The fastest way to capture your screen
On most tablets, you take a screenshot by pressing the power button and volume-down button at the same time, then releasing both. The tablet captures everything on your screen and saves it to your Photos or Gallery app. The exact button combination and where the image lands depends on your tablet's operating system — iPad, Android, or Windows each work differently.
You do not need an app or special software. The screenshot function is built into every tablet. The image saves automatically, and you can find it within seconds by opening your photo library.
Key Takeaways
- iPad: press the top button and volume-up button together; the screenshot saves to Photos.
- Android tablet: press the power button and volume-down button together; the screenshot saves to your Gallery or Photos app.
- Windows tablet: press the Windows button and volume-down button together; the screenshot saves to your Pictures folder.
- You can take a screenshot of your entire screen or, on some tablets, select just a portion of the screen to capture.
- After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail usually appears in the corner of your screen for a few seconds so you can edit or delete it when ready.
iPad screenshot method
On an iPad with a home button (iPad Air 2 or older, iPad mini 4 or older), press the home button and the top power button at the same time. Hold them for about one second, then let go. You will see a white flash and hear a camera shutter sound.
On newer iPads without a home button, press the top button and the volume-up button together. Again, hold for one second and release. The white flash and shutter sound confirm the screenshot was taken.
The screenshot appears in your Photos app under the Screenshots album. You can also swipe left on the thumbnail that appears in the bottom-left corner of your screen when ready after taking the screenshot to delete it, or tap the thumbnail to edit it before saving.
Android tablet screenshot method
On most Android tablets, press the power button and the volume-down button at the same time. Hold them together for about one second, then release. You will see a brief animation on your screen and possibly hear a shutter sound, depending on your tablet's settings.
The screenshot saves to your Gallery app, usually in a folder called Screenshots. On some Android tablets — Samsung Galaxy Tab models, for example — you can also swipe the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right or right to left to capture a screenshot without using buttons.
If the button method does not work, check your tablet's settings. Some Android tablets let you take a screenshot by holding down the power button alone, or by using a gesture. Your tablet's manual or settings menu under Display or Advanced Features will show which method your model supports.
Windows tablet screenshot method
On a Windows tablet, press the Windows button (usually on the left side or bottom of the device) and the volume-down button at the same time. Hold for one second and release. The screen will dim briefly to confirm the screenshot was captured.
The screenshot saves to your Pictures folder in a subfolder called Screenshots. You can also use the Snip & Sketch app, which comes built into Windows 10 and later, to capture a portion of your screen instead of the whole thing. Open Snip & Sketch, tap New, and then draw a box around the area you want to capture.
Capturing only part of your screen
If you want to screenshot just a portion of your screen instead of everything, iPad and Android tablets both offer this option. On iPad, after you take a full screenshot, tap the thumbnail in the bottom-left corner, then tap Crop at the bottom of the screen. Drag the corners to select only the area you want to keep, then tap Done.
On Android, some tablets let you long-press the power button to open a menu with a Partial Screenshot option. If your Android tablet does not have this, use the built-in Markup or Screenshot Editor app that usually appears after you take a screenshot. Tap Edit, then use the crop tool to select the portion you want.
Windows tablets have the easiest partial-screenshot method: open Snip & Sketch, tap New, and draw a box around only the area you want to capture. The app saves only that selection.
Finding and managing your screenshots
After you take a screenshot, it saves automatically to your tablet's photo library. On iPad, open the Photos app and tap the Screenshots album on the left side. On Android, open Gallery or Photos, then look for a Screenshots folder. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to Pictures > Screenshots.
You can move, delete, or share screenshots from these locations. Most tablets also let you edit a screenshot when ready after taking it — crop it, add text, draw on it, or magnify part of it — by tapping the thumbnail that appears on your screen for a few seconds after you capture it.
If you take many screenshots, consider organizing them into folders or deleting ones you no longer need. Screenshots take up storage space, and over time they can add up.
Troubleshooting when screenshots do not work
If you press the buttons and nothing happens, first check that your tablet is not in a special mode. Some apps, games, or security settings block screenshots. Try taking a screenshot from your home screen or a basic app like Notes to see if the function works there.
If screenshots still do not work, restart your tablet. Power it off completely, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on. After restart, try the button combination again.
If your tablet is very old or runs an older version of its operating system, the button combination may be different. Check your tablet's user manual or the manufacturer's website for your specific model. You can also search online for "[Your tablet model] how to take screenshot" to find the exact steps for your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do screenshots save on my tablet?
Screenshots save to your photo library by default. On iPad, look in the Photos app under Screenshots. On Android, check your Gallery or Photos app for a Screenshots folder. On Windows, they go to Pictures > Screenshots. You can move them to other folders or cloud storage afterward.
Can I take a screenshot without using buttons?
On some Android tablets, you can swipe your hand across the screen to take a screenshot. On iPad and Windows tablets, you need to use the button combination. If your Android tablet does not support the hand-swipe method, check your settings under Advanced Features or Gestures to see what options are available.
Why is my screenshot blurry or low quality?
Screenshots capture your screen at its native resolution, so the quality depends on your tablet's display. If a screenshot looks blurry, the image itself is fine — it is just how your screen displays that content. If you are screenshotting text and it is hard to read, try zooming in on the content before taking the screenshot.
Can I take a screenshot of a video or streaming app?
Most streaming apps and video services block screenshots for copyright reasons. If you try to screenshot Netflix, Disney+, or similar apps, the screenshot will either fail or show a black screen. This is intentional and cannot be worked around on most tablets.
How much storage do screenshots use?
A single screenshot uses between 1 and 5 megabytes depending on your tablet's screen size and resolution. If you take hundreds of screenshots, they can add up to several hundred megabytes or more. Regularly delete screenshots you no longer need to free up space.