The quickest way to capture your screen

To take a screenshot on an Amazon Fire tablet, press and hold the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time for about one second, then release both. Your tablet will make a camera shutter sound and briefly show a notification at the top of the screen confirming the screenshot was taken.

The screenshot saves automatically to your tablet's photo gallery. You can find it by opening the Photos app, then looking in the Screenshots folder or the Camera Roll section, depending on your Fire tablet model and software version.

This method works on all current Fire tablet models, including Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire HD 10, and Fire Max 11. The button combination is the same whether your tablet is in portrait or landscape mode.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together for one second to capture your screen on any Fire tablet.
  • Your tablet confirms the screenshot with a sound and notification at the top of the screen.
  • Screenshots save automatically to your Photos app in a dedicated Screenshots folder.
  • This method works the same way on all Fire tablet sizes and does not require any settings changes.

Where your screenshots are stored

After you take a screenshot, it goes into your tablet's internal storage. Open the Photos app from your home screen or app drawer. Look for a folder labeled Screenshots or Camera Roll—the exact name depends on whether you are using Fire OS 5 or later (which uses Screenshots) or an older version (which may use Camera Roll).

If you have a Fire tablet connected to an Amazon account, your screenshots may also sync to Amazon Photos if that setting is turned on. You can check this by opening Settings, then going to Apps & Notifications > Photos and looking for cloud backup options.

What to do if the screenshot button combination does not work

If pressing Power and Volume Down does not take a screenshot, the most common reason is that you did not hold both buttons long enough or you released them at different times. Try again, making sure to press them simultaneously and hold for a full second before releasing.

If your tablet is in a case with raised edges around the buttons, the case itself may be blocking your access to the buttons. Try pressing slightly harder or adjust your grip so your fingers make direct contact with the physical buttons underneath.

On very rare occasions, a software glitch can prevent screenshots from working. If the button combination still does not work after several tries, restart your tablet by holding the Power button until the shutdown menu appears, then tap Restart. After the tablet restarts, try taking a screenshot again.

Sharing and editing your screenshots

Once you have taken a screenshot and found it in your Photos app, you can share it directly from there. Open the screenshot, tap the three-dot menu icon, and select Share. You can then send it via email, messaging apps, or social media apps installed on your tablet.

To edit a screenshot before sharing, open it in the Photos app, tap Edit, and use the built-in tools to crop, rotate, or adjust brightness. Some Fire tablets also let you draw or add text using the editing tools. After you make changes, tap Save to keep the edited version.

Taking screenshots of specific apps and content

The Power and Volume Down method captures whatever is currently on your screen, including app windows, web pages, settings menus, and notifications. This works for most apps, but a few apps—particularly streaming services like Netflix or Prime Video—may not allow screenshots due to copyright protection.

If you try to take a screenshot in a protected app, your tablet will still make the shutter sound and show a notification, but the screenshot will not actually be saved. This is intentional and cannot be bypassed. For content from these apps, you may need to use other methods like taking a photo with a camera or recording a video instead.

Freeing up storage space if screenshots pile up

Screenshots take up storage space on your tablet, though each one is usually only a few hundred kilobytes. If you accumulate many screenshots over time, you can delete them to free up room for apps, photos, and other content. Open the Photos app, find the screenshot you want to remove, tap and hold it, then tap Delete.

If you want to keep a screenshot but remove it from your tablet to save space, you can move it to cloud storage first. Open Amazon Photos, make sure the screenshot is backed up there, then delete it from your tablet's local storage. The screenshot will still be available in your Amazon Photos account online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot using a menu or settings option instead of buttons?

No, Amazon Fire tablets do not have a screenshot option in the settings menu or notification panel. The Power and Volume Down button combination is the only built-in method. Some third-party apps in the Amazon Appstore offer screenshot tools, but the button method is faster and does not require installing anything.

Why does my screenshot look blurry or cut off?

Screenshots capture exactly what is on your screen at that moment, so a blurry screenshot usually means the app or content itself was not displaying clearly. If part of the screen is cut off, it may be because a keyboard or menu was open. Close any overlays and try again.

Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen if I am scrolling through a long page?

No, the standard screenshot method only captures what is visible on your screen at that moment. If you need to capture a long page, you will need to take multiple screenshots as you scroll, or use a third-party app from the Amazon Appstore that offers scrolling screenshot features.

Do screenshots include the time and date?

No, the screenshot itself does not display the time and date on the image. However, your Photos app shows the date and time the screenshot was taken in the file information. You can view this by opening the screenshot and looking at the details or file properties.

What happens if I take a screenshot while the tablet is locked?

You cannot take a screenshot while your Fire tablet is locked. The screen must be unlocked and displaying content for the Power and Volume Down combination to work. Unlock your tablet first, then use the button combination.