Want to save a baffling text, laugh-worthy message or fleeting error message you’re seeing on your iPhone? You can capture it in a screenshot. Find out here how to make a screenshot on an iPhone ⤓ (with or without “Home” button).
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How to Make a Screenshot on an iPhone
⚡ Quick Fix
iPhone with Face ID: Press side button + volume up;
iPhone with Home button: Press home button + side/top button;
Button broken: use AssistiveTouch.
Time needed: 2 minutes
To take a (static) screenshot picture of the current screen on an iPhone or iPad:
- Press the volume up and the side button (on the iPhone’s opposite side) at the same time.
No side button: On an iPhone or iPad with a Home button, press the volume up and Home buttons simultaneously.
Which to press first: You need not press the buttons at the very same time, and you can hold either shortly (about 1 second) before to time your screenshot. - Optional: Tap the iconic screenshot to edit, annotate and share the screenshot right away.
If you do not tap: If you don’t tap the snap as you take it, the resulting image will save to the iPhone Photos app, where you can edit and share it at any time.
Whole email: Starting with a screenshot, you can save an email as a PDF file on your iPhone.
Share by email: You can send the image swiftly as an attachment.
Their word: Apple include information on taking screenshots in a support article.
Captured the ephemeral?
Tips help fuel these email and tech how-tos.
Take an iPhone Screenshot without Hardware Buttons
Take a Screenshot Using AssistiveTouch
To take a screenshot without the iPhone's physical buttons (say, because one is broken) using AssistiveTouch:
- Enable Assistive Touch.
Here’s how: Open the Settings app, go to Accessibility, open Touch then turn on AssistiveTouch under AssistiveTouch.
Using Siri: - Tap or activate the AssistiveTouch button.
- Select Device.
- Choose More.
- Now select Screenshot.
AssistiveTouch shortcut: You can also add Screenshot to the top menu using Customize Top Level Menu in AssistiveTouch options in the Settings app.
Take a Screenshot with Back Tap
To make screenshots on an iPhone without using physical buttons by tapping on the device’s back:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Accessibility | Touch | Back Tap.
- Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap.
- Select Screenshot as the action to take for double or triple tapping under System.
- Double or triple tap the back of your iPhone to take a screenshot.
How to Make a Screenshot on an iPhone: FAQ
Can I tap something (like a menu item) so it is included in a screenshot?
Yes.
You can open, tap and hold menus or buttons to have them in iPhone screenshots.
Can I zoom in on part of a screenshot?
Yes.
To crop and zoom an iPhone screenshot:
- Tap the screenshot’s icon after taking it.
- Use the handles on the sides and edges to crop the screenshot.
- Use two fingers to zoom and move the image in the cropping area.
In what format will the screenshot be saved?
iPhones save screenshots as PNG files. If you do make edits to the screenshot, they will turn into a JPEG file, though.
Where is the screenshot saved?
By default, iPhone screenshots are saved to the Photos app.
In the screenshot annotation tool, you can use the sharing menu to save them as files, of course.
Can I make a screenshot of the iPhone Lock Screen?
Yes.
On the iPhone Lock Screen, screenshots work like anywhere else.
(How to make a screenshot on an iPhone tested with iOS 15–18 and 26; first published December 2023, last updated September 2026)