The fastest way: press Power and Volume Down together

On most Samsung Galaxy phones, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time and hold them for about one second. Your screen will flash, you'll hear a camera sound, and a thumbnail of the screenshot will appear in the bottom corner. That's it — the image is saved to your phone.

The timing matters slightly. If you press too slowly or separately, nothing happens. If you hold too long, your phone may show the power menu instead. One quick simultaneous press works best. After you take the screenshot, you can tap the thumbnail to edit it right away, or ignore it and find the image later in your Gallery app.

This method works on Galaxy S21, S22, S23, S24, and most recent Galaxy A and M series phones. If your phone is older than 2019, the button combination may be different — check the next section.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together for one second to capture your screen on any recent Samsung Galaxy phone.
  • The screenshot saves automatically to your Gallery app under a Screenshots folder, and a thumbnail appears on your screen for when ready editing.
  • Older Galaxy phones use Power and Home button instead, or you can swipe the side of your hand across the screen to capture.
  • You can crop, draw on, or share a screenshot directly from the thumbnail that appears after you take it.
  • If the button method doesn't work, check your phone's Settings under Advanced Features to confirm screenshot gestures are turned on.

Where your screenshots are saved

Every screenshot goes into your Gallery app automatically, inside a folder called Screenshots. Open Gallery, tap the folder icon or menu, and look for Screenshots — all your captures are there in order by date. You can also find them by opening your file manager and navigating to Internal Storage > DCIM > Screenshots.

Screenshots take up storage space, so if you have hundreds of them, your phone may slow down. You can delete old screenshots directly from the Gallery app by long-pressing one and tapping Delete, or select multiple at once by tapping the checkbox next to each one. Deleting them from Gallery removes them from your phone entirely.

Using the palm swipe method on older Galaxy phones

If you have a Galaxy phone from 2018 or earlier, or if the Power and Volume Down method doesn't work on your model, try swiping the side of your hand across the screen from left to right (or right to left). Your phone must be unlocked and the screen must be on. Swipe smoothly and fairly quickly — a slow drag won't trigger it.

This gesture may not be turned on by default. Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures and toggle on Palm Swipe to Capture. Once it's on, the side-of-hand swipe will work anywhere on your home screen or inside apps. Some users find this less reliable than the button method, especially if their hand is dry or the screen is wet.

Taking a screenshot with the Home button (Galaxy S10 and older)

On Galaxy S10, S9, S8, and earlier models, hold down the Power button and Home button at the same time for about one second. The screen will flash and the screenshot will save to your Gallery. This combination works the same way as Power and Volume Down on newer phones — press both buttons together, hold briefly, and release.

If your Galaxy phone has a physical Home button in the center of the bottom bezel, this is your method. Newer Galaxy phones removed the Home button entirely, so they use Power and Volume Down instead. If you're not sure which button combination to use, try Power and Volume Down first — if that doesn't work, try Power and Home.

Editing and sharing your screenshot right away

After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail appears in the bottom left corner of your screen for a few seconds. Tap it to open the screenshot in edit mode when ready. You can crop the image, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, add text, or blur out sensitive information before saving or sharing.

From the edit screen, tap the share icon to send the screenshot directly to Messages, Email, WhatsApp, or any other app on your phone. You can also save it as a new file with a different name, or overwrite the original. If you don't tap the thumbnail, the screenshot is still saved to your Gallery and you can edit it later — the thumbnail just gives you a quick shortcut.

Troubleshooting when screenshots won't work

If pressing Power and Volume Down doesn't take a screenshot, first make sure you're pressing both buttons at the exact same time. Press them together as one motion, not one after the other. Hold for about one second, then release. If the screen just locks or shows the volume slider, your timing is off.

Check that screenshot gestures are turned on in your phone's settings. Go to Settings > Advanced Features and look for Screenshots or Motions and Gestures. If there's a toggle next to Palm Swipe to Capture or Screenshot, make sure it's on. Some Samsung phones also have a Screenshot toolbar option — turn that on if you want a floating button to appear on your screen that you can tap instead of using buttons.

If your phone is very new or very old, the button combination may be different. Check your phone's user manual or Samsung's support website for your specific model number. You can find your model number in Settings > About Phone > Model Number.

Using the screenshot toolbar as an alternative

Instead of memorizing button combinations, you can turn on a floating screenshot button. Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Screenshots and toggle on Screenshot Toolbar. A small button will appear on your screen after you take a screenshot, or you can access it from your notification panel. Tap the button to take a screenshot without pressing any physical buttons.

This method is slower than the button press, but it's useful if your phone's buttons are damaged or hard to reach. The toolbar button appears in the same spot every time, so you'll know where to find it. You can also customize what the toolbar shows — some phones let you choose which editing tools appear in the quick menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of a locked screen or lock screen?

No. Your phone must be unlocked and the screen must be on. You cannot take a screenshot of the lock screen itself using the standard method. If you need an image of your lock screen, you can use another device to photograph it, or ask Samsung support for help with accessibility options.

Do screenshots include the notification bar at the top?

Yes. Screenshots capture everything visible on your screen at that moment, including the notification bar, status icons, and any open apps or menus. If you want to hide notifications before taking a screenshot, swipe down from the top and close them first, or use the edit tool to crop them out after you capture.

How much storage do screenshots use?

A typical screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy uses between 100 KB and 500 KB of storage, depending on your screen resolution and what's on the screen. If you take hundreds of screenshots, they can add up to several gigabytes over time. Regularly delete old screenshots you don't need to keep your phone running smoothly.

Can I take a screenshot of a full webpage or long document?

The standard screenshot captures only what's visible on your screen at that moment. To capture a full webpage, open it in Samsung Internet (Samsung's built-in browser), take a screenshot, and look for a "Capture More" or "Scroll Capture" option in the edit toolbar. This lets you extend the capture down the page. Not all apps support this feature.

What if I accidentally take a screenshot and want to undo it?

You cannot undo a screenshot, but you can delete it. Tap the thumbnail that appears after you take it, or open your Gallery app, find the screenshot in the Screenshots folder, long-press it, and tap Delete. The image will be removed from your phone permanently.