Turning off the Snipping Tool in Windows 11 isn’t as tricky as it sounds, but it’s a bit sneaky because Windows tends to hide these options in odd spots. First up, head into Settings, then jump into Apps. From there, find the section called Installed Apps, and type “Snipping Tool” into the search box. When it pops up, give it a click. Now, here’s the funny bit: you need to find the toggle for Let this app run in the background. It’s usually under Advanced options.
On some machines, this toggle can be a little finicky — typical Windows, right? If it’s not obvious or isn’t doing the business, try scrolling through the options or searching within the app detail page. When you spot it, flick it to off. That stops the app from running in the background and prevents any sneaky pops or eating up resources. The good thing about this method: it’s quite precise, keeping the Snipping Tool out of your hair without needing to uninstall it or cause any glitches.
Why’s this handy? Because loads of folks don’t realise the Snipping Tool can run in the background, even if you’re not actively using it. Turning off background activity means it won’t pop up out of nowhere or gobble CPU when you’re not looking. So, if you’re sick of random snips or just want things to run smoothly, this fix is a fair dinkum option. Especially handy when the tool keeps opening up on its own after updates or restart.
If that doesn’t do the trick, you can always try a more heavy-handed approach, like using PowerShell commands to disable certain Windows apps. For example, in PowerShell (run as admin), you might run a command like Get-AppxPackage *MicrosoftWindows.Client.C_uakana* | Remove-AppxPackage. But fair dinkum, be careful with this — it could bugger things up if you’re not used to troubleshooting. Usually, flicking the toggle off in Settings sorts it, but Windows can be a bit cheeky sometimes.
Another option — if the Snipping Tool still won’t play nice — is to reset or reinstall it via the optional features. Head to Settings > Apps > Optional Features, then search for “Snipping Tool,” and see if you can turn it off or reset it. It’s a bit more in your face, but a lot of folks don’t know this menu exists, so it’s worth a look.
Summary
- Head to Settings
- Go into Apps
- Look for Installed Apps
- Search for Snipping Tool
- Turn off Let this app run in the background
Hopefully this saves someone a bit of time. Windows can be a pain, but once you find the right settings, managing background apps gets a lot easier. Good luck tweaking your setup — or at least making it less of a headache!