Skip to main content

This Windows 11 bug is preventing basic system applications from running

Another annoying issue is bothering some Windows 11 users. With this new bug, built-in system apps like the Snipping Tool, which is a common method for taking screenshots, refuse to work.

The good news? Microsoft has already confirmed it is working on a fix.

The Windows 11 Snipping Tool in use in Microsoft PowerPoint.

According to Microsoft’s Windows 11 known issues page, a digital certificate in Windows 11 expired on October 31 and became outdated. This caused the Snipping Tool, Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel to stop working properly or refuse to launch altogether. Also impacted was the Accounts page and landings page in the Settings app in Windows 11 S mode, as well as the Getting Started and Tips app, and Input Method Editor.

To fix issues some of these issues, as well as the performance issues with AMD Ryzen processors, Microsoft issued a security update by the name of KB5006746. It was originally released on October 21 and appears as an optional download. You need to manually force the install by going to Settings > Windows Update > Download and install.

The update only resolves problems with the Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel, as well as the Getting Started app and the Input Method Indicator. Microsoft is still trying to fix the Snipping Tool and the S Mode-only issues. It says it will provide an update when more information is available.

As a temporary workaround, it’s being suggested to use the Print Screen key on your keyboard and paste the screenshot into a document or into the Paint app. Microsoft usually issues Windows patches on the second Tuesday of each month, so we’re assuming that an official fix could come around November 9.

Although Windows 11 has been out for around a month now, the rollout has been a bit rough. Users have reported experiencing a lot of bugs in Windows 11. Empty folders in the subsystem, a delay when using the context menus in Windows 11 itself, and a memory leak in the File Explorer are just some examples.

If you’re hesitant about updating to Windows 11 for any of these issues, or if you experience one yourself, we suggest checking out the Feedback Hub app. The app is where Windows users report and file issues relating to the new operating system, as well as Windows 10.

Editors' Recommendations

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Windows 11 to borrow one of the Mac’s biggest conveniences
windows 11 taskbar third party app pinning

The Windows 11 taskbar already shares a lot in common with the Mac dock, but a new development shows that Microsoft may be taking inspiration from another beloved feature: Force Quit.

The ability to Force Quit directly from the dock can come in handy when things freeze up, and according to the latest Windows 11 build in the Dev Channel (Build 23430), you'll be able right click on an application in your Taskbar and click End Task to kill it immediately.

Read more
Possible Windows 12 hardware system requirements revealed
windows 11 taskbar third party app pinning

After the debacle over the controversial Windows 11 system requirements, the question of how they would change in future versions remains a point of interest.

And now, some of the first details about Windows 12's system requirements are beginning to surface despite its prospective launch still being some time away.

Read more
Your Windows 11 screenshots may not be as private as you thought
Person sitting and using an HP computer with Windows 11.

When you capture a screenshot and crop out sensitive information, it's still possible to recover a portion of the image that was supposedly removed in some circumstances.

This isn't the first time redacted documents have turned out to have left hidden data intact and readable with the right tools and knowledge. A recent bug in Google's Markup tool for the Pixel phone, humorously dubbed the "Acropalypse," shows this issue might be surprisingly common.

Read more