The fastest way: press Power and Volume Down together
On most Samsung tablets, hold the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time for about one second. You'll see a flash on the screen and hear a camera shutter sound (if your tablet's sound is on). The screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app in a folder called "Screenshots".
This method works on nearly all Samsung tablets made in the last five years. The buttons are usually on the right edge of the tablet when you're holding it in portrait mode (tall). If you don't hear the shutter sound, your tablet may have vibrated instead — check your Photos app to confirm the image was captured.
If the Power and Volume Down combination doesn't work, your tablet may have a different screenshot method. Some older Samsung models use different button combinations, and a few allow you to swipe your hand across the screen instead.
Key Takeaways
- Press Power and Volume Down together for one second to take a screenshot on most Samsung tablets.
- Your screenshot saves automatically to the Screenshots folder in your Photos app.
- You'll see a flash and hear a shutter sound when the screenshot is captured (if sound is enabled).
- Some Samsung tablets allow you to take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right.
- If a screenshot doesn't work, check your tablet's settings or user manual, as older models may use different button combinations.
Where your screenshots are saved
Every screenshot you take goes into your Photos app automatically. Open Photos, then look for a folder labeled "Screenshots" — it's usually near the top of your folder list. All your screenshots are stored there in the order you took them, with the newest ones first.
If you can't find the Screenshots folder, open Photos and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner. Look for an option called "Folders" or "Albums" and scroll down — Screenshots should appear there. If it still doesn't show up, try taking a new screenshot and then checking Photos again.
The palm swipe method on some Samsung tablets
Some Samsung tablets let you take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand (the side of your palm) across the screen from left to right. This feature is called Palm Swipe to Capture and is turned off by default on most models.
To turn it on, open Settings, then go to Advanced Features (or Motions and Gestures on older tablets). Look for "Palm Swipe to Capture" and toggle it on. Once it's enabled, you can take a screenshot by placing the outer edge of your hand on the left side of the screen and swiping toward the right. The motion needs to be smooth and fairly quick — if it doesn't work the first time, try again with a slightly faster swipe.
This method is useful if you want to take a screenshot with one hand while holding the tablet with the other, but it can sometimes trigger accidentally if you're not careful. If you find it's capturing screenshots when you don't mean to, you can turn it off anytime in the same settings menu.
What to do if the buttons don't work
If pressing Power and Volume Down doesn't capture a screenshot, first check that you're holding both buttons at the same time. Many people press them one after the other by mistake — they need to be pressed together. Hold them for about one full second, then release both at once.
If that still doesn't work, your tablet may have a different button combination. Some older Samsung tablets use Power and Volume Up instead of Volume Down. Try that combination next. If neither works, check your tablet's user manual or visit Samsung's support website for your specific model number — you can find your model number in Settings under About Tablet.
Another option is to use the built-in screen capture tool in your tablet's notification panel. Swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open the full Quick Settings menu, then look for a button labeled "Screenshot" or "Capture" and tap it. This method works on most Samsung tablets regardless of age.
Editing and sharing your screenshots
After you take a screenshot, a small preview usually appears in the bottom left corner of your screen for a few seconds. You can tap that preview to open an editing tool right away, where you can crop, draw on, or add text to the image before saving it. If you miss that preview, you can always open the screenshot later in your Photos app and edit it there.
To share a screenshot, open Photos, find the image in your Screenshots folder, tap it to open it, then look for a Share button (usually an arrow pointing outward). You can send it through text message, email, social media, or any other app on your tablet. You can also delete screenshots you don't need anymore by opening the image and tapping the trash icon.
Troubleshooting when screenshots won't save
If you're taking screenshots but they're not appearing in your Photos app, check that your tablet has enough storage space. Go to Settings, then About Tablet, and look at the storage bar. If it shows less than 500 MB free, your tablet may not have room to save new images. Delete some old photos or videos to free up space, then try taking a screenshot again.
Another common issue is that your Photos app may not have permission to access your storage. Go to Settings, then Apps, find Photos in the list, and tap Permissions. Make sure "Storage" is toggled on. If it's already on, try turning it off and back on again.
If screenshots still aren't saving after you've checked storage and permissions, restart your tablet by holding the Power button until you see a power menu, then tap Restart. This clears temporary files and often fixes screenshot problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?
Yes. After you take a full screenshot using Power and Volume Down, the preview that appears in the bottom left corner has a crop tool. Tap the preview, then use your finger to drag the corners of the crop box to select just the area you want to keep. Tap Save when you're done.
Why is my screenshot blurry or low quality?
Screenshots capture at your tablet's screen resolution, so they should be sharp. If an image looks blurry, it may be because you moved the tablet while taking it, or because the content on screen (like a video or web page) was already low quality. Try taking another screenshot while holding the tablet still.
How do I take a screenshot of a scrolling page that's longer than the screen?
Most Samsung tablets don't have a built-in scrolling screenshot feature, but you can take multiple screenshots and stitch them together using a photo editing app. Alternatively, some web browsers have their own screenshot tools that can capture an entire page — check your browser's menu for a "Capture" or "Screenshot" option.
Can I set a custom location for where screenshots are saved?
Screenshots always save to your Photos app's Screenshots folder by default, and you can't change this location directly. However, you can move screenshots to a different folder after they're taken by opening Photos, selecting the image, and using the Move or Copy option in the menu.
What if I accidentally took a screenshot I didn't want?
Open your Photos app, go to the Screenshots folder, find the image you don't want, tap it to open it, then tap the trash icon to delete it. The screenshot will be moved to your Trash or Recently Deleted folder, where it stays for 30 days before being permanently removed.