OneNote: Screen Clippings (Windows + S) Gone in Windows 8.1

Technical Level : Basic

Summary
Technical Level: Intermediate Applies to: Windows 8.1 OneNote comes with a handy hotkey "Windows + S" for screen clipping. After you upgrade to Windows 8.1, the hotkey doesn't work as expected. Instead, "Windows + S" now brings up a search experience. A workaround is to recreate the Screen Clipping hotkey with a different key, for example "Windows + A".
Details
Use “Windows + R” to bring up the Run dialog box. Type regedit and click OK.

If you are asked for permission to run the Registry Editor program, click Yes.

2. Browse to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\OneNote\Options key, and then create a new key named Other.
Important Here assume you are running Office 2013. If you are running OneNote 2010, replace 15.0 with 14.0 in the above key path. Replace 15.0 with 12.0 if you are using OneNote 2007.

3. Create a DWORD (32-bit) Value item under Other.

4. Name the item ScreenClippingShortcutKey, and then set its value to 41. This sets the hotkey to “Windows + A”.
Note Check out values for other hotkeys. For example, 42 for “Windows + B” and 4A for “Windows + J”.

5. Sign out Windows and then sign in again. Now you can use “Windows + A” to do screen clipping.

Forum Article Info

Last updated February 28, 2020 Views 37,277 Applies to:

Comments (19) 

Mads Ebdrup

Thanks for the workaround. I love the OneNote utility, and would hate to lose it.

Is it possible to assign a different hotkey to the Search function instead and keep WIndows-S for the OneNote utility?

Thanks - Mads Ebdrup

MichaelKraewing

Hi everybody, I have same problem now that I upgraded to Windows 8.1. If Windows+S is gone for Notebook that would be really a step back in terms of usability.
So microsoft people, next time please check that your own products are working with each other.

Thx and regards, Michael

Dark_Knight1

I to found this anoying, but there is a way to do this without the regedit.

You can use this key combo,

Winkey+Shift+S

This assumes that you have started the Desktop version of OneNote.

mlw530

When I do Shift+Win+S, suddenly my screen zooms (cutting off part of what I wanted to screen clip). Any ideas on how to fix?

JRU-ALC

They eliminate win-S for the OneNote hotkey and duplicates the all-search, as it seems that win-S and win-Q perform the same funcionality.

BradBaber

What if you're running all your Office 2013 applications virtually, like from a terminal server?? When I try to do the screen clipping, everything on my screen goes blank except for any other Work Resources (terminal services) applications I may have open.

Dennis S.Bradshaw Jr.

WOW. Sure glad I "upgraded" to 8.1. I was hoping to get the "windows" button functionality partially restored but took it in the shorts once again.

I guess this isn't the thread to post this on but I was searching to find out what happened.

(and had to vent)

Glad I found this out before I got a new windows laptop for work with windows 8.1.

Might be easier to switch to the other "vendor" or try to work from a tablet.

khashayar pakfar

I am using one note 2013 but i cant one note folder in this path in the regedit

ChandraIndukuri

Same problem with me.... (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\OneNote\Options)

posh_jenny

I can't find OneNote through this pathway either. OneNote was preinstalled on my computer and I downloaded the rest of the Microsoft Office suite more recently - would that have anything to do with it? Thanks.