The Three Ways to Capture Your Screen
The Samsung S25 gives you three methods to take a screenshot, and the fastest one uses just two buttons. You can press the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time, hold them for about a second, and the screenshot saves to your Photos app. This is the method most people use because it works when ready without opening any menus.
If the button combination feels awkward for you, the S25 also lets you swipe your hand across the screen, or use the Quick Settings panel to find a screenshot tool. Each method produces the same result — a saved image file — but they work in different situations depending on what you're holding or how your hands are positioned.
Key Takeaways
- Press Volume Down and Power together for one second to take a screenshot when ready; the image saves to your Photos app automatically.
- Swipe the edge of your hand from left to right (or right to left) across the screen if you prefer not to use buttons.
- Open Quick Settings and tap Screenshot if you want to see the capture tool before you take the image.
- After you take a screenshot, a preview appears at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds — tap it to edit, crop, or share right away.
- Screenshots save as PNG files in your Photos app under the Screenshots folder, and you can delete or organize them like any other photo.
Using the Power and Volume Down Button Method
This is the quickest way and works anywhere on your phone. Locate the Power button on the right side of the S25 and the Volume Down button just above it. Press both buttons at the same time and hold them for about one second. You'll see a flash on the screen and hear a camera shutter sound (if your phone's sound is on), which tells you the screenshot was captured.
The image appears as a thumbnail at the bottom left of your screen for a few seconds. If you tap that thumbnail right away, you can crop the image, draw on it, or share it directly. If you don't tap it, the screenshot still saves to your Photos app — you haven't lost it. The file goes into a folder called Screenshots, which you can find by opening Photos and looking in your folders or albums.
A common mistake is pressing the buttons too quickly or not holding them long enough. If nothing happens, try again and count to one in your head while holding both buttons down. Another mistake is pressing Power alone, which brings up the power menu instead of taking a screenshot.
Using the Hand Swipe Method
Samsung S25 phones include a gesture-based screenshot option that lets you swipe the edge of your hand across the screen. To use this, you need to turn it on first. Open Settings, go to Advanced Features, then tap Motions and Gestures. Look for Palm Swipe to Capture and turn it on.
Once it's enabled, hold your phone normally and swipe the outer edge of your hand (the side of your pinky) from one side of the screen to the other — left to right or right to left both work. The phone captures the screenshot the same way as the button method. This works well if you're holding your phone in one hand and don't want to reach for the buttons, or if the button combination is uncomfortable for you.
The hand swipe method can be finicky if your hand doesn't make full contact with the screen or if you swipe too slowly. If it doesn't work the first time, try swiping faster and make sure the side of your hand touches the screen edge. You can always switch back to the button method if the gesture doesn't feel natural.
Taking a Screenshot Through Quick Settings
If you prefer to see a tool before you capture, you can use the Quick Settings panel. Swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the full Quick Settings menu (one swipe opens notifications, the second opens the settings panel). Look for the Screenshot icon and tap it. Your screen will flash and the screenshot saves when ready.
This method is slower than the button combination because it requires two swipes and a tap, but some people find it clearer because they can see the tool before they use it. The screenshot still appears as a thumbnail at the bottom of your screen, and you can edit or share it right away if you want.
Editing and Sharing Your Screenshot Right Away
After you take a screenshot, a preview thumbnail appears at the bottom left of your screen for about five seconds. Tap that thumbnail to open the editing tools. You can crop the image, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, add text, or blur parts of it. The S25 gives you several pen colors and thickness options, which is useful if you want to mark up a screenshot before sharing it.
Once you've made your edits, tap Save to keep the changes, or tap the share icon to send the image directly to a contact, email, or messaging app. If you don't tap the thumbnail in time, the screenshot is still saved to your Photos app — you just won't have the quick editing option. You can always open Photos later, find the screenshot, and edit it then.
Finding and Managing Your Screenshots
All your screenshots save to the Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. Open the Photos app, tap Library at the bottom, and look for the Screenshots folder. Your most recent screenshots appear at the top. You can tap any screenshot to view it full-size, delete it, edit it again, or share it.
Screenshots are stored as PNG image files, which means they take up storage space on your phone. If you take many screenshots, you might want to delete old ones or move them to cloud storage (like Google Photos or Samsung Cloud) to free up space. You can select multiple screenshots at once by tapping and holding one, then tapping others to select them all, and then tap the delete button to remove them together.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
If the button combination doesn't work, make sure you're pressing both the Power button and Volume Down at the same time. Pressing them one after the other won't capture a screenshot. Also check that you're holding them for a full second — too quick and the phone might not register the command. If your phone is locked, you can still take a screenshot; the lock screen doesn't prevent it.
If the hand swipe method isn't working, go back to Settings and confirm that Palm Swipe to Capture is actually turned on. Sometimes the setting gets disabled after a software update. Also make sure you're swiping the outer edge of your hand (not your palm) and that you're swiping across the middle of the screen, not near the edges.
If you can't find your screenshots in the Photos app, they might be in a different folder. Open Photos, tap Library, and scroll down to see all your folders. Screenshots should have their own folder, but if you moved or deleted them, they might be in Trash. Tap Trash to see deleted files, and you can restore them if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?
Yes. After you take a screenshot using any method, tap the thumbnail that appears at the bottom of your screen. The editing tools open, and you can tap the crop icon to select just the area you want to keep. Drag the corners of the crop box to frame the part you need, then tap Save.
Where do screenshots go if I don't tap the thumbnail?
They still save to your Photos app in the Screenshots folder. The thumbnail that appears at the bottom of your screen is just a quick way to edit or share right away. If you ignore it, the screenshot is already saved and you can find it in Photos whenever you want.
Can I take a screenshot while an app is running?
Yes, you can take a screenshot of any screen on your phone — home screen, inside an app, settings menu, or anything else. The screenshot captures whatever is visible at that moment. Some apps or find content might not allow screenshots, and in those cases the button press won't work.
How much storage do screenshots use?
A typical screenshot on the S25 is about 100 to 300 kilobytes, depending on what's on the screen. If you take many screenshots, they add up over time. Moving old screenshots to cloud storage or deleting ones you don't need helps keep your phone's storage free.
Can I undo a screenshot I just took?
You can't undo the screenshot itself, but you can delete it. Tap the thumbnail that appears at the bottom of your screen, or go to Photos, find the screenshot, and tap the delete button. Deleted screenshots go to Trash and stay there for 30 days before being permanently removed.