How to Take a Screenshot on Your iPhone

From the original iPhone to the iPhone 12, we've got you covered

You can quickly save a picture of someone's words and capture a funny or important moment with a screenshot of your iPhone. Here's how to do it on any iPhone.

Instructions in this article apply to devices running iOS 2.0 and later.

take iphone screenshot
iPhone images: Apple Inc.

How to Take a Screenshot on the iPhone X series, iPhone 11, and iPhone 12

To take a screenshot on the iPhone or iPod Touch, press a combination of buttons at the same time. The buttons depend on the model phone.

For many years, iPhone screenshots involved using the Home button, but Apple removed that button from the ​iPhone X and later models like the iPhone 12.

To take screenshots without the Home button:

  1. Display the content you want to take a screenshot of on the screen of the iPhone. For example, display a website, a text message, or a screen in one of your apps.

  2. Press the Side button (formerly known as the Sleep/Wake button) and the Volume up button.

  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 lower-left 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.

  5. The screenshot is saved to the Photos app.

Did you know that you can take full-page screenshots of websites in iOS 13?

How to Take a Screenshot on Older iPhone Models

If you have an iPhone from the original model through the 6S or any model of 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 Sleep/Wake button at the same time.

    On iPhone 6 series and up, the Sleep/Wake button is on the right side of the device. On earlier models of the iPhone and iPod touch, it's on the upper-right corner.

  3. The screen flashes white, and the phone plays the sound of a camera shutter. A thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen.

  4. Tap the thumbnail to edit or share it right away. Or, swipe it off the screen to save it.

Take a Screenshot on the iPhone 8 and 7 Series

Taking a screenshot on the iPhone 8 series and the iPhone 7 series is a little trickier than on earlier models. That's because the Home button on those devices is different and more sensitive, which makes the timing of pressing the buttons slightly different. Press both buttons at exactly the same time to take a screenshot.

One Other Way to Take a Screenshot: 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, tap General, then select Accessibility.

    The path to the Accessibility menu on an iPhone
  2. Tap AssistiveTouch, and turn on the AssistiveTouch toggle switch.

    Turning on AssistiveTouch on an iPhone
  3. 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.

    Assigning Double-Tap to take a screenshot in AssistiveTouch on an iPhone
  6. Tap the AssistiveTouch button on the screen in the way you selected (a single tap, double-tap, long press, or 3D touch) to take a screenshot.

Where to Find Your iPhone Screenshots

Your iOS device saves screenshots to a dedicated folder in the device's pre-installed Photos app. To view a screenshot:

  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.

    The Screenshots folder on an iPhone
  4. You can also find them mixed in with your other photos in the Camera Roll album.

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.

To share a screenshot:

  1. Go to the Camera Roll or the Screenshots album, then tap the screenshot to open it.

  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.

    Sharing a photo on an iPhone
  4. The app opens, and you can complete sharing in whatever way works for that app.

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