For those who are not yet aware or have simply forgotten what a screenshot is, we remind you that it is an instant screenshot. It may be needed so that, for example, you can capture some moment happening on the screen of your phone (smartphone).
Taking a screenshot on a computer or laptop is not difficult at all - just press a button Print Screen on the keyboard. How can I do it on a device that only has a virtual keyboard? There is a way and you don’t need any keyboard.
Those users who prefer iPhone or iPad are well aware that a screenshot on Apple devices is taken by simultaneously pressing the “Power” and “Home” buttons. In the case of Android, the situation is different. Since there are a great many versions of Android firmware, and all devices are different, manufacturers use different key combinations. However, for most devices, including those based on standard firmware Android, the screen can be made as follows: you need to simultaneously press the “Power” key and the volume down button. After about a second, a characteristic click will be heard, and you will see a corresponding notification at the top of the screen. For example, you wanted to save a picture on the screen. As soon as you click, a notification will appear at the top of it:
And if you pull out the curtain, it will say that the screenshot has been saved:
Of course, on your device you may need to hold down other keys to take a screenshot. Here are all the possible options:
- Power key and volume down button (this option is the most common).
- Power key and volume up button.
- Power key and Home button.
- Home key and volume down button.
- Home key and volume up button.
Example of button layout on Nexus 5:
Other Android devices
- Samsung devices may use a combination of the Home and Back buttons. For some devices, e.g. Samsung Galaxy, the combination of the “Power” and “Home” keys works.
- On HTC devices, hold down the “Power” and “Home” keys, after which the screenshot will be saved.
- If you use devices from ASUS or Acer, you can use the standard combination - hold down the “Power” key and the volume down button.
- Sony also has everything standard - it uses a combination of the “Power” key and the volume down button.
- In the case of Huawei, everything is the same as with Sony.
By the way, many companies have started adding a button for taking a screenshot to the drop-down menu (curtain). She looks like this.
Some devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note allow you to use an electronic pen to take a screenshot.
Screenshot Apps
Screenshots can also be taken using third party applications. True, there is one big BUT here - for this you need to root the device. If you are rooted then you can download from Google Play almost any application that allows you to take screenshots. In this case, you can take a screenshot, for example, if you simply shake the device. But if you don’t have root, then you may not download such applications at all, since the most they can do is tell you what buttons you can try to press to get a screenshot on your device.
Android 4.0 and above
Owners of gadgets with the fourth or more recent versions of Android can take a screenshot by simultaneously pressing the power and volume down buttons. We hold this combination for a split second, after which we observe a characteristic picture on the screen.
You can find the screenshot you took in system application, which performs the functions of a photo gallery on your device. For example, on Nexus, Pixel, Google Play Edition and other series devices with on board, screenshots are displayed in the Screenshots folder in the Google Photos program.
Older versions of Android
Unfortunately, Android system Before version 4.0 it did not have a standard function for creating screenshots. The problem was solved by smartphone manufacturers. For example, in some even older Samsung devices, screenshots can be taken by simultaneously pressing the Power and Home buttons.
If this combination does not work in your case, then you should contact Google: perhaps your device can also take screenshots out of the box, but with its own tricky combination.
If your search doesn't yield any results, try third-party programs like Screenshot (for Android 2.3 and later) or No Root Screenshot It (for Android 1.5 and later OS versions).
In addition, if you have, you can install any modified Android firmware (for example, LineageOS) with the implemented screenshot function.
iOS
To take a screenshot on any iPhone or iPad, hold down the Power key for a second and then hold down the Home key. The screenshot created in this way can be found in the standard Photos application.
How to take a screenshot on a computer
Windows and Linux
Eat . One of the simplest is to press the PrtSc key, then open Paint program and use the combination Ctrl + V. The screenshot will appear in the editor window. You can save the image to your hard drive through the “File” menu.
The PrtSc key will work on Linux as well. Immediately after clicking, a dialog box will appear asking for the path to save the screenshot.
