How to take a screenshot on a Galaxy S3, Note 2, or other Android device

Having trouble taking a screenshot on your Android phone? Our guide to snapping a picture of your screen should make things much easier.

Although taking a snapshot of your Android phone’s screen sounds like something only app reviewers would want to do, there are all sorts of other situations where a screenshot would come in handy, such as sharing your homescreen setup with friends or obtaining pictorial proof of a great score on a particular game.

Except it has never been all that easy to accomplish, often needing a third-party app to achieve. With the introduction of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), that all changed, so here’s a quick guide on how this feature works, using the Samsung Galaxy S3 as an example.

Take a screenshot on the Galaxy S3:

1. Open Settings and go to Motion.
2. Scroll down and find Hand Motion, find Palm Swipe to Capture, and tick the box.
3. Close the menu and shape your hand like you are “chopping,” then swipe it across the screen – it doesn’t matter which way – and you should hear the camera shutter and receive a notification that a picture has been saved to the gallery.

Alternative method for taking a screenshot on the Galaxy S3 or Note:

1. Pressing the power and home buttons at the same time will also grab an image of the screen. This can be awkward to get right, so it’s important to remember to press both buttons at the same time, and hold them until the shutter sound is heard.

Both these methods also work on the Samsung Galaxy Notes, and the second method is also applicable to the Galaxy S2.

Take a screenshot on other Android 4.0, 4.1, or 4.2 devices: 

1. Press the power button and volume down key at the same time. Remember to hold them until you hear a click or see a screenshot being taken. This works on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Google Nexus 7 tablet and should be the first method you try on an Android device. Remember to hold both keys down at precisely the same time, and hold until the shutter clicks.

For older Android phones, such as those running 2.3 Gingerbread, you’ll need to head over to the Google Play Store, where there are several apps that will do the job for you. Screenshot ER and Screenshot UX are popular choices, but often require your phone to be rooted, or take a look at No Root Screenshot It if you don’t want to root your device.