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Disable Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut (Windows logo key + Shift + S)

Overview​

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script disables the Windows logo key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut.

This keyboard shortcut by default launches the Snipping Tool to capture screenshots 1 2. During the screenshot process, the screen darkens to indicate the selected area 1.

By preventing Windows Explorer from recognizing this keyboard shortcut 3, the script enhances privacy by reducing the risk of unintended data exposure through screenshots.

This script also disables the Windows logo key + S keyboard shortcut 4, which by default activates search functions on Windows 5.

Caution

Due to limitation of configuring disabled keys on Windows 6, this will also disable the other Windows logo keyboard shortcuts including S button.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Not Advised

This script should only be used by advanced users. This script is not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Implementation Details

  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories​

This action belongs to Remove Snipping Tool category. This category addresses privacy risks related to the Snipping Tool (also called screen capture) and its earlier forms, Snip & Sketch and Screen Sketch. The Snipping Tool enables users to capture screenshots and record their screens. This capability can expose sensitive... Read more on category page ▶

Apply now​

Choose one of three ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
  3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy​

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the script name: Disable Snipping Tool keyboard shortcut (**Windows logo key** + **Shift** + **S**).
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download​

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script​

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy​

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide

  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt

Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Disable the global Windows hotkey "S" to prevent its default action.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$keyToDisable='S'; $keyToDisableInUppercase = $keyToDisable.ToUpper(); $registryPath = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced'; $propertyName = 'DisabledHotkeys'; $disabledKeys = Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -ExpandProperty "^""$propertyName"^""; if ($disabledKeys) { if ($disabledKeys.Contains($keyToDisableInUppercase)) { Write-Host "^""Skipping: Key `"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^"" is already disabled. All disabled keys: `"^""$disabledKeys`"^"". No action needed."^""; exit 0; }; $newKeysToDisable = "^""$($disabledKeys)$($keyToDisableInUppercase)"^""; Write-Host "^""Some keys are already disabled: `"^""$disabledKeys`"^"", but not `"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^"", disabling it too, new disabled keys: `"^""$newKeysToDisable`"^""."^""; try { Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -Value "^""$newKeysToDisable"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "^""Successfully disabled,`"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^"", all disabled keys: `"^""$newKeysToDisable`"^""."^""; Exit 0; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to disable `"^""$newKeysToDisable`"^"": $_"^""; Exit 1; }; } else { Write-Host "^""No keys has been disabled before, disabling: `"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^""."^""; try { Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -Value "^""$keyToDisableInUppercase"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "^""Successfully disabled `"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^""."^""; Exit 0; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to disable `"^""$keyToDisableInUppercase`"^"": $_"^""; Exit 1; }; }"
:: Suggest restarting explorer.exe for changes to take effect
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$message = 'This script will not take effect until you restart explorer.exe. You can restart explorer.exe by restarting your computer or by running following on command prompt: `taskkill /f /im explorer.exe & start explorer`.'; $warn =  $false; if ($warn) { Write-Warning "^""$message"^""; } else { Write-Host "^""Note: "^"" -ForegroundColor Blue -NoNewLine; Write-Output "^""$message"^""; }"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code​

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code
:: Restore the global Windows hotkey "S" to re-enable its default functionality.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$keyToRestore='S'; $keyToRestoreInUppercase = $keyToRestore.ToUpper(); $registryPath = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced'; $propertyName = 'DisabledHotkeys'; $disabledKeys = Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -ExpandProperty "^""$propertyName"^""; if (-Not $disabledKeys) { Write-Host "^""Skipping: No keys has been disabled before, no need to restore `"^""$keyToRestoreInUppercase`"^""."^""; Exit 0; }; if (-Not $disabledKeys.Contains($keyToRestoreInUppercase)) { Write-Host "^""Skipping: Key `"^""$keyToRestoreInUppercase`"^"" is not disabled. All disabled keys: `"^""$disabledKeys`"^"". No action needed."^""; Exit 0; }; $newKeysToDisable = $disabledKeys.Replace($keyToRestoreInUppercase, "^"""^""); if (-Not $newKeysToDisable) { Write-Host "^""Removing all entries from the disabled keys as the last key `"^""$keyToRestoreInUppercase`"^"" is being restored."^""; try { Remove-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "^""Successfully removed the `"^""$propertyName`"^"" property from the registry, no disabled keys remain."^""; Exit 0; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to remove the empty `"^""$propertyName`"^"" property from the registry: $_"^""; Exit 1; }; }; try { Write-Host "^""Restoring `"^""$keyToRestoreInUppercase`"^"", all disabled keys: `"^""$disabledKeys`"^"", new disabled keys: `"^""$newKeysToDisable`"^""."^""; Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $propertyName -Value "^""$newKeysToDisable"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "^""Successfully restored `"^""$keyToRestoreInUppercase`"^"", disabled keys now: `"^""$newKeysToDisable`"^""."^""; Exit 0; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to restore `"^""$keysToDisable`"^"": $_"^""; Exit 1; }"
:: Suggest restarting explorer.exe for changes to take effect
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$message = 'This script will not take effect until you restart explorer.exe. You can restart explorer.exe by restarting your computer or by running following on command prompt: `taskkill /f /im explorer.exe & start explorer`.'; $warn =  $false; if ($warn) { Write-Warning "^""$message"^""; } else { Write-Host "^""Note: "^"" -ForegroundColor Blue -NoNewLine; Write-Output "^""$message"^""; }"

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