F12 doesn't take screenshots, despite it being my assigned hotkey

[Vicky]

I don't really understand? I haven't changed anything so it's still set up as the default, but it just doesn't do anything when I want to take a screenshot. My folder on here is empty. Any ideas?

[Aachen]

Tried setting it to another key?

[Crazy Tiger]

All games or a specific game? Is the Steam Overlay active? If games don't support the Steam overlay, the screenshot button won't work, for example.

[JimPanse11]

Are you running MSI Afterburner? Close it, that solved the problem for me.

[Vicky]

Thanks for the replies! I haven't tried setting it to another key, because I'd like it to be F12 - so many other shortcut keys in the game one is bound to conflict!

The only game I've tried it with, really the only one I need it for, is Planet Zoo. I don't know if the Steam Overlay is active, maybe that's the issue? How do I check please?

I don't know what MSI Afterburner is so I'm going to assume not!

[ShelLuser]

I'm not familiar with that game, but try to make sure that the game itself doesn't also use F12. I'm not sure if this applies to all games, but I had a few which also used F12 for screenshots thus interfering with the Steam shortcut.

[JimPanse11]

MSI Afterburner is used for overclocking and there is also a screenshot function. And that doesn't get along with steam.

[Crazy Tiger]

Planet Zoo should support the Steam Overlay and I;ve seen threads mention that F12 works for screenshotting.

Go to the Steam settings -> In-game and then verify that "Enable Steam Overlay while in-game" is checked and whether F12 is still named as the screenshot button. EDIT: screenshot of the settings: https://imgur.com/a/bxSpaMQ
When in-game, usually when you press Shift+Tab the overlay will come up.

[Vicky]

Thanks. It's all looking right Crazy Tiger. I don't know why it's working for other people and not me?

[Crazy Tiger]

Hmmm. To be sure, can you try in other games whether screenshotting works? If it doesn't, we know for sure something is interfering. If it does work in other games, there is something up with Planet Zoo and something has changed (could be as simple as an update adding a function to F12 and the threads I saw being older than that), but that would require posting in the game hub to get to it. But before you do that, let's ensure it's only this game.

[JimPanse11]

Try this:

-Close steam
-Right click Steam and then chose "run as admin"
-Start a game and try to screenshot

maybe this helps.

[Vicky]

Well I just tried to take screenshots in another Steam game (2point Hospital) with the F12 hotkey, but it instantly minimised the game and I got an 'HP command centre' spiel on my screen. I don't understand a word of it but it's asking me to agree to the terms and conditions of the end user license agreement... Anyway so it seems like F12 means something to my computer that's overriding Steam's usage of it. What now?

[Vicky]

Running as admin didn't make a difference...

[Vicky]

I really appreciate your suggestions guys! It's stressful trying to tackle this stuff!

[Fusha]

sounds like your HP command centre thingamajig is already using the F12 hotkey and is preventing Steam from doing its job

personally i'd just prevent the HP bloatware from loading up in the first place; this might break something else, but probably won't, also what's life withour risks, also if it does break something else you can just have it load back up again

assuming you're on win10, right click on your system clock, select task manager, in the task manager select the «start-up» tab, find your hp thingie, disable it, reboot

[Fusha]

also do any of the other function keys workfor anything at all
if your press f1 in your web browser, does that open the help screen