How to Take a Screenshot on Your Device? – Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and More

Gaurav Rathore
Gaurav Rathore

Tech Writer

His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.

7 min read

Have you ever come across some crucial piece of information or an interesting meme on your device’s screen that you’d like to share?

Instead of wasting time on other methods, you can simply take a screenshot! Whether you’re a tech freak or a noob, knowing how to take a screenshot can be a game-changer.

With this write-up, I’ll provide you with the steps you need to take on an Android device, iPhone, PC, Mac, and more. But first, let’s find out what it is.

Quick Answer

A screenshot allows you to save and share important information quickly and efficiently. On most devices, you need to press the power button and volume down to capture one.

What is a Screenshot?

A screenshot or screen capture is a digital image of the contents appearing on the screen of a mobile, computer, Mac, or any other device. It is often used to snap and record information visible on the screen at the moment for specific purposes. 

The screengrab is stored as a graphics file on the device and can be shared using the appropriate steps. Now, to learn how to take a screenshot on a device, proceed further to the next section.

How to Take a Screenshot?

Taking a screenshot will only require you to press a few buttons or use a pre-installed program on your device. Now, let’s take a look at the steps you need to follow to take one on your device.

On Android

There are two methods to capture a screenshot on an Android device. You can follow the same steps on any software version or device. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Press the power button and volume down button simultaneously.
    How to screenshot on Android
  • The device will produce a screengrab. Nevertheless, you can also take a look at the pull-down menu, as some devices have a screenshot button there as well.
    Screenshot button

Other methods to capture a screenshot on an Android device include swiping down with three fingers, swiping the screen from left to right with your whole hand (works on Samsung only), and using the voice command to take a screenshot.

How to Start Screen Recording on Android?

You also have the option of screen recording on your Android device. However, it will be a recorded video of whatever actions you perform after starting the recording. The option Screen Recorder is present under the Quick Settings. You just need to start the recording, and the recorded video will be present under the default camera roll of your device.

On iPhone

The ‘Home’ button on an iPhone helps you take screenshots. Follow these steps: 

  • Press and hold the Power button and the Home button simultaneously.
    how to take a screenshot on iPhone
  • If the sound is on, you’ll hear a camera shutter sound and flash on the screen that confirms a screenshot has been taken. 
  • A screenshot preview will appear on the left of the screen. Tap ‘Done’ and choose the location for the saved file.

For an iPhone without the Home button, press and hold the ‘Power’ button and ‘Volume Up’ button at the same time to capture a screenshot. 

On Windows

To capture a screenshot on Windows (any version), you just need to press the ‘Alt’ + ‘Print Scrn’ button to capture a screenshot of the entire screen.

How to screenshot on Windows

The screengrab will be saved to the clipboard, and then you need to open Word, Paint, or any other editing program that will show you the image and allow you to edit it. Then, paste the image where you need it to be.

Nevertheless, you can simply press the Print Screen button to take a screenshot of the section you prefer. 

Snipping Tool on Windows

On Windows, you can use the Snipping Tool to crop out any section of the screen you like. Go to Start >> Snipping Tool >> New. Click and drag to select the area, then save the cropped image on your PC or laptop.

On Mac

While using a Mac, you can either capture the full screen or crop a specific area using different commands. Most users have to deal with confusion when they don’t know how to take a screenshot on Mac.

So, if you’re using macOS –10.10 (Yosemite) or higher, follow these steps:

  • To capture the whole screen – To snapshot the whole screen on a Mac, press Shift+Cmd+3. Then, you can click the review available on the bottom right to make any changes. 
  • To capture a specific portion of the screen, – Press Shift+Cmd+4. This will turn your mouse pointer into a crosshair, and then you can drag and drop to select the area you want to crop.  
  • Apart from these two options, you get a Screenshot Tool on Mac. Just press Shift+Cmd+5 simultaneously, and it will open the tool. 
  • There’s a Grab tool, which you can find in the Applications >> Utilities folder, that also helps you capture screenshots. It is a free program available on the Mac.
    Grab tool MacBook

Pro tip:

If your MacBook has a touch bar, you can take a screenshot by pressing Shift+Cmd+6. 

On Chromebook

To capture a screenshot on a Chromebook, you have two options. Let’s take a look:

  • You can use the ‘Windows Switcher’ button to take a screenshot. This button is located on the top of the keyboard, and the icon looks like a box with two lines next to it. (Take a look at the image below.)
    Windows Switcher button Chromebook
  • You can also press Shift + Ctrl + Windows and then select Screenshot to snap the whole screen, a part of the screen, or a specific window. 

These screenshots are saved on the clipboard and then easily pasted to the location you want them to be.  

On Linux

When using a Linux Device, you get multiple options to snapshot the screen due to different versions. However, if you’re using Ubuntu, you can try these three methods:

  • Activities Menu – Open the Activities menu and select Screenshot. Then, you can capture the whole screen, a single window, or cut out a specific portion.
  • Print Screen Button – Just like Windows, Linux also allows you to press the Print Screen button to snap the whole screen and Alt+Print Screen to grab a selected portion. 
  • GIMP – GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, it is basically used to edit images but also allows you to take screenshots. Just open GIMP >> File >> Acquire >> Screenshot, then edit the image if you want. 

On Apple Watch 

Before you capture a screenshot on an Apple Watch, make sure that this feature is enabled. To enable screenshots, go to My Watch >> General and turn on the toggle to Enable Screenshots. Alternatively, you can go to Settings >> General >> Enable Screenshots.

Taking a screenshot on an Apple watch is pretty easy. You just need to pull up the screen you want to snap. Hold the side button and click the Digital Crown at the same time. This will capture a screenshot which would be saved on your iPhone. 

Final Words

No matter what device you’re using, taking a screenshot is somewhat of a mandatory feature. Whether it’s an iPhone or Android device, Windows, Mac, or Linux, there are straightforward methods you need to follow to capture a screenshot.

Mastering the art of screenshotting ensures that you can quickly and easily capture and share your screen content whenever needed.

FAQs

How to screenshot on Windows?

To take a screenshot on Windows (any version), you need to press Alt+Print Screen or use the Snipping Tool.

How to screenshot on Android?

Press the power button and the volume down button simultaneously to take a screenshot on an Android device.

What is the key for screenshot on PC?

It is Alt+Print Screen.

What is the PrtScn button?

The PrtScn (Printscreen) button helps you to capture the whole screen you see on your PC or laptop.

Where is my screenshot on PC?

All screenshots are saved in the “Pictures” folder, or in a subfolder called “Screenshots.”

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