Ultimate Guide on How to Take Screenshots on Android

By Melvin Pangilinan Jun 25, 2026 Screenshot

You want to take a screenshot on your Android phone for various reasons. For instance, you can do a screenshot on Android to quickly save or share information and document a process. You can capture the current Android screen like texts, images, web pages, and other information. This post will provide step-by-step tutorials about how to take screenshots on Android.

GUIDE LIST: Part 1. Screenshot on Android with Physical Buttons; Part 2. Use Circle to Search and AI Gestures; Part 3. Screenshot on Android Using Third-party Apps; Part 4. Brand-Specific Methods (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus); Part 5. Why Can't I Take a Screenshot on Android?; Part 6. FAQs of How to Screenshot on Android

Part 1. Screenshot on Android with Physical Buttons

The most common way to take screenshots on an Android phone or tablet is to press physical buttons. Most Android devices have a built-in solution for taking screenshots. But you may need to update the system to Android 11 or later.

Take a screenshot on Android

When you want to capture your Android screen, just simply press the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time. The current Android screen and all content will be captured with the screen flashes or makes a clicking sound. The screenshot will be stored in your gallery. You can also view it in the notification panel.

Screenshot on Android Using Physical Buttons

If you can’t take a screenshot on your Android phone by pressing the Power and Volume Down buttons, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds, then select Screenshot. If you have enabled the Palm Swipe to Capture feature, you can also take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand across your Android screen from right to left or vice versa.

Take a long screenshot on Android

On some new Android devices running Android 12 or later, you can easily take a scrolling screenshot. It’s quite useful for capturing web pages, lists, and documents.

Simultaneously press the Power and Volume Down buttons and hold them for a few seconds for Android screen capture. Tap Capture more at the bottom and scroll to screenshot more content.

Part 2. Use Circle to Search and AI Gestures

In 2026, modern Android phones offer smarter ways to capture and extract information without using physical buttons.

How to Use Circle to Search to Screenshot on Android

Step 1

Long-press the home button or the navigation handle bar at the bottom of your screen.

Step 2

Once the screen shimmers, simply circle or tap the specific text or image you want to capture.

Step 3

You can instantly copy the image, share it, or search for it online.

How to Use Quick Tap / Back Tap Gestures to Capture on Android

Google Pixel & Motorola: Go to "Settings" > "System" > "Gestures" > "Quick Tap". Enable "Use Quick Tap" and select "Take screenshot". Now, simply double-tap the back of your phone to capture the screen.

Samsung Galaxy: Open the "Good Lock" app, install the "RegiStar" module, and set the "Back-Tap Action" to trigger a screenshot.

Part 3. Screenshot on Android Using Third-party Apps

If the built-in method doesn't work on your Android device or you are looking for more advanced functions, you can use some associated third-party apps to take screenshots. There are many screenshot apps on the Google Play Store. You can pick the most suitable screenshot app according to your needs and their specific features.

AZ Screen Recorder

AZ Screen Recorder is a popular screen capture app for Android users. It lets you take screenshots on all Android devices with Android 5.0 and up. Moreover, it can record high-quality videos. As a screenshot app, AZ Screen Recorder can automatically detect main subjects and stitch images. It enables you to combine several images into one. It also offers an editor to crop your screenshot and blur unwanted areas. You can search for and free download it from Google Play Store.

ArkThinker Screen Recorder

ArkThinker Screen Recorder is an all-featured screenshot tool that can capture your computer, iPhone, iPad, and Android screen. Besides taking screenshots, it also lets you record any activities that happened on your device with high quality. It allows you to capture sound from both system audio and microphone. Like AZ Screen Recorder, it offers commonly-used editing features for you to edit screenshots and recorded videos.

Free Download For Windows 7 or later Free Download For macOS 10.12 or later

Part 4. Brand-Specific Methods (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus)

Different Android manufacturers provide unique, highly intuitive shortcut gestures to capture your screen instantly.