The methods listed are suitable for both desktop computers and laptops.
macOS
To take a screenshot on any Apple computer, use the key combination Cmd + Shift + 3. The finished screenshot will be saved on the desktop.
There are situations when you need to share what's on the screen of your Android device. At such a moment, you will need the ability to take a screenshot - snapshot what's in at the moment located on the device screen.
App developers take a lot of screenshots to document their apps. Bloggers take a lot of screenshots as an addition to their articles. Some gamers take screenshots of their gaming sessions. There are many various reasons learn how to take a screenshot on Android.
The good news is that taking a screenshot from Android is very easy. You can do this blindfolded. Don't know how? In this tutorial, we will show you how to take a screenshot on Android.
The standard way to take a screenshot on Android
Usually, in order to take a screenshot on Android, you need to press two buttons at the same time. Usually this is the volume down button and one of the buttons: power, home, menu.
When the combination of these buttons is pressed, the device screen will blink and you will hear the sound of the camera shutter. Sometimes a pop-up message or notification appears indicating that a screenshot has been taken.
Some devices have a screenshot button hidden in the power menu. Just press and hold the power button until the menu appears and click on “Take screenshot”. Not the best convenient way, but may come in handy, especially when pressing a combination of physical buttons is difficult.
Android device manufacturers often add additional and unique ways to take a screenshot. For example, you can take a screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy Note using the S Pen.
Important Note: There are alternative ways take screenshots and they may not be mentioned in this guide.
How to take a screenshot on Android - Samsung
Samsung devices with a physical Home button
To take a screenshot on Samsung phone with a physical Home button, you need to use the Home + Power button combination.
just press both buttons at the same time until the screen flashes and you hear the camera shutter sound. You will also receive a notification confirming that the screenshot was taken.
Samsung devices without a physical Home button
How to take a screenshot on a Galaxy S8 or other (usually tablet) Samsung device that does not have a physical Home button. In this case, the volume buttons are responsible for taking the screenshot. Hold the button Power + Volume - until your device takes a screenshot.
Samsung devices with S Pen
On devices that support the S Pen (such as the Galaxy Note series), you can take a screenshot using the stylus. Just pull out the S Pen and launch Air Command (if it doesn't launch automatically), then select Screen write. Typically, after taking a screenshot, the image will immediately be opened for editing. Don't forget to save the screenshot after editing.
How to take a screenshot on HTC
On older HTC devices, to take a screenshot you need to press the Power + Home buttons simultaneously.
If you have a newer device such as the HTC U11, like most Android devices, simply press the button at the same time Power + Volume.
If you have a very old HTC and the methods listed above do not work for you, try first Press and hold the Power button, and then press the Home button.
In all cases, taking a screenshot will be accompanied by a screen flash, smartphone sound and a pop-up message confirming that your screenshot has been saved.
How to take a screenshot on Sony
On phones Sony Xperia combination of volume down and power buttons. Press simultaneously Volume - + Power and wait until the screen blinks (about 2 seconds), after which a thumbnail of the taken screenshot appears on the screen. You will also see a notification in your notifications that a screenshot has been taken.
There are also alternative method, is to take a screenshot through the power menu. Hold the Power button until a dialog box appears. Click on the “Screenshot” button to take a screenshot.
How to take a screenshot on LG
On LG phones, you can take a screenshot using Quick Memo and edit it immediately. Just click on the Quick Memo button in the notification bar. After which the editing window will appear. Here you can add text or doodles to the current screen. Click on the floppy disco icon to save your work.
How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi (MIUI 8/9/10)
I know three different ways take a screenshot on Xiaomi with MIUI 8, MIUI 9.
Taking screenshots is very convenient, and sometimes it just becomes necessary when working or communicating. However, this causes difficulties for some users due to the fact that no one wrote in the instructions for the phone how exactly this is done. Of course, the way to take a screenshot on a smartphone depends on operating system. The most popular nowadays are:
- iOS from Apple;
- Android by Google;
- Windows Phone from Microsoft.
