The fastest way to screenshot on Galaxy S24
Press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. Hold them together for about a second until you see a flash on the screen and hear a camera shutter sound. The screenshot appears in your notification panel and saves to your Photos app automatically.
This is the standard method and works whether your phone is locked or unlocked. You do not need to unlock the phone first or open any app. The moment both buttons are pressed together, the capture happens.
If you miss the timing, try again — the buttons are on the right edge of the phone, so your thumb and index finger can reach both at once. The Power button sits higher than the Volume Down button, which makes the combination natural to hold.
Key Takeaways
- Press Power and Volume Down together for one second to take a screenshot on Galaxy S24.
- The screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots.
- You can also use the Palm Swipe gesture if you enable it in Settings under Advanced Features.
- After taking a screenshot, a toolbar appears at the bottom with options to crop, draw, or share the image right away.
- Screenshots work on the lock screen, home screen, or inside any app without unlocking your phone first.
Using the Palm Swipe gesture instead
If pressing two buttons feels awkward, you can swipe the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right (or right to left). This captures a screenshot without touching any buttons. To turn this on, go to Settings → Advanced Features → Motions and Gestures → Palm Swipe to Capture and toggle it on.
The Palm Swipe method takes practice. Your hand edge must be firm and move in one smooth motion across the middle of the screen. If it does not work the first time, adjust your hand position slightly and try again. Some users find this faster once they develop the muscle memory, while others prefer the button method because it is more reliable.
Both methods save to the same Screenshots folder, so you can use whichever feels natural to you. You can also switch between them depending on what you are doing — use buttons when your hands are wet, and use the palm swipe when you want a one-handed capture.
Where screenshots save and how to find them
Every screenshot saves to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. Open Photos, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, scroll down, and tap Screenshots. All your captures appear there in reverse order, with the newest at the top.
Screenshots also appear in your notification panel for a few seconds after you take them. Swipe down from the top of the screen to see the notification, and you can tap it to open the image right away or swipe it away to dismiss it.
If you want to move a screenshot to a different folder or delete it, open the image in Photos, tap the three dots in the top right, and choose Move or Delete. You can also share directly from the notification panel by tapping the share icon.
Editing and sharing screenshots right after capture
When you take a screenshot, a toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen for a few seconds. This toolbar lets you crop, draw on, or share the image without opening Photos. Tap Crop to trim the edges, Draw to add marks or circles, or the share icon to send it to a contact or app.
If you tap Draw, a pen tool appears with color options. You can circle text, add arrows, or write notes directly on the screenshot. When you are done, tap Save to keep the edited version, or tap the back arrow to discard your changes.
The toolbar disappears after a few seconds, but you can always open the screenshot from Photos later and edit it again using the same tools. Tap the image in Photos, then tap Edit in the top right to access the crop and draw options again.
Troubleshooting when screenshots do not work
If pressing Power and Volume Down does not capture a screenshot, make sure you are pressing both buttons at exactly the same time. Pressing one slightly before the other will not trigger the capture. Try holding them together for a full second to give the phone time to register the command.
If the Palm Swipe gesture is not working, check that it is turned on in Settings. Go to Settings → Advanced Features → Motions and Gestures and confirm the toggle is blue. If it is on but still not working, try swiping more slowly and with a firmer hand edge across the middle of the screen.
Some apps, like banking or payment apps, block screenshots for security reasons. If you try to screenshot inside one of these apps, nothing will happen — this is intentional and cannot be overridden. You can still take screenshots on the home screen or in other apps normally.
Using scrolling screenshot to capture long pages
Galaxy S24 can capture a long webpage or document in one image by scrolling automatically. After you take a regular screenshot using Power and Volume Down, the toolbar at the bottom shows a Scroll option. Tap it, and the phone scrolls down while capturing, combining multiple screens into one tall image.
The scrolling screenshot works best on webpages, emails, and documents. It may not work in all apps, and some apps will not scroll far enough to capture the entire page. If the scroll option does not appear in the toolbar, the app does not support this feature.
Once the scrolling capture is done, the full image saves to your Screenshots folder. You can crop or edit it like any other screenshot using the Photos app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot if my phone is locked?
Yes. Press Power and Volume Down together even if the lock screen is showing. The screenshot captures whatever is on the display at that moment, whether it is the lock screen, home screen, or an open app. You do not need to unlock the phone first.
Where do I find the Power button and Volume Down button?
Both buttons are on the right edge of the Galaxy S24. The Power button is in the middle, and the Volume Down button is below it. Press them together with your thumb and index finger for a reliable capture.
Can I change where screenshots save?
Screenshots always save to the Screenshots folder in your Photos app by default. You cannot change the save location, but you can move individual screenshots to other folders or albums after they are taken using the Photos app menu.
What if I accidentally take a screenshot?
Open your Photos app, go to the Screenshots album, find the image you do not want, tap it, tap the three dots, and choose Delete. The screenshot is removed from your phone. You can also delete it directly from the notification panel by swiping it away, though this only dismisses the notification — you still need to delete the actual file from Photos.
Does the screenshot include the notification bar at the top?
Yes. The screenshot captures everything visible on your screen at the moment you press the buttons, including the status bar at the top with the time, signal, and battery. If you do not want the status bar in the image, use the Crop tool in the toolbar to trim it off right after you take the screenshot.