How to Screenshot on iPhone, iPad and Mac

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Taking a screenshot is one of those tiny skills that saves a surprising amount of time. Whether you want to capture an error message, save a receipt, send someone a map, or prove that a website really did say something ridiculous before it disappeared, screenshots are useful.

The good news is that Apple makes screenshots fairly easy once you know the right buttons. The slightly less good news is that the buttons depend on whether your iPhone or iPad has a Home button, and Macs use keyboard shortcuts. Naturally, there had to be at least three ways of doing it. Very Apple. Very tidy. Also mildly annoying.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone with Face ID

Most modern iPhones use Face ID and do not have a Home button. On these models:

  1. Press the Side button and the Volume Up button at the same time.
  2. Quickly release both buttons.
  3. A preview appears on screen. Tap it to edit or share, or leave it alone and it will save automatically.

This applies to models such as iPhone X and later, including recent iPhone 14, 15 and 16 models.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone with a Home button

If your iPhone has a Home button, the shortcut is different:

  1. Press the Home button and the Side button at the same time.
  2. Quickly release both buttons.
  3. Tap the preview if you want to edit it, or let it save.

On older iPhones with a top button, use the Top button and Home button together instead.

How to take a screenshot on an iPad

On an iPad without a Home button:

  1. Press the Top button and either Volume button at the same time.
  2. Release both buttons quickly.
  3. Use the thumbnail to edit or share, or let it save.

On an iPad with a Home button:

  1. Press the Top button and Home button together.
  2. Release both buttons quickly.
  3. The screenshot will appear as a small thumbnail before saving.

If you use an Apple Pencil on a compatible iPad, you can also swipe from a bottom corner of the screen to capture and mark up a screenshot.

Where screenshots go on iPhone and iPad

Your screenshots are saved in the Photos app. Open Photos, go to Collections, then look under Media Types for Screenshots.

That Screenshots album is useful if your Photos library is the usual mixture of family pictures, parking signs, Wi‑Fi passwords and twelve identical pictures of the dog.

How to take a screenshot on a Mac

Mac screenshots are handled with keyboard shortcuts. These are the ones worth knowing:

  • Shift + Command + 3: capture the entire screen.
  • Shift + Command + 4: select part of the screen.
  • Shift + Command + 4, then Space bar: capture a window or menu.
  • Shift + Command + 5: open the Screenshot app with more options.

By default, Mac screenshots save to the Desktop. The filename usually starts with “Screen Shot” followed by the date and time.

Copy a Mac screenshot instead of saving it

If you want to copy a screenshot straight to the clipboard, add Control to the shortcut.

For example:

  • Control + Shift + Command + 3: copy the whole screen.
  • Control + Shift + Command + 4: copy a selected area.

You can then paste it into Mail, Messages, Pages, Notes or wherever you need it.

When screenshots do not work

Some apps block screenshots or screen captures for copyright or privacy reasons. This is common with streaming apps, banking apps and some protected content. If the screenshot is blank or black, your device probably is not broken — the app is just refusing to be photographed. Dramatic, but common.

Useful, reliable kit for this guide

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Need help with your iPhone, iPad or Mac?

If you are trying to capture a problem so you can send it to someone, or your buttons are not behaving, Apple Mac Man can help you work out what is going on and get the device behaving properly again.

Official Apple references: iPhone screenshots, iPad screenshots, and Mac screenshots.

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