How to take a screenshot on Android

To take a screenshot of your Android device you need to know the different methods to get it: what are they and how to edit it.

It often happens that you want to store the image of your Android screen. Or to save a photo opened on an application from which it is impossible to download it in any other way, or to keep in memory certain pages, or even to store conversations in progress on some instant messaging program, perhaps to show them later to third parties. Sometimes, you simply want to publish the home screen of your new phone on social networks. In short, it happens to everyone to have to make the screenshot of Android, an operation often very useful. That's why it is always good to know the ways in which you can get it.

How to take a screenshot of Android

To make the screenshot of android there are several systems, among which the most common is to take advantage of a special key combination, which may vary from phone to phone. In this sense there are several possibilities. One of them is to simultaneously press the Power key and the Home key (i.e. the power button and the one in the bottom center). Of course, this works in those phones where there is a physical home button.

When you take a screenshot, the phone makes a noise that sounds just like a camera shot. Two other keys that you can use to take a screenshot of the screen are "Power" and "Volume Down", which again should be pressed simultaneously. If you want to share the newly captured screenshot in an immediate way, just open the Android notifications menu and click on "Share", then choose where the image will be shown.

How to take a screenshot of the screen in a custom way

Considering that each smartphone manufacturer often customizes its devices with very characteristic features, it is good to know how to take a screenshot of Android on the most common devices, through typical shortcuts and gestures. In this case, to activate it, simply place your hand on the edge of the phone and quickly swipe it from right to left. Of course, the function will first have to be activated in the Android settings, under "Gestures and controls": you'll find just the option "Screenshot with hand side".

The Huawei on the other hand has a technology called Knuckle Sense, which allows you to make the screenshot of Android simply by knocking with your knuckles on the display twice. This feature is activated in the smart assist menu related to Android settings. LG-branded smartphones, on the other hand, are equipped with an app, called QMemo+, dedicated precisely to making screenshots. And again, on Asus devices you can add a special button that allows you to take screenshots. It should be activated from the Android notifications menu.

Take Android screenshots with apps

You can also take Android screenshots with special apps. These are useful when your smartphone doesn't have dedicated buttons or other systems designed by the manufacturer. One of the most used is called Easy Screenshot, and it allows you to capture the screen quickly and immediately. It should obviously be installed on your device, and then started. You'll see a series of entries to set your preferences on screenshot capture: to adjust them you'll have to move the various levers to "On off". Then click on "Start Capture" and then on "Start Now".

At this point you just need to pull down the notification dropdown and press the capture button for the app you just installed. If you want to view the screenshots you'll have to log back into the app and go to review them through the postcard icon. You can also edit or share them.

Another app that's very easy to use and completely free is Long Shot, which lets you screen web pages quickly and easily. Simply install it on your device and click on the "Capture web page" button. At this point you'll just have to type the address of the web page you want to capture and press "enter". By pressing the button in the shape of a check mark you'll then be able to go and look for the point you want to photograph. Finally you'll have to press the "End here and capture" button.

And again, to perform Android screen capture you can use the app called Nimbus Clipper, which is completely free and allows you to make a customization of the captured screenshots. You can add text, blur certain parts of the image, add annotations, and more.

Or you can install Screenshot Ultimate, an app that lets you take Android screenshots in several ways: by clicking on a screenshot icon, or by shaking the device. The screenshots you take can then be saved in the gallery, edited and of course shared.

Edit Android Screenshots

Sometimes before sharing an Android screenshot you might want to do some editing, such as obscuring certain parts of the screen, or cropping it to show only a picture or a certain part of it. To make the changes you just need to use photo editing apps, but those already installed by default on the device also work well. It only takes a few simple gestures to get the desired result.