Whether you want to preserve a memorable conversation, share important information, or troubleshoot technical issues, knowing how to take a screenshot can be incredibly useful.
Whether you just bought your first Android phone or just want to refine your skills, this guide will walk you through the different methods of taking screenshots.
Take a screenshot on Android
There are a few different ways. Here are some of the most popular, which tend to work on most devices.
Power and volume down buttons
On most Android devices, the easiest way to take a screenshot is to press and hold the power button and the volume down button at the same time.
The screen will flash and a notification will appear directing you to the new image in your gallery.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Some devices let you edit it immediately, others don’t. However, you can always just dive into your phone gallery and deal with it there.
Use the quick settings switch
On Android devices running Android 11 or later, you can add a screenshot button to the quick settings panel for easy access.
Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the panel. If the screenshot button isn’t already visible (swipe across all screens), see if there’s a pencil icon that lets you edit it.
If not, go into the settings and see if you can find it there.
Once added, simply tap it and a screenshot will be taken.
Use screenshot gestures
Some Android devices offer gesture-based shortcuts for taking screenshots. To see if your device supports this feature, go to the Settings app and search for “gestures” or “screenshot.”
If motion controls are available on your device, enable them in the settings menu. Follow the onscreen instructions to set up the specific gesture for taking screenshots.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Once motion controls are enabled, you can use the designated gesture to take screenshots. This usually involves swiping your hand across the screen in a specific direction or shape.
Once you use the gesture to take a screenshot, you can view and share it just like any other.
Ask the Google Assistant to take a screenshot
If your Android device has Google Assistant enabled, you can use voice commands to take screenshots.
Simply activate it (or say “Hey, Google”) and then say “take a screenshot” and it will be mandatory.
Once the screenshot is taken, you can open it from the notification panel or by asking Google Assistant to show you the screenshot.
As you can see, there are many different ways to take a screenshot on an Android phone. If you want to know how to take a screenshot on an iPhone, we discussed that separately.