The quickest way to capture your screen

On most Samsung tablets, you take a screenshot by pressing the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. Hold both for about a second until you see a flash, hear a shutter sound, or see a notification at the top of the screen. The screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app or Gallery.

The exact button combination depends on which Samsung tablet model you own and which version of Android it runs, but Power + Volume Down works on nearly all current Samsung tablets. If that doesn't work, your tablet may use a different method — we'll cover those below.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together for about one second to capture your screen on most Samsung tablets.
  • Your screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app or Gallery without any extra steps.
  • Some older Samsung tablets use Power + Volume Up instead, or a menu-based method you access by holding the Power button.
  • You can find and edit your screenshots in the Gallery app, and share them directly from there.
  • If button presses don't work, your tablet may have a palm swipe gesture or an accessibility menu option.

Where your screenshots are saved

After you take a screenshot, it goes into a folder called Screenshots inside your Gallery or Photos app. Open Gallery, tap the menu (three lines or three dots), and look for a Screenshots folder. If you don't see one, check the main Photos folder — some Samsung tablets put screenshots there instead.

You can also find screenshots by opening your file manager and navigating to Internal Storage > DCIM > Screenshots. From either location, you can view, edit, delete, or share the image. The screenshot appears within seconds of you taking it, so if you don't see it right away, wait a moment and refresh the app.

What to do if Power + Volume Down doesn't work

If pressing Power and Volume Down produces no result, your tablet may use a different method. Try Power + Volume Up instead — this works on some older Samsung models and on tablets running older versions of Android.

If button combinations don't work, hold down the Power button alone until a menu appears on your screen. Look for an option that says "Screenshot," "Capture," or "Take Screenshot" and tap it. This menu-based method is less common on tablets but appears on some Samsung models.

Another option is a palm swipe gesture: swipe the side of your hand across the screen from left to right (or right to left) to capture it. This feature is called Palm Swipe to Capture and is turned on by default on many Samsung tablets, though you may need to enable it in Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures > Palm Swipe to Capture.

Using the accessibility menu as a backup

If none of the above methods work, you can take a screenshot through the accessibility menu. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Services (or just Settings > Accessibility on some tablets). Look for an option called "Assistant Menu" or "Accessibility Menu" and turn it on.

Once enabled, a floating button appears on your screen. Tap it and look for a screenshot option in the menu that pops up. This method is slower than button presses, but it works on any Samsung tablet and requires no special hardware.

Editing and sharing your screenshots

After you take a screenshot, a notification usually appears at the top of your screen. Tap that notification to open the screenshot when ready in an editor. You can crop, draw on, add text, or blur parts of the image before saving.

If you don't tap the notification, open your Gallery app, find the Screenshots folder, and tap the image you want to edit. Look for an Edit button (usually a pencil icon) to make changes. Once you're done, you can share the screenshot directly to email, messaging apps, social media, or cloud storage by tapping the Share button.

Troubleshooting when screenshots won't save

If you're taking screenshots but they're not appearing in your Gallery, check that your tablet has enough storage space. Go to Settings > Storage and see how much free space you have. If your tablet is nearly full, delete old files or photos to make room.

You should also make sure the Gallery app has permission to access your storage. Go to Settings > Apps > Gallery > Permissions and turn on Storage. If the Gallery app is outdated, open the Google Play Store, search for Gallery, and tap Update if an update is available.

Restart your tablet if screenshots still aren't saving. Hold the Power button, tap Restart, and wait for the tablet to turn back on. Then try taking a screenshot again using your preferred method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?

Yes. After you take a full screenshot, open it in the Gallery app and tap Edit. Use the crop tool to select only the area you want to keep, then save. Some Samsung tablets also let you hold Power and Volume Down longer to enter a "partial screenshot" mode where you can draw a box around the area you want to capture.

Why is my screenshot blurry or low quality?

Screenshots capture at your tablet's screen resolution, so the quality depends on your display. If the image looks blurry when you zoom in, that's normal — it's the same resolution as what you see on screen. If the entire screenshot is blurry, try cleaning your screen and taking another one.

Can I take a screenshot of a scrolling page that's longer than my screen?

Standard screenshots capture only what's visible on screen. To capture a long page, you can take multiple screenshots and stitch them together, or use a third-party app from the Google Play Store that specializes in scrolling screenshots. Some Samsung tablets have a built-in "Scroll Capture" feature — after taking a screenshot, look for a "Capture More" or "Scroll" option in the notification.

How do I delete screenshots I don't need?

Open your Gallery app, go to the Screenshots folder, and long-press the image you want to delete. Tap Delete or the trash icon. You can select multiple screenshots at once by tapping each one while holding down, then delete them all together.

Can I take a screenshot while using an app that blocks screenshots?

No. Some apps, particularly banking and payment apps, prevent screenshots for security reasons. If you try to take a screenshot in one of these apps, nothing will be captured. This is intentional and cannot be bypassed on a standard tablet.