iPhone owners know that there are many different features of the device that can come in handy in various situations. For instance, did you know that you have the capacity to take a still photo of what’s on your screen at any given time? There are several reasons that you might need to take a screenshot. We’ll talk about what some of those are, as well as how you can do it with the different generations of iPhones that are out there.
Fun Reasons You Might Want to Take a Screenshot with Your iPhone
There are both fun and practical reasons that you might choose to take a still photo of what is on your iPhone’s screen. On the fun side, you might want to take a still photo of something funny that you found online. You can then easily send that image to a friend or relative via iMessage.
If you see a recipe that you like on a cooking site, you can take a screenshot of it, and then you can try it out for yourself later.
Maybe you’re looking for ideas for a Halloween costume. You can take screenshots of a few that you like, and then you can refer back to them later for inspiration. Maybe you want screenshots of how to decorate your house for a kid’s birthday party, or how to arrange the silverware for a formal dinner party you’re having.
You may also take a screenshot to have proof that you got the new high score on a video game. You can show it to your friends later for bragging rights. If you want dating advice, you could also capture moments from conversations on different social networks. You can then show those still photos to your confidants. They can use them to weigh in on whether the person with whom you’ve been conversing likes you or not.
Practical Reasons for iPhone Screenshots
On the practical end of things, you might need to take a screenshot of an error message that is occurring on your iPhone. You can then send that picture to tech support if you are communicating with them via Live Chat on the Apple website. Maybe you’re having trouble with some aspect of an app that you bought in the App Store. You can take a screenshot of it and send it to the app’s manufacturer, so they have a clear indication of what’s going on.
The more you use your iPhone, the likelier it is that you’ll need to take screenshots, either for serious reasons or frivolous ones. So, how do you go about doing that?
How to Take Screenshots if You Have Any of the iPhone X or 11 Models
There’s a different way to take screenshots with an iPhone depending on whether you have one of the newer models that does not have a Home button or whether you have an older model that does. We’ll start by explaining how to take a screenshot for iPhone X or 11.
- First, open the screen or app that you wish to capture.
- Make sure that everything is set up just as you want it for the shot.
- Press the Side button that is located on the right-hand side of the phone.
- At the same moment, press the Volume Up button. It is on the left-hand side of the phone.
- If you executed the maneuver correctly, there should be an audible clicking noise if your sound is enabled. The screen will flash white for a second as well.
Now, you should have a screenshot for that particular image that was on your iPhone’s display. You can see that image by going to your photos.
What About Screenshots for iPhones with a Home Button?
If your iPhone has a home button, then you must follow these instructions to take a screenshot.
- Open the app or screen for which you want the screenshot.
- Set it up the way that you would like.
- Press the Side button on the right-hand side of the iPhone.
- Press the Home button at the same time.
- You should hear that clicking sound, and there will be the white flash of light.
If you’ve done it correctly, you’ll now have a screenshot in your photos.
Editing and Viewing Screenshots on an iPhone
If you want to look at the screenshots you have taken, all you need to do is open the Photos app where you see it on your Home screen. On some phones, you might need to tap Albums, and then Screenshots. In other versions of the iPhone, there will be no designation of the screenshots. They will appear like any other photo alongside others you have taken. You can make a designated folder for them if you like.
You can also select any of your screenshots if you want to make changes to it. You can mark it as one of your favorites. You can also edit it in different ways, or you can share it via a social site. Let’s say that you want to highlight some aspect of one of your screenshots if you are trying to communicate to a developer what’s going wrong with an app that you downloaded. You can circle the feature you want them to notice, or you can add an arrow pointing to it.
The more comfortable you get with the editing features on the iPhone, the more you can modify your screenshots just the way you want them.
Using Screenshots in Other Native iPhone Apps
There are also native iPhone apps like Mail or Messages in which you can use your screenshots. Native apps are those that come preinstalled on your iPhone. By using the edit menu or tapping the camera icon when you use these apps, you can insert your original or edited screenshots into things like emails and texts.
Most of these apps are quite intuitive. If you play around with them a little, you’ll figure out different ways of using your screenshots that are beneficial, depending on what it is you’re trying to do.
Taking a screenshot, regardless of which generation of iPhone you have, is not at all difficult. Once you master it, you’ll find that it’s enjoyable as well. The more you use your phone, and the more creative you are with it, the more uses you are likely to uncover for this newfound ability.
