be Screenshot (1).png. Do not assume zero will create Screenshot (0).png.
Do I need to restart Windows?
Restart Windows Explorer first. If the old sequence remains, sign out and back in or restart Windows; reports differ on whether a full reboot is required in every case.
Does this reset work with Snipping Tool?
The strongest evidence concerns Windows + Print Screen. Snipping Tool’s automatic-save and Save as workflows may use different naming behavior.
Why are screenshots going to OneDrive?
Pictures may be backed up or redirected to a OneDrive folder. Check the active folder and the User Shell Folders entry before concluding that the reset failed.
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No. HKEY_CURRENT_USER applies to the Windows account whose registry hive is being edited.
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