Screenshots on phone models with different OS
We'll talk about the features of screenshots of each of them below.
First, let's look at iOS from developers from Cupertino. If you want to take a screenshot on your iPhone, all you have to do is press the Home and Lock (Power) buttons at the same time. Your smartphone will “blink”, making it clear that the screen has been taken. You can find it directly in the “Camera Roll” album, where all the pictures you take are added.
With devices under Android control everything is a little more interesting. Since Android itself is an open and flexible system, every developer did not fail to create a so-called shell that will allow the user to associate the OS with this particular brand of smartphone. From this it turns out that depending on what brand your device is, this will be the method of “photographing” the screen.
The most famous method among Android devices is to hold down the lock and volume down keys together. This combination is used in smartphones:
- SONY;
- HTC (some models may use a combination: “Home” and Power);
- Lenovo;
- Xiaomi;
- Motorola;
- Nexus (as you know, Nexus is produced by various companies).
If you use a Samsung device, then everything is as simple as on iOS: press the “Home” and lock (power) buttons at the same time. In newer versions of the shell from Samsung TouchWiz You can run the edge of your palm from edge to edge, as if wiping the screen. This function must be additionally enabled in the settings in the “Control” - “Palm Control” section.
If you are using an older version of Android (2.3 or lower), you can only take a photo of the screen using third party program, you will have to download it from the Google store.
You can find pictures taken on an Android smartphone in the Gallery, namely in the “Pictures” or “Screenshots” folders.
As for devices on Windows Phone, if you are using the eighth version of the OS, you need to press and hold the “Start” and lock buttons together. If you have 8.1, then you need to press the power and volume up buttons together. A new folder will be created in the Photos section of your Windows smartphone, so don't worry, you won't lose any photos from your screen.
As you can see, taking screenshots from your smartphone is quite simple. All you need is to know which method corresponds to which brand. Take screenshots, write comments and leave your opinion on which methods are more convenient for you personally.
Often there is a need to record information on the Internet or in an application for further viewing, editing or transfer to other users. For such purposes, it is better to use the screenshot function. What this is and how to take a screenshot on Android is described in more detail in this article.
What is a screenshot and where is it saved?
A screenshot is a screenshot of the information visible at the time of saving. Screenshots taken are automatically saved to the Pictures/Screenshots folder in the internal memory. The pictures are also displayed in the gallery for further viewing, editing, sending to the cloud or forwarding to another user. Mainly, screenshots are used to quickly save what you see on mobile device information.
Ways to take screenshots on Android OS
There are four ways to take screenshots:
- The hardware method is by pressing a certain key combination.
- The software method is to use third-party applications.
- Built-in tools - gestures or corresponding applications available in the system.
- Connectable accessories – a button installed in the headphone jack.
Hardware is the simplest and most common way to take screenshots. Supported by everyone Android devices version 4.0 and higher. To take a picture, you need to hold down two buttons, the same for all models. However, some manufacturers offer alternative combinations with advanced functions: preview, editing, etc.
For the software method to work, you must first download and install the application to take screenshots. This method is used mainly in devices with Android versions up to 4.0 - 2.1-2.3.5. Applications are also available for modern versions– 5.0 and above. Such programs have advanced features, floating widgets, snapshot of the entire page, sending to the cloud, etc.
In some models, for example those produced by Xiaomi, the manufacturer builds in additional tools for creating screenshots. This makes it easier to take a screenshot and allows you to perform the action with one hand. Also, in some devices, most often in versions of Android 5.0 and higher, the function of taking a screenshot using gestures is available. After activating the option in the settings, to take a screenshot, just swipe three fingers across the screen.
An additional accessory, in the form of a button installed in the headphone jack, allows you to perform pre-configured actions, including taking a screenshot. You first need to buy a button - Xiaomi, Klick, 360 Smart Key, etc. at a price of 1-3 dollars and configure it in the appropriate application. Because the accessory itself is useless, and the application works on Android versions 4.1 and higher.
