How to Screenshot on iPhone: Step-By-Step Tutorials
To screenshot on an iPhone, press the Side (or Top) button and Volume Up button simultaneously on Face ID models, or the Home and Side/Top buttons on older iPhones. Release quickly, then edit, share, or access the screenshot in the Photos app.
So, you recently got your first iPhone and was wondering on how to take a screenshot on it, i got you.
Don’t worry if your iPhone is still the older model with a Home button, or you’re using the latest iPhone 17 running iOS 26, Apple offers multiple ways to snap, edit, and share screenshots.
How to Screenshot on iPhone 16
- Open the screen you want to capture.
- Press the Side button and Volume Up button at the same time.
- Quickly release both buttons when the screen flashes or you hear the shutter sound.
- Tap the thumbnail in the bottom-left corner to edit, markup, or share the screenshot.
Method 1: Using Physical Button
Firstly, we have the old school physical button method. This is the most common method as it is the simplest and easiest way to screenshot.
Face ID Models (iPhone 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
For most of the modern iPhones without a Home button, press the Side (Power) and Volume Up buttons at the same time, then release quickly.
You will then hear a camera shutter sound and the screen flashes which basically confirms your screenshot.
In iOS 26, the screenshot preview now appears full-screen with instant edit and share tools. That means you can annotate it using Markup, copy it, or send it directly through Messages or AirDrop.
Home Button Models
If you are using an older iPhone model which still has a Home button, the shortcut varies slightly, but still nothing confusing:
- Side Power Button models (iPhone SE 2020, 8, 7): Press Home + Side together, then release.
- Top Power Button models (iPhone 5s and earlier): Press Home + Top simultaneously.
You’ll still hear the same shutter sound, and the screenshot will be saved in Photos → Albums → Screenshots.
Method 2: Accessibility and AssistiveTouch Options
Onto the next method, we have the assistive sections. It’s just the same as previous button method, but adds a bit more flare.
AssistiveTouch Menu
Turn on AssistiveTouch under Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch.
Then add the “Screenshot” option to the AssistiveTouch menu.
Click on the floating on-screen button, go to Device → More → Screenshot, and your screen is captured instantly. It’s the perfect hands-free alternative.
Hot Corners (Advanced Accessibility)
In the iOS 26, it takes accessibility even further.
Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch → Dwell Control → Hot Corners
And you can assign a screen corner to take a screenshot. Hover your pointer or use Head Tracking to that corner, and iPhone will capture the screen automatically and like assistive touch, no buttons required.
Method 3: Back Tap Gesture
This method was Introduced in iOS 14, basically Back Tap is a hidden shortcut that turns the back of your iPhone into a quick-action button.
- Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap.
- Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, and set it to Screenshot.
Now, a quick double or triple tap on the back instantly takes a screenshot. To disable it, just set the action to “None.”
Method 4: Using Siri or Shortcuts
Voice Command
If Siri is enabled, you can simply say:
“Hey Siri, take a screenshot.”
Siri will then captures and saves the screen automatically and no need to touch your phone. This is perfect for handsfree and when u r busy.
Shortcuts Automation
For power users, the Shortcuts app lets you automate screenshots.
Create a Shortcut with the “Take Screenshot” action and follow it with save or share steps.
You can even set it up in Shortcuts → Automation to trigger screenshots during specific workflows.
What’s New in iOS 26
Apple has redesigned the screenshot experience in iOS 26:
- Full-Screen Previews: This will Captures and appear full-screen by default, complete with quick Markup and Share buttons. But if you Prefer the old thumbnail preview, go to Settings → General → Screen Capture → Full-Screen Previews to toggle it off.
- New Options: You’ll also find settings for CarPlay Screenshots and Format (choose HDR/HEIF for vibrant images or SDR/PNG for compatibility).
- Visual Intelligence: Screenshots now integrate with Apple Intelligence. Tap Live Text or Search after capture to copy or translate text, recognize objects, or even ask ChatGPT about what’s on screen.
- Accessibility Gestures: With this new iOS 26 update, you can now add support for Face Gestures which trigger screenshots by smiling or raising an eyebrow using Head Tracking.
Won’t that be funny? You can now do the Dwayne eyebrow raise for screenshoting lol
Best Third-Party Screenshot Apps
While Apple’s built-in tools are powerful, third-party apps can take your screenshots further, especially for scrolling or stitched captures.
| App | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Picsew | Auto-stitch hundreds of screenshots; crop, blur, or annotate. |
| Tailor | Automatically joins overlapping screenshots, ideal for chats or webpages. |
| Stitch It! | Lets you remove sensitive content, annotate, and export stitched images. |
| Long Picture / LongShot | Automatically scrolls and captures long pages; free with limits. |
| StitchPics | Offers cropping, editing, and an ad-free paid version. |
| Droplr | Takes screenshots and uploads them to the cloud instantly with shareable links. |
| Jumpshare | Auto-uploads screenshots and provides annotation tools. |
| Screenshot PRO | Auto-organizes screenshots with OCR search, tagging, Face ID lock, and iCloud sync. |
To be honest, ios basic default editing features are more than enough for most users, but if you need more extra editing features and need scrolling screenshots, markup layers, or automatic cloud backups, features that go beyond Apple’s native system, you can consider the above tools.
Combine that with apps like Picsew or Screenshot PRO, and your iPhone becomes a complete screenshot powerhouse, perfect for work, creativity, or just saving that meme before it disappears.
I personally used to struggle with screenshoting when i first got my iPhone and moving from Android. But it’s pretty simple and easy to get around once you get the hang of it.
Hope i can be of help today and if you need more help Screenshot on Mac, Windows, Android and Linux. Click on those links and i explained all the steps for each device there.