How to make a screenshot on your Android smartphone

Android smartphone

A screenshot is a snapshot of what is shown on the screen of our smartphone.

It's very useful, for example, if we want to share the result of a game with a friend, record a moment of a WhatsApp conversation, save a Google Maps address or when someone helps you through TeamViewer.

Below we explain all the tricks to convert into image or video what you see on your screen.

Take a screenshot on Android

Since Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich the process was simplified a lot and we can even say that it was standardized.

That is, in the vast majority of smartphones we can make a screenshot through the following combination of keys (although there are some manufacturers that have other methods):

• Volume Down + On/Off

The screen capture is usually accompanied by a small vibration, a sound or an animation on the screen. We will also have in the notification bar a warning from which we will be able to access the capture from the gallery.

These images are usually saved in PNG format and we will find them in the internal memory in /Pictures/Screenshots or /DCIM/Screenshots, depending on the manufacturer.

Samsung

The South Korean manufacturer has always wanted to differentiate itself from the rest and hence its key combination is totally different. If we have a Samsung smartphone we will have to make this combination:  

• Home + On/Off

In addition to this possibility, we have another way to make screenshots through a movement.

First we need to activate this function in Settings > My Device > Movements and Controls > Capture screen with hand slide (this phrase may vary depending on the terminal, in some it appears in a submenu Palm Movement > Screen Capture).

 Once activated we only have to slide the side of the palm of our hand on the screen. We will be able to make the movement from left to right or vice versa.

Galaxy Note and the S Pen

In the Note range the S Pen comes equipped with some extra functions: 'Air Command'. This menu is opened by removing the pencil or by pressing the S Pen button near the screen.

There we will find two possibilities: Scrapbook (With the S Pen we will select a specific part of the screen, the image will be saved in the 'Scrapbook') and Screen Writing (a capture of the whole screen will be made and we will be able to write on the image).

In addition pressing the physical button of the pencil and keeping pressed the tip of the pencil on the screen will also make a screenshot.

LG

In addition to the combination of buttons, we will also find a way to do this through a software function called 'Quick Memo'. In order to enter in depth I recommend you to read our article on how to make a screenshot in the LG G3.

Huawei

In EMUI, in addition to the standard form Volume Down + On/Off, we are going to find another option by downloading the notification bar under 'Shortcuts'. Here we can find an icon with the description 'Capture'.

Oppo

It may not be a brand that many users have, but it deserves a special mention because it has introduced the ability to make screenshots through a gesture, but not Samsung-style.

If you have an Oppo R5 or any device of the Chinese firm, you will have the possibility to make screenshots sliding three fingers through the screen from top to bottom.

Send a screenshot without saving it

From Android 6.0 Marshmallow and its Now on Tap feature, you can easily create screenshots and send them immediately. Since Google Now on Tap is a feature of Google Now, you first need such a Google launcher. Android is already installed on most smartphones. If this is not the case, we recommend that you install it.

Start the application or Google Now and with a tap on the three bars menu at the top left opens the settings and activate the option to display the Google Now cards. Now activate Now on Tap in On-screen Search.

Now with a long click on the start button we will activate Now on Tap and from here we can give you to share to send the screenshot to whoever we want.

Scrollshots: Long screenshots

Screenshots can not only be shared and trimmed. There are also other types of screenshots in Android. Some manufacturers provide, in addition to conventional screenshots, Scrollshots. This is particularly useful for capturing longer texts or websites. The system works in a simple, yet ingenious way.

The software makes the first screenshot, then you scroll a little down, you do the next one, and so on, until you get to the last part. As an example we have captured the home page of AndroidPIT and uploaded it to Google Photos. Click here to see the example.

Record the screen in video

Some Sony phones have a screen recording function in the off menu. Press and hold the power button to access this option. Recordings are stored in MP4 format within /Movies/ScreenRecords/.

Huawei smartphones with knuckle gestures can also create videos with the content of the screen. In the Mate 9 you can press twice with two knuckles on the screen to record the video. In the Samsung Galaxy S7 can be done through the Game Launcher. The latter is limited to games.

Other smartphones without a default recording function can install an application to record the screen. Currently the AZ Screen Recorder is the most popular. The videos are created with the sound of your microphone, so that you can comment directly on what you are doing.

A soft touch draws the keystrokes on the screen. MP4 files are stored in the AzRecorderFree directory and have a size of about 24 MB per minute.

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