How Do You Take a Screenshot on an iPhone?

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

Every iPhone user needs to know how to take a screenshot. A screenshot, or screen capture, is a photo of whatever is on your iPhone screen. If you can’t figure out how to save a photo, taking a screenshot is another way to save an image to your Photos app. If you haven't learned how to screenshot on your iPhone yet, don't worry, it's simple! We'll cover how you take a screenshot on iPhone models old and new.

Why You'll Love This Tip:

  • Quickly capture notes or social media posts to save for later.
  • Take a screenshot of web pages that don't allow you to save photos.
  • Screenshot iPhone bugs to get help identifying the problem you're experiencing.

How to Take a Screenshot on iPhone

System Requirements

This tip should work on all versions of iOS, but the screenshots below were captured on iOS 17. Find how to update to the latest version of iOS.

How do you get a screenshot on an iPhone 14 or 15? Or any iPhone without a Home button, like the XS or XR? Here's how to take a screenshot on an iPhone without a Home button:

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  1. Navigate to the screen you want to capture. Then, simultaneously press the Sleep/Wake button on the right-hand side and the volume up button on the left side, and quickly release both buttons.

    iphone 15 with red arrows pointing at the power button and the volume up button
  2. When you see the screen flash white (and possibly hear the camera shutter), the screenshot has been captured and added to your Photos app.
  3. You'll also see a thumbnail of the screenshot you've captured on your screen for a few seconds.

    iphone home screen displaying a screenshot thumbnail in the lower left
  4. If you tap on this thumbnail, you can use Markup to draw and write on your screenshot.

    iphone screenshot markup tools

Now, you know how to screenshot on iPhone 15, 14, or any iPhone without a Home button. But what if your iPhone has a Home button, like an iPhone SE or iPhone 8?

How to Screenshot on iPhone SE & Earlier Models

If your iPhone has a Home button, such as an 8 or SE, you can still take screenshots, but the process will be slightly different. For more iPhone shortcuts and tricks, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter. Here's how to screenshot on iPhone SE and earlier:

  1. Locate your Sleep/Wake button. Depending on the model of iPhone, your Sleep/Wake button may be at the top of your phone (older models) or on the right side of it (newer models).
  2. To take a screenshot, simultaneously press your Sleep/Wake and Home buttons, then quickly release them.

  3. The screen will flash white, letting you know a screenshot was taken.

Taking a screenshot is a great way to save a photo, save a list, or quickly capture other content in an image. It can also be a good idea to screenshot iPhone error messages when they occur to help you troubleshoot the problem. You can also capture full web page screenshots.

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Author Details

Alex Cequea's picture

Author Details

Alex Cequea

Alex is marketing consultant, regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and the host of a web series called Social Good Now, where he highlights social issues through short animated videos. Formerly, he was a Marketing Exec at Cisco, and Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. His projects have been featured on TEDx Houston, CNN, TIME, ABC News, CBS, Univision, Fast Company, and the Huffington Post.