To take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy phones, press the Side (Power) button and the Volume down button at the same time, then let go. The screen flashes and a small toolbar appears so you can edit, share or capture more of the page.
Can’t press the buttons? Turn on Palm swipe to capture in Settings → Advanced features, or say “Hey Google, take a screenshot.”
Samsung gives you more ways to capture the screen than most phones: buttons, a hand swipe, voice, the S Pen and an Edge panel shortcut. Below are all six, in the order most people need them, plus where your screenshots end up and what to do when nothing happens. The steps come from Samsung’s US support pages. Menu names can differ slightly by model and One UI version.
How to take a screenshot on Samsung with the buttons
- Open the screen you want to capture.
- Press and hold the Side button (called the Power button on some models) and the Volume down button at the same time.
- Let go after a brief moment. The screen flashes to confirm the capture.
- Use the toolbar at the bottom to edit, share or tag it, or just ignore it and it’s saved.
Press both buttons together and release quickly. Pressing one a little before the other usually changes the volume or locks the screen instead.
The screenshot toolbar
Samsung’s support page lists these options in the toolbar that pops up after a capture:
- Scroll capture: keep capturing down the page to make one long screenshot.
- Draw: write on, crop or edit the screenshot before you save or share it.
- Add tag: add tags so you can search for it later.
- Share: send it straight to another app or a contact.
Take a full-page screenshot with Scroll capture
Need a whole web page, a long chat or a recipe in one image? Take a normal screenshot first, then tap the Scroll capture icon in the toolbar (it looks like two arrows pointing down). Keep tapping it and the phone scrolls and adds more to the same image. Stop when you’ve got everything.
Scroll capture only appears on screens that can scroll. On a home screen or a full-screen video, you won’t see it.
Other ways to screenshot on a Galaxy
Palm swipe to capture
This lets you swipe the side of your hand across the screen instead of pressing buttons. It’s handy if a button is broken or hard to reach.
- Swipe down from the top right with two fingers to open the Quick panel, then tap the Settings (gear) icon.
- Tap Advanced features.
- Tap Palm swipe to capture and turn the switch on.
- To take a screenshot, swipe the edge of your hand across the screen.
Use your voice
Say “Hey Bixby, take a screenshot” or “Hey Google, take a screenshot.” This needs Bixby or Google Assistant (or Gemini, on newer setups) turned on and able to hear you.
S Pen and Screen write
On models with an S Pen, remove the pen, go to the screen you want, tap the Air command icon and then Screen write. The phone captures the screen automatically. Write or draw on it, then tap the Save icon to store it in Gallery.
Edge panel shortcut
If you use Edge panels, you can add a screenshot button. Swipe the Edge panel handle, tap Settings, turn on the Tasks panel and tap Edit to add Take screenshot. After that, swipe the handle, open the Tasks panel and tap Take screenshot.
Where screenshots are saved on a Samsung phone
Samsung saves screenshots to the Screenshots album in the Gallery app. You can also find them in My Files → Images. To send one, open it and tap the Share icon.
Screenshots add up. If your phone is running low on space, our guide to freeing up storage on Android shows how to clear old ones in bulk. Sending a big screenshot by email? Shrink it first with our free image compressor.
Record your screen instead
Sometimes a video explains things better than a picture. Samsung’s steps:
- Swipe down from the top right to open the Quick panel, then tap the Screen recorder icon.
- Choose the sound setting you want, then tap Start recording.
- Tap the Front camera icon to add yourself, or the Pencil icon to draw on screen while you record.
- Tap the Stop icon when you’re done.
Touch and hold the Screen recorder icon to change its settings, such as Record sound, Video quality and Show taps and touches.
Pixel and other Android phones
Google’s Android Help gives the same main shortcut for most phones: press the Power and Volume down buttons together. If that doesn’t work, press and hold Power for a few seconds and tap Screenshot.
- Long screenshots: on Android 12 and up, tap Capture more after taking a screenshot, on most screens that scroll.
- On a Pixel without buttons: with gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom and hold, then tap Screenshot under the app.
- Where they go: in Google Photos, tap Collections → On this device → Screenshots.
If screenshots don’t work on your Samsung
- Nothing happens: press both buttons at exactly the same time and release after a moment. Holding them for many seconds can open the power menu or restart the phone instead.
- A message says you can’t take a screenshot: some apps, such as banking, streaming and some work apps, block screenshots. That’s the app, not your phone.
- Palm swipe doesn’t trigger: check it’s turned on in Settings → Advanced features, and swipe with the edge of your hand touching the screen, not your fingertips.
- A button is broken: use palm swipe, your voice, or the Edge panel shortcut until it’s repaired.
- You can’t find the screenshot: open Gallery and look for the Screenshots album, or check My Files → Images.
Find more Galaxy tips in our Android section, including what’s new in One UI 9.
Related guide: How to Screenshot on Windows 11: 6 Easy Ways.
FAQ
What’s the fastest way to screenshot on a Samsung phone?
Press the Side button and the Volume down button at the same time, then release. The screen flashes and the screenshot is saved to Gallery.
How do I take a long screenshot on Samsung?
Take a normal screenshot, then tap the Scroll capture icon (two down arrows) in the toolbar. Keep tapping until you’ve captured the whole page.
How do I screenshot on Samsung without buttons?
Turn on Palm swipe to capture in Settings → Advanced features and swipe the edge of your hand across the screen, or say “Hey Google, take a screenshot.”
Where do Samsung screenshots go?
They’re saved in the Screenshots album in the Gallery app. You can also find them in My Files → Images.
Why can’t I take a screenshot in some apps?
Some apps, such as banking and streaming apps, block screenshots to protect your information or their content. Screenshots will still work in other apps.
