The fastest way to capture your screen

On the Samsung Galaxy S25, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. Hold both for about a second until you see a flash or feel a vibration. The screenshot saves to your Photos app automatically. This is the quickest method and works on any screen.

You do not need to hold the buttons for long — a quick simultaneous press is enough. If nothing happens, make sure you are pressing both buttons at exactly the same moment. The timing matters more than how hard you press.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together to take a screenshot; it saves automatically to your Photos app.
  • A palm swipe across the screen also captures a screenshot if you enable it in Settings under Advanced Features.
  • After you take a screenshot, a toolbar appears at the bottom letting you crop, draw on, or share the image when ready.
  • Screenshots are stored in a dedicated Screenshots folder inside your Photos app, separate from other images.
  • If the button method does not work, check that you are pressing both buttons simultaneously and that your device is not in a restricted mode.

Using the palm swipe method

You can also take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right or right to left. This method is disabled by default, so you need to turn it on first. Open Settings, tap Advanced Features, then scroll down and toggle on Palm Swipe to Capture.

Once enabled, hold your hand vertically with your pinky and ring finger extended, then swipe across the screen in one smooth motion. The gesture works best when you use the side of your hand rather than your fingers. Some users find this slower than the button method, but it can be useful if your hands are wet or if you want to avoid pressing buttons.

What happens right after you take a screenshot

When you capture a screenshot, a toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds. This toolbar lets you crop the image, draw or write on it with a pen tool, or share it directly to another app. If you do nothing, the toolbar disappears and the screenshot is saved as-is.

The crop tool is useful if you only need part of the screen. The drawing tools let you circle text, add arrows, or write notes directly on the image before you send it. You can also tap the three-dot menu to access more options like scrolling capture, which lets you screenshot content that extends beyond what is visible on your screen.

Finding your screenshots

All screenshots go to your Photos app by default. Open Photos, then look for a folder called Screenshots — it appears at the top of your library. Samsung keeps screenshots separate from other photos so you can find them quickly without scrolling through your entire camera roll.

If you want to move a screenshot to a different folder or album, open it and tap the three-dot menu, then choose Move to Album. You can also delete screenshots from this menu if you no longer need them. The Screenshots folder updates automatically each time you capture a new image.

Changing where screenshots are saved

By default, screenshots save to your internal storage in the Photos app. If you want to change this, open Settings, go to Apps, then Photos, and tap Permissions. Make sure Storage is set to allow Photos to save files. You cannot change the destination folder itself, but you can move screenshots manually after they are saved.

If you use cloud storage like Google Photos or Samsung Cloud, you can set those apps to back up your Screenshots folder automatically. This way, your screenshots are saved both on your phone and in the cloud. Open the cloud app's settings and enable backup for the Screenshots folder.

Troubleshooting if screenshots are not working

If the Power and Volume Down method does not work, first check that you are pressing both buttons at the exact same time. Press them together, not one after the other. If that does not help, restart your phone by holding the Power button until the restart menu appears, then tap Restart.

If restarting does not fix it, check whether your device is in Restricted Mode or a similar security setting that blocks screenshots. Open Settings and search for "Restricted Mode" or "Knox" to see if any restrictions are active. Some work profiles or parental controls can also block screenshots. If you use a work phone, contact your IT department to confirm screenshots are allowed.

Scrolling capture for long pages

If you need to capture content that is longer than your screen, use Scrolling Capture. Take a regular screenshot, then tap the toolbar at the bottom and select Scroll Capture (or the scroll icon). The phone will automatically scroll down and add more content to your screenshot, creating one long image of the entire page.

Scrolling capture works best on web pages, social media feeds, and documents. It may not work on all apps, especially games or apps with custom layouts. If the option does not appear after you take a screenshot, that app does not support scrolling capture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot without using buttons?

Yes, enable Palm Swipe to Capture in Settings under Advanced Features. You can then swipe the edge of your hand across the screen to capture. Some third-party apps also offer screenshot tools, but the built-in methods are the most reliable.

Where do my screenshots go?

Screenshots save automatically to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. You can view them there, move them to other albums, or delete them. If you have cloud backup enabled, they may also sync to Google Photos or Samsung Cloud.

Why is my screenshot not working?

Make sure you are pressing Power and Volume Down at the same time, not one after the other. If that does not work, restart your phone. Also check that Restricted Mode or Knox security is not blocking screenshots — some work phones have these restrictions enabled.

Can I edit a screenshot right after I take it?

Yes, a toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds after you capture. You can crop, draw on, or share the screenshot from this toolbar. If the toolbar disappears, open the screenshot in your Photos app and tap the edit button to make changes.

How do I capture a long webpage or document?

Take a regular screenshot, then tap Scroll Capture in the toolbar that appears. The phone will scroll down and add more content to your image automatically. This creates one long screenshot of the entire page instead of multiple separate images.