The quickest way to screenshot on most Samsung devices

On most Samsung phones and tablets, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time and hold them for about a second. Your screen will flash, you'll hear a camera shutter sound, and a thumbnail will appear in the corner. That's your screenshot.

The screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app in a folder called "Screenshots." You don't need to do anything else — it's already stored on your device and ready to share, edit, or delete.

This method works on Samsung Galaxy S-series phones, Galaxy A-series phones, Galaxy Tab tablets, and most other Samsung devices made in the last several years. If you're using an older Samsung phone, the button combination might be different — we cover that below.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together to screenshot on nearly all modern Samsung devices.
  • Your screenshot appears as a thumbnail in the corner and saves automatically to your Photos app.
  • If the Power + Volume Down method doesn't work, try Power + Home, or check your device's settings under Advanced Features.
  • You can take a screenshot of just part of your screen using the Partial Screenshot tool, which appears after you take a full screenshot.
  • Palm swipe and voice commands are alternative methods available on some Samsung models.

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

Older Samsung phones — particularly Galaxy S models from 2015 and earlier — sometimes use Power + Home button instead. Try holding those two buttons together for a second. The Home button is the physical button below the screen on older models.

If neither combination works, go to Settings > Advanced Features and look for "Screenshots" or "Motions and Gestures." Some Samsung devices let you turn screenshot methods on and off here, or choose between different options. You may also find a toggle for Palm Swipe to Capture, which lets you swipe the edge of your hand across the screen to take a screenshot.

If you still don't see a screenshot option in Advanced Features, your device may be too old to support the standard methods. In that case, you can use your device's built-in screen recording feature instead, which captures video of your screen — then pause the video and take a still image of the moment you need.

Using the partial screenshot tool

After you take a screenshot using Power + Volume Down, a small menu appears in the corner with options to edit, share, or delete it. One of those options is usually Crop or Partial Screenshot. Tap that to select just the part of the screen you want to keep.

You can also take a partial screenshot directly without taking a full one first. Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Screenshots and turn on Intelligent Capture or Scroll Capture (the exact name varies by model). Then take a screenshot normally — you'll see extra options to capture just a portion or to scroll down and capture more content below what's visible on screen.

Where your screenshots are stored

Every screenshot you take saves to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. Open Photos, tap the menu (three lines or three dots), and look for Screenshots in the list of folders. All your screenshots are there, organized by date.

If you delete a screenshot from the Screenshots folder, it goes to your Trash or Recently Deleted folder for 30 days before being permanently removed. You can recover it during that time by opening Trash and restoring it.

You can also move screenshots to other folders, share them directly from the Photos app, or delete them to free up storage space. Some Samsung devices let you set a default folder for screenshots in Settings, so they save somewhere other than the main Screenshots folder if you prefer.

Alternative screenshot methods on Samsung devices

Palm Swipe to Capture lets you take a screenshot by swiping the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right (or right to left). To turn this on, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures > Palm Swipe to Capture and toggle it on. This method works on many Galaxy S and Galaxy A phones, though not all models support it.

Voice commands are available on some Samsung devices with Bixby (Samsung's voice assistant). You can say "Take a screenshot" and Bixby will capture your screen. To use this, make sure Bixby is enabled in your settings and that voice wake-up is turned on.

Screen recording is another option if you need to capture video instead of a still image. Swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the full Quick Settings menu, find Screen Recorder, and tap it. Your device will record everything on screen until you stop it. This is useful if you need to show someone how to do something or capture moving content.

Troubleshooting: screenshot not working

If you press Power + Volume Down and nothing happens, first check that your device isn't in Safe Mode — some features are disabled there. Restart your phone normally and try again.

If screenshots still aren't working, make sure you're pressing both buttons at exactly the same time. Press them firmly and hold for about one full second — if you release too quickly, the screenshot won't register. Some devices require a slightly longer hold, so try holding for two seconds if one second doesn't work.

Check your storage space. If your device is nearly full, it may not have room to save a screenshot. Go to Settings > Storage and see how much space is available. If you're below 1 GB free, delete some files or apps to make room.

If you've recently updated your Samsung device, the screenshot method might have changed. Check Settings > Advanced Features to see what options are available on your current software version. You can also restart your device — sometimes a restart fixes button combinations that have stopped working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot without using buttons?

Yes. If your Samsung device supports Palm Swipe to Capture, you can swipe the edge of your hand across the screen. You can also use voice commands with Bixby on some models. Both methods are turned on in Settings > Advanced Features.

Where do I find my screenshots after I take them?

Open your Photos app, tap the menu, and select Screenshots. All your screenshots are organized by date in that folder. You can also search for "Screenshots" in your file manager to find the folder.

Can I edit a screenshot right after I take it?

Yes. A thumbnail appears in the corner after you take a screenshot. Tap it to open a menu with options to crop, annotate, share, or delete the screenshot. You can also edit it later by opening it in your Photos app.

What's the difference between a screenshot and a screen recording?

A screenshot captures a single still image of what's on your screen. A screen recording captures video of your screen and everything you do on it. Use screenshots for sharing a single moment, and screen recording when you need to show a process or capture movement.

Do screenshots use a lot of storage space?

No. A single screenshot is usually between 100 KB and 2 MB depending on your screen resolution and what's displayed. You'd need thousands of screenshots to noticeably affect your storage. However, if you take many screenshots over time, deleting old ones you don't need can help free up space.