Instructions for creating screenshots on Android OS using hardware
For all Android 4+ devices
The basic method is to hold down the power button and the volume down key. Hold the specified combination for 1-1.5 seconds until a short sound signal and corresponding animation.
Instructions for Android 9
In version 9 Android button Taking a screenshot has been added to the reboot/shutdown menu. To call up the menu, you must hold the power button until the shutdown/reboot menu appears. There is also a button to take a screenshot. The method works in any system menu and is convenient because it allows you to take a screenshot using only a finger of one hand.
For Motorola smartphones
In version 8 of Android, the manufacturer updated the proprietary Moto application, which contains gestures for controlling a smartphone. In particular, taking a screenshot using three fingers.
Instructions for activation:
Open the Moto app.
Select the "Moto Actions" section.
Going to the action menu will allow you to familiarize yourself with the activation of the gesture and configure exceptions.
Exceptions allow you to prevent screenshots from being taken in a specified application, such as games. To configure exceptions, click on the “Settings” button. Next “Exceptions”, and then click on the button below to add applications.
To remove an application from the “Exceptions”, just click on the button opposite the program.
For Samsung smartphones and tablets
Some Samsung devices allow you to take a screenshot using a combination of the power and home buttons - the central oval-shaped button.
In Xiaomi devices, in addition to the basic method, a screenshot is obtained using a key combination: volume down and the recent tasks menu. The method works on MIUI firmware.
Instructions on how to get a screenshot programmatically on Android OS
Algorithm of actions:
- Download and install the application if the Android version is lower than 4.0.
- Launch and go to settings to set the preferred method for taking a screenshot: by icon, shaking, button combination, pressing the camera button, or when the power is turned off for a long time.
The application also contains a built-in gallery, which allows you to quickly view the pictures you have taken. Set your preferred storage folder.
For Android versions above 4.0, list available applications wider: , etc. In addition, the Lightshot program also includes additional features: built-in gallery for easy viewing of screenshots, editing tools, saving locally or uploading to a cloud service.
Important! Most applications work on a similar principle described above. The main differences are only in available ways getting screenshots. Also, some programs only work after they are provided.
Instructions on how to take a screenshot using built-in tools
For Asus smartphones and tablets
In some Asus devices, a screenshot is taken by long pressing the button - the recent tasks menu. In this case, you must first activate this function in the gadget settings.
For Xiaomi smartphones and tablets
In devices manufactured by Xiaomi, with MIUI 7 firmware and higher, 4 tools are available for taking screenshots: through the panel quick settings in the status bar, using the Quick Ball interactive assistant, a shortcut on the desktop and using the gesture - swipe down with three fingers.
Quick settings panel
This method requires:
- Expand the status bar anywhere you want to take a screenshot.
- Next, in the quick settings panel, select the scissors icon to take a screenshot.
Important! The screenshot will be taken automatically after clicking. An icon will appear in the top right corner to preview, save the entire page, save, edit, and share.
Quick Ball Assistant
MIUI 8 introduced an interactive assistant in the form of a button widget with customizable functions. After pre-activating the Quick Ball function, just click on the widget and select the button with scissors from the suggested items.
Desktop shortcut
A shortcut located on one of the desktop screens will allow you to quickly and easily create screenshots. To do this, you need to call up the widget menu by long-holding your finger on the desktop. Then drag the icon to a free area of the screen.
Using gestures
For some models, the settings provide a function for taking a screenshot using gestures. After activation, just swipe anywhere you want to take a screenshot with three fingers from top to bottom.
Important! Smartphones and tablets from some other manufacturers are also equipped with the function of taking screenshots using gestures. To do this, you need to find the “gestures” item in the settings section, and then activate or configure the function.
Instructions on how to take a screenshot on Android using connected accessories
Algorithm of actions:
- Connect the accessory to the 3.5 mm headphone jack. If there is no port, you should use an adapter for a USB connector.
- Download and install the application to control the button.
- Go into the program and configure the type of click to take a screenshot. 12 ratings, average: 4,50 out of 5)
