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I often take screenshots on my smartphone, usually to provide images for the articles I write.
And sometimes I need to capture more of the screen than I can see.
For example, I might want to capture a scrolling web page, a long email, or some other type of content that doesn’t fit on the screen at once.
Also: How to set app limits on your Android
Android phones and iPhones (as well as iPads) offer the ability to take a full-page screenshot of specific content. That’s how it works.
How to take a scrolling screenshot on Android and iPhone
To record a long or scrolling screen on an Android device, you must be running Android 12 or later. Otherwise, the scrolling screenshot option is pretty versatile as you can capture almost any screen, from your home screen to a webpage, app, or document.
On a standard Android phone, e.g. B. a Google Pixel, the web page or another scrolling screen that you want to capture. Simultaneously press the power button and the volume down button. Tap the Record More button on the bottom toolbar. An image of the entire screen opens with a border around the default area that would normally be captured. To capture more of the screen, drag the bottom handle down until you capture the entire screen or as much as you want. Tap Save.
Take a scrolling screenshot on a standard Android phone.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
The screenshot will then be saved as an image in your Screenshots folder. To find it, open the Google Photos app, tap the library icon at the bottom, then tap the thumbnail for screenshots. Tap on the screenshot you just took.
Open the screenshot you took.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
Edit or share the screenshot.
Screenshot of Lance WhitneyTake a scrolling screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy phone
The process of taking a scrolling screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy phone is a little different than a stock Android device. Taking a screenshot this way works on older versions of Android prior to 12. For example, I was able to take a scrolling screenshot on a Galaxy phone running Android 9.
Set up the scrolling screen you want to capture. Simultaneously press the power button and the volume down button. From the bottom toolbar, press the double down arrow icon. When you press this icon, the screen scrolls automatically. Keep pressing the icon until you’ve captured the entire screen, or as much of it as you like. When you’re done, tap the thumbnail on the left.
Take a scrolling screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy phone.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
You will then be taken to either the Photos app or the Gallery app. In the Photos app, tap the Edit icon to change or enhance the picture. Tap the share icon to share the picture with another person or app.
Edit or share the screenshot.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
In the Gallery app, tap the pencil icon to edit the image. Tap the share icon to share.
Edit or share the screenshot.
Screenshot of Lance WhitneyTake a scrolling screenshot on an iPhone or iPad
To take a scrolling screenshot on an iPhone or iPad, you need iOS 14, iPadOS 14 or higher. The feature can capture long web pages, email messages, or documents. However, instead of capturing the screenshot as an image, iOS and iPadOS capture it as a PDF.
To try this, set up the screen you want to capture. To take a screenshot on an iPhone with Face ID, press the side button and volume up button at the same time.
Also: try this iPhone screenshot trick
On an iPhone with Touch ID, press the side button and the home button. Tap on the generated screenshot thumbnail. In the Editor window, tap the Full Page heading. Tap or swipe through the smaller thumbnails on the right to see the full screenshot.
Take a scrolling screenshot on an iPhone or iPad.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
Tap on the different pen and pencil tools on the bottom toolbar when you want to mark up the PDF. Tap the + icon to bring up a menu where you can add text or a signature, enlarge any area of the screenshot, change its opacity, or add a square or other icon. You can also undo or redo any action by tapping the appropriate icon at the top.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
To delete the screenshot, tap the trash can icon at the top. To share the PDF, tap the iOS or iPadOS share icon, then select the app, service, or person you want to use to share. When you’re done, tap Done. You can then delete, copy, and delete the screenshot, or save it as a PDF to your device or an online service through the Files app.
Share or save the screenshot.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney
