How to Take a Screenshot on iPhone 13 & Earlier Models

Learn how to screenshot on iPhones of any model!

By Alex Cequea Updated 10/11/2021

* This post is part of iPhone Life's 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. We'll cover how to do this on different iPhone models.

Related: How to Take Full-Page Screenshots on Your iPhone (New for iOS 15)

How to Take a Screenshot on an iPhone X & Later Models

Newer iPhone models no longer come with a Home button. So how do you get a screenshot on an iPhone without a Home buttons, such as the iPhone XS, iPhone X, iPhone XR, or any model of iPhone 11, 12, or 13? 

  1. Navigate to the screen you want to capture.
  2. Simultaneously press and the Sleep/Wake button on the right-hand side and the volume up button on the left side.

    how to screenshot on iphone x and later
     
  3. Quickly release both buttons.
  4. When you see the screen flash white (and possibly hear the camera shutter), the screenshot has been captured and added to your Photos app.
  5. You'll also see a thumbnail of the screenshot you've captured on your screen for a few seconds.
  6. If you tap on this thumbnail, you can use Markup to draw and write on your screenshot.

How to Screenshot on an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus & Earlier Models

  1. Locate your Sleep/Wake button.
  2. 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).
  3. To take a screenshot, simultaneously press both your Sleep/Wake and Home button, then quickly release them.

     
  4. The screen will flash white, letting you know a screenshot was taken.
  5. As with the iPhone X and later, a thumbnail of your screenshot will appear in the lower-left corner of your screen; you'll have the option to tap the thumbnail and use Markup.
  6. Open your Photos app to see the screenshot you just took. 

Taking a screenshot is a great way to save a photo or 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. 

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Topics

How-To
iPhone
Photos
Screenshots
Photo & Video
Productivity & Business

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.