Change in Windows. Microsoft is giving the button a new function after 28 years

After nearly thirty years, Microsoft has changed what happens when you press a little-used key on a standard computer keyboard.

It is rarely used in everyday life, and perhaps very few users do not know why it is used: we are talking about the “Print” key, which is usually called “Print Screen” on Swiss keyboards. Since 1995 it has had the same function in Windows, which is to copy the current contents of the screen to the clipboard.

Previously, “screen printing” was taken literally. Because pressing the used button results in the current screen content being printed on paper. Now, 28 years later, it’s time for a change again, Microsoft might have decided.

The screenshot tool starts

In the future, pressing the button will open the Snipping Tool. The application allows taking screenshots of the entire screen or only a specific part. Video recordings will soon be possible with the tool.

The changelog first appeared in a Windows 11 beta, as reported on Windows Latest. However, users can restore the old functionality of the button in Settings if they wish.