The quickest way to screenshot on a Samsung tablet
On most Samsung tablets, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time and hold them for about one second. You will see a flash, hear a camera sound, and a notification will appear at the top of the screen. That notification confirms the screenshot was saved to your device.
The screenshot lands in your Gallery app automatically, in a folder called "Screenshots". You can open it right away from the notification, or find it later by opening Gallery, tapping "Albums", and selecting "Screenshots".
This method works on Samsung Galaxy Tab S series, Tab A series, and most other current Samsung tablets. If you have an older model or a tablet with a different button layout, the alternative methods below will work instead.
Key Takeaways
- Press Power and Volume Down together for one second to take a screenshot on any Samsung tablet.
- The screenshot saves automatically to your Gallery app in a folder named "Screenshots".
- You will see a notification at the top of the screen and hear a camera sound when the screenshot is captured.
- If the Power and Volume Down method does not work, try swiping the edge of your hand across the screen or using the Palm Swipe feature in Settings.
- Screenshots are stored as image files you can edit, share, or delete like any other photo on your tablet.
Using Palm Swipe to screenshot without buttons
Samsung tablets include a Palm Swipe feature that lets you take a screenshot by swiping the side of your hand across the screen. This is useful if your Power or Volume buttons are damaged or hard to reach.
To turn on Palm Swipe, open Settings, tap Advanced Features, then toggle on Palm Swipe to Capture. Once it is on, place the side of your hand (the edge from your pinky to your wrist) on the screen and swipe across from one side to the other. The screenshot will capture the same way as the button method.
Palm Swipe can take practice — swipe smoothly and make sure the side of your hand stays in contact with the screen for the full motion. If it does not work the first time, try again with a slower, steadier swipe. Some users find it easier to swipe from left to right, while others prefer right to left.
Taking a screenshot with the S Pen (Tab S models)
If you have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S with an S Pen, you can use it to take a screenshot directly. Remove the S Pen from its slot on the tablet, then press the button on the side of the pen while pointing it at the screen. A menu will appear with screenshot options.
Tap Screen Capture from the menu. The entire screen will be captured and saved to your Gallery. You can also use the S Pen to draw or write on the screenshot right after capturing it — the tablet will offer to let you edit it before saving.
This method is faster than the button method if you already have the S Pen out, and it gives you the option to annotate (mark up) the screenshot when ready without opening another app.
Finding and managing your screenshots
All screenshots are saved as image files in your Gallery app. Open Gallery, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, and look for the Screenshots folder. Tap it to see all the screenshots you have taken.
From the Screenshots folder, you can share a screenshot by tapping and holding it, then selecting Share. You can send it by text, email, social media, or any other app on your tablet. You can also delete screenshots by tapping and holding, then selecting Delete, or edit them by tapping Edit to crop, rotate, or adjust brightness.
Screenshots take up storage space on your tablet, so delete ones you no longer need if your storage is running low. You can also move screenshots to cloud storage (like Google Photos or Samsung Cloud) to free up space on the device itself.
What to do if your screenshot did not save
If you pressed the buttons but did not see a notification or hear a sound, the screenshot may not have captured. Make sure you are pressing Power and Volume Down at the exact same time — pressing one slightly before the other often does not work. Hold them for a full second before releasing.
Check that your tablet has enough storage space. If your storage is almost full, the screenshot may fail silently. Open Settings, tap Storage, and see how much space is left. If it is less than 500 MB, delete some files or apps to make room.
If you are using Palm Swipe and it is not working, make sure the feature is actually turned on in Settings > Advanced Features. Also check that your hand is making full contact with the screen — a light touch or partial contact will not trigger it. If neither method works, restart your tablet by holding the Power button for 10 seconds, then try again.
Editing screenshots right after you take them
When you take a screenshot, a notification appears at the top of your screen. Tap that notification to open the screenshot when ready in an editing tool. You can crop it, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, add text, or blur parts of it before saving.
The editing window shows your full screenshot with a toolbar at the bottom. Tap the pen icon to draw, the text icon to add words, or the crop icon to trim the edges. When you are done, tap Save to overwrite the original screenshot, or tap the three-dot menu and select Save As to keep both versions.
This is faster than taking the screenshot, opening Gallery, finding it, and then opening a separate editing app. Most users find it easier to mark up screenshots this way while the image is still fresh in their mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just part of the screen?
Yes. After you take a full screenshot using Power and Volume Down, tap the notification and use the crop tool to select only the part you want to keep. You can also use the S Pen's screenshot menu, which offers a "Partial Screenshot" option that lets you draw a box around the area you want to capture.
Where do screenshots go if I do not see them in Gallery?
Open Gallery, tap the three-line menu icon, and make sure "Screenshots" is checked under "Show". If it is already checked, try scrolling down in the Albums tab — the Screenshots folder may be below other folders. If you still cannot find it, restart your tablet and try taking a new screenshot to see if it appears.
Can I take a screenshot while using an app?
Yes, the Power and Volume Down method works in any app, including games, web browsers, and messaging apps. Some apps may block screenshots for security reasons (like banking apps or streaming services), and if that happens, you will see a message saying the screenshot was not saved. In those cases, you cannot bypass the restriction.
How much storage space do screenshots use?
A single screenshot on a Samsung tablet typically uses between 100 KB and 500 KB, depending on the screen resolution and what is on the screen. You can store hundreds of screenshots before they take up noticeable space, but if you take many per day, it is worth deleting old ones occasionally.
Can I change where screenshots are saved?
Screenshots always save to the Gallery app's Screenshots folder by default, and most Samsung tablets do not allow you to change this location. However, you can move screenshots to a cloud service like Google Photos or Samsung Cloud after they are saved, which will back them up and free up space on your tablet.