How to Fix Windows 10 Freezing When Pressing Print Screen Button

Is your Windows 10 freezing when pressing the Print Screen button on your device?

There is no denying that screenshots come in handy in many situations, and these single pieces of data can help you prove your case in no time.

Taking a screenshot on your PC is as simple as taking it on your phone, but not being able to take one in critical situations can be stressful. Recently, several users reported that their Windows 10 freezes whenever they press the Print Screen button on their keyboard. Upon looking into the issue, we found out that there can be various reasons causing the issue, including corrupt drivers or Windows debug mode. 

If you are facing a similar issue, you are in the right place. We have compiled a list of troubleshooting methods that can help you identify and resolve the issue in no time.  

Let’s dive right in!

1. Disable the Debug Mode.

One of the most common reasons behind the issue under consideration is the ‘Debug Mode’. 

Debugging Mode is designed to optimize the system and is mostly used by experienced users only. There are times when a recently installed application activates the debugging mode automatically, which, as a result, causes issues while performing certain functions. 

A simple solution to this issue is to disable the debugging mode on your PC. Hopefully, doing so will prevent Windows 10 from freezing when pressing the ‘Print Screen’ button. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Type System Configuration in the search bar and click Open. 
2. Select the Boot tab and click on Advanced options. 
3. Locate the Debug checkbox and uncheck it. 

4. Click on OK to save the changes. 
5. Once done, reboot your PC and check if the error is resolved. 

If the Debug Mode was causing the issue, disabling it will resolve the error. 

2. Use DISM and SFC. 

Windows 10 is prone to errors, and it is common for Windows users to run into these errors frequently. 

Luckily, Windows comes with a wide range of built-in troubleshooting utilities that play a significant role in resolving these errors. Two such errors are Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) and System File Checker (SFC). 

DISM is an administrative-level command-line tool that repairs the Windows corruption errors while SFC scans the protected system files and attempts to fix the corrupt ones. We suggest running a scan using SFC first, and if it does not resolve the issue at hand, you can try running a DISM scan. 

Here is how you can run an SFC scan on your PC:

1. Type cmd in the search bar and click on Run as administrator. Doing so will launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges. 
2. Inside the Command Prompt window, type the command mentioned below and hit Enter. 

sfc /scannow

3. Once the command is successfully executed, restart your PC and check if the error is resolved. 

Hopefully, running the System File Checker (SFC) will fix the issue. However, if your Windows still freezes when pressing the ‘Print Screen’ button, running a DISM command will help you resolve the error. 

3. Reinstall the Graphic and Keyboard Drivers.

Another common reason behind the issue under consideration is the corrupt graphic or keyboard drivers of your PC. 

Often, these drivers are not installed correctly or become outdated, making your keyboard or screen inoperable. In this scenario, the best thing to do is update or reinstall your drivers, as reinstalling will revert the drivers to their initial state, removing all the corruption errors in the process.

We recommend updating the drivers first, and if that doesn’t help, we encourage you to go ahead and reinstall them. 

However, before proceeding with this method, remove the password/PIN code of your user account to prevent login issues. 

Here is how you can reinstall the graphic and keyboard drivers on your PC:

1. If updating the drivers did not resolve the issue, download the latest version of the drivers from the OEM website. 
2. Now right-click on the Windows button on the taskbar and select Device Manager. 
3. Locate Display adapters and expand them. 
4. Right-click on your graphics card and click on Uninstall device. 

5. Checkmark the Delete the Driver Software of This Device option and click on OK to complete the process. 
6. Once done, repeat the same process with the keyboard driver and wait for it to uninstall. 
7. Reboot your PC and check if the issue is resolved. Windows may install the default drivers on your PC once you uninstall the previous ones, hopefully fixing the problematic OEM website drivers. 
8. If the error persists, install the drivers you downloaded from the OEM website. 

You should now be able to use the ‘Print Screen’ button without any issues. 

4. Try Using CleanMyPC. 

As mentioned earlier, your Windows might be freezing upon pressing the ‘Print Screen’ button because of the system’s corruption errors. If the tools and procedures mentioned above did not help you fix the corruption errors or are too complicated for you, we recommend using a reliable PC cleaner. 

A PC cleaner will not just help you identify and resolve the corruption errors but will also improve the overall speed of your PC. While there are several options available in the market, we highly recommend using CleanMyPC. 

Unlike the average PC cleaners, CleanMyPC is a one-stop-shop for all your system-related issues such as slow performance, viruses, corruption errors, and much more. It comes with a wide range of system maintenance tools that can take care of every issue we just highlighted, with little to no user input. 

Install CleanMyPC now and give your PC a much-needed performance boost!

Try CleanMyPC Now!

5. Perform a Clean Boot.

If none of the methods mentioned above works for you, then try performing a Clean Boot. 

During Clean Boot, your system launches using minimum sets of drivers and programs. This helps the users identify and troubleshoot the corrupt drivers that may be causing the issues. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Type System Configuration in the search bar and go to the Services tab.
2. Checkmark the Hide all Microsoft services box.

3. Now select the first half of the services by clicking on the checkbox against them manually. 
4. Click on OK and restart your PC. 
5. Check if the issue is resolved. If the error persists, then this implies that one of the selected services is causing the error. In this case, continue from the 6th step. However, if the button is working fine now, repeat the same process with the services you did not select in the 3rd step. 
6. Repeat the same process as mentioned in the 3rd step but this time, select half of the previously selected services and click on OK.
7. Restart your PC and check if the error is resolved. If not, keep repeating the process till you identify the one problematic app. 
8. Once you have identified the faulty application or driver, update it. If updating the application does not work, reinstall it. 

Hopefully, doing so will solve the issue once and for all.

This wraps up our guide on fixing the Windows 10 freezing issue when pressing the Print Screen button. We hope that one of our troubleshooting methods did the trick for you in resolving the issue. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comment section below. We will try our best to assist you. 

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