How to Take a Screenshot on Any iPhone

This article explains how to take an iPhone screenshot to quickly save anything on your screen to a picture file. Here's how to do it on any iPhone.

How to Take a Screenshot on iPhone 16 Through iPhone X

Taking a screenshot on an iPhone is as simple as pressing some buttons. For many years, making a screenshot involved using the Home button, but Apple removed that button beginning with the ​iPhone X.

Follow these steps to take screenshots with your iPhone if it doesn't have a Home button (i.e. if it has Face ID):

1. Ready your phone with whatever it is you want to screenshot. For example, to screenshot a text message, open it so it's fully visible.

   Your iPhone can take scrolling screenshots, which is useful when the contents don't fit on the screen.

2. Press the side button (formerly known as the Sleep/Wake button) and the volume up button at the same time. It's just a quick press-and-release; don't hold them for too long.

3. The screen flashes and the camera noise sounds to indicate that you took a screenshot.​ Also, a thumbnail of the screenshot appears in the corner of the screen.

4. Tap the thumbnail image to edit or share the screenshot. Or, swipe it off the left edge of the screen to dismiss it. The screenshot is saved to the Photos app.

How to Take a Screenshot on Older iPhone Models

Older iPhones have a Home button. If that's what yours has, or you have an iPod Touch, follow these steps to take a screenshot:

1. Display the content on the screen that you want to capture.

2. Press the Home button and the side/top button at exactly the same time.

   The location of the button depends on your iPhone model. It's either on the right side or the top right.

3. The screen flashes white, and the phone plays the sound of a camera shutter. A thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen; tap it to edit or share the image. Or, swipe it off the screen to save it to the Photos app.

How to Take a Screenshot With AssistiveTouch

There's a potentially easier way to take an iPhone screenshot: AssistiveTouch, an accessibility feature of iOS that adds a virtual, on-screen Home button. Turn on AssistiveTouch and configure it so that taking screenshots requires just a couple of taps. This works for all iPhones and iPod Touches.

1. Open Settings and tap Accessibility.

2. Go to Touch > AssistiveTouch.

3. Tap the toggle next to AssistiveTouch. Immediately, the AssistiveTouch button appears on the screen. Drag and place it on any spot around the outside edge of the display.

4. In the Custom Actions section, choose which action takes a screenshot. Tap Single-Tap, Double-Tap, Long Press, or 3D Touch (on models that have this type of screen) to assign a command to that gesture.

5. Tap Screenshot.

6. To take the screenshot, tap the AssistiveTouch button (not pictured here) on the screen in whatever way you set it up (e.g. a single tap or double tap).

Where to Find Your iPhone Screenshots

Screenshots are automatically saved to a dedicated folder in the Photos app. Here's how to view your iPhone screenshots:

1. Tap the Photos app to launch it.

2. Tap the Albums icon in the bottom bar if you aren't already there.

3. Scroll down and tap Screenshots to see a collection of every screenshot you've taken.

How to Share iPhone Screenshots

When a screenshot is saved in the Photos app, you can do the same things with it as with any other photo such as text, email, or post it on social media. You can also sync it to your computer or delete it.

1. Open the image from the Screenshots album.

2. Tap the Share button (the box with the arrow coming out of it).

3. Select the app you want to use to share the screenshot.

4. The app opens, and you can complete sharing in whatever way works for that app.