Samsung Devices (Palm Swipe & S Pen)

Palm Swipe: Go to "Settings" > "Advanced Features" > "Motions and Gestures". Turn on "Palm swipe to capture". You can now take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand across the screen.

S Pen: If you use a Galaxy Ultra or Note series, pull out the "S Pen", open the "Air Command" menu, and tap "Smart Select" to capture any shape.

Xiaomi & Redmi Devices (Three-Finger Swipe)

Simply swipe down with "Three Fingers" anywhere on the screen to take a quick screenshot. To take a partial screenshot, press and hold with "Three Fingers".

OnePlus & Oppo Devices (Three-Finger Touch)

Swipe down with "Three Fingers" for a full capture, or press and hold with "Three Fingers" to select a custom area of the screen to save.

Part 5. FAQs of How to Screenshot on Android

Sometimes you will encounter the error message: "Can't take screenshot due to security policy."

Common Reasons and Fixes:

Incognito Mode in Browsers: Google Chrome blocks screenshots in Incognito mode by default. You can enable it by typing "chrome://flags" in the address bar, searching for "Incognito Screenshot", and switching it to "Enabled".

Protected Apps (Banking & Streaming): Apps like Netflix, Prime Video, or banking apps use DRM (Digital Rights Management) and strict security policies to prevent data theft. Screenshots are strictly blocked by the system here, and third-party apps cannot bypass this restriction for legal and security safety.

Part 6. FAQs of How to Screenshot on Android

How to edit screenshots on an Android phone?

As mentioned above, your screenshots will be stored in your phone's Photos app. You can enter it and open the specific screenshot you want to edit. Tap the Edit button and use its offered editing options to easily edit your screenshot.

How do you take a screenshot on your Samsung phone using S Pen?

If you are a Samsung Galaxy Note user, like Note 20, Note 9, or Note 8, you can use S Pen to easily take a screenshot. Take your S-Pen out of the phone and tap the S-Pen menu. Choose the Smart Select option and use it to capture your Samsung screen. It lets you accurately capture screenshots of a part of the display. You can select the rectangle, lasso, or oval tool on the top screen.

How can I customize screenshot quick settings on my Android phone?

Swipe down from the top screen of your Android to locate the Screenshot, Take Screenshot, or Screen Capture button. Tap and hold it to display related settings. You can enable the Palm swipe to capture feature, select the screenshot format, and adjust other settings based on your need.

Conclusion

In this post, you can grasp the knack about how to screenshot on Android. These are the simple methods to take screenshots on your Android phone or tablet. Using them, you can handily take screenshots effortlessly and share valuable information. If you still have questions, message us in the comments or directly contact us.

What do you think of this post? Click to rate this post.

Excellent

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (based on 462 votes)

Find More Solutions

Matchless Process on How To Record Audio on Android Devices Effective Ways to Record Screen on Android Phone or Tablet How to Record a Phone Call on Android [Call Recorder For Android] Slow Down a Video and Make a Slow Motion Video on Android Remarkable Ways to Speed up Video Playback on Android Device How to Make a Video Collage on iPhone and Android Phone

Relative Articles

Edit Image: Comprehensive Tutorial about Taking Screenshots on Windows Computer; Concrete Tutorial to Take a Screenshot on MacBook Pro/Air or iMac; Best GIF Editor Tools Suitable to Any Computers and Devices; How to Make GIF from Images on Desktop and Mobile Phone; Quick Steps on How to Add Text to a GIF Using Caption Maker Tools; Add Music to GIF: Incorporate Music to Your GIF After Converting; GIF Resizer: Ultimate Tools to Resize Your Animated GIF; [6 Tools] How to Set a GIF Loop Change and Play It Forever; GIF Cutter: How to Cut GIF with Easy and Fast Methods; Easy Guidelines on How to Trim a Video on Snapchat