How to Take a Screenshot on an Apple Device
Learn the correct screenshot shortcut for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, plus full-page capture, editing, storage and troubleshooting.
Quick answer: use the shortcut for your Apple device. On iPhone, press Side + Volume Up on Face ID models, or Side + Home (or Top + Home) on Touch ID models. On iPad, press Top + either volume button, or Top + Home on Home-button models. On Mac, use Shift-Command-3, Shift-Command-4 or Shift-Command-5. On Apple Watch, enable screenshots first, then press the Digital Crown and side button together.
iPhone
iPhone with Face ID
- Press the Side button and either Volume Up button at the same time.
- Release both buttons quickly.
- A thumbnail appears in the lower-left corner. Tap it to edit, share or save.
iPhone with Touch ID and a Side button
- Press the Side button and Home button together.
- Release them quickly when the screen flashes.
Older iPhone with a Top button
Press the Top button and Home button together, then release quickly.
Edit, share or capture a full page
Tap the screenshot thumbnail immediately after capture. You can crop, use Markup, share the image or delete it. In supported apps such as Safari, choose Full Page to capture content beyond the visible screen. A full-page result can be saved as an image or PDF.
Where iPhone screenshots go
Open Photos > Collections > Media Types > Screenshots. If you dismissed the thumbnail, the image is still stored there.
Alternative iPhone controls
- Siri: ask Siri to take a screenshot.
- AssistiveTouch: configure an on-screen action for screenshots when physical buttons are difficult to press.
- Back Tap: assign a double- or triple-tap on the back of the iPhone to take a screenshot.
iPad
iPad without a Home button
Press the Top button and either volume button together, then release quickly.
iPad with a Home button
Press the Top button and Home button together, then release.
Use Apple Pencil
Swipe diagonally upward from either bottom corner with Apple Pencil. This opens the screenshot workflow without pressing hardware buttons.
Edit or capture a full webpage
Tap the thumbnail to crop, annotate or share. For supported content, select Full Page to capture a webpage or other content beyond the viewport. Save the result as an image or PDF.
Where iPad screenshots go
Find them in Photos > Collections > Media Types > Screenshots.
Mac
| Goal | Shortcut | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| Entire screen | Shift + Command + 3 | All visible displays |
| Selected area | Shift + Command + 4 | Drag a rectangle around the area |
| Window or menu | Shift + Command + 4, then press Space | One window or menu |
| Screenshot controls | Shift + Command + 5 | Screen, window, selection, timer and recording options |
Use the Screenshot app
Shift + Command + 5 opens the Screenshot controls. From there you can choose the capture area, set a timer, choose a save location and show or hide the pointer. On supported macOS Tahoe 26 systems, you can choose SDR/PNG or HDR/HEIF capture.
Copy a screenshot instead of saving a file
Add Control to the shortcut. For example, Control + Shift + Command + 3 copies the entire screen to the Clipboard. Paste it into a document, message or image editor.
Where Mac screenshots go
By default, screenshots are saved to the desktop. Use the Screenshot app to change the destination.
Mac limitations
Some apps restrict window screenshots. Apple TV is one example. If a protected app returns a blank or blocked capture, use an allowed view or the app’s own export feature.
Apple Watch
Enable screenshots
On the paired iPhone, open the Watch app and go to My Watch > General, then enable screenshots. You can also enable them directly on the watch in Settings > General > Screenshots.
Capture the screen
- Press the Digital Crown and side button at the same time.
- The display flashes to confirm the capture.
- View the screenshot in Photos on the paired iPhone.
Apple documents a separate Diagnostic Logs route for some family-member setups.
Which shortcut should you use?
| Device | Primary shortcut | Selection or full-page options | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face ID iPhone | Side + Volume Up | Full Page in supported apps | Photos |
| Touch ID iPhone | Side + Home, or Top + Home | Full Page in supported apps | Photos |
| iPad without Home | Top + either volume button | Apple Pencil corner swipe; Full Page | Photos |
| iPad with Home | Top + Home | Apple Pencil corner swipe; Full Page | Photos |
| Mac | Shift-Command-3/4/5 | Entire screen, selection, window and timer | Desktop by default |
| Apple Watch | Digital Crown + side button | None; enable first | Paired iPhone Photos |
Common problems and fixes
The screenshot did not save
Release the buttons quickly instead of holding them. On iPhone and iPad, look in Photos under Media Types > Screenshots. On Mac, check the desktop or the destination selected in the Screenshot app.
The power menu appears instead
On Face ID iPhone models, pressing and holding Side + Volume can open power controls. Press both buttons briefly and release immediately.
The thumbnail disappeared
The screenshot is normally already saved. Open Photos and select Collections > Media Types > Screenshots.
Full Page is missing
Full-page capture is available only for supported content and apps. Try Safari for a webpage, make sure the page has loaded, and tap the thumbnail before selecting Full Page.
Apple Watch does nothing
Enable screenshots in the Watch app or in Watch Settings first. Then press the Digital Crown and side button simultaneously.
A Mac window cannot be captured
Some apps restrict window screenshots. Capture an allowed area, use the app’s export function, or copy visible content manually.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need screenshots of webpages for documentation, monitoring or automation, ScreenshotNeo returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF from one request. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for all options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://apple.com -o shot.webpimport requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://apple.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://apple.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);- Cookie banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets are removed before the shot.
- Bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are never billed; response headers identify the page verdict and billing status.
- An MCP server lets AI agents such as Claude and Cursor take screenshots.
- 1,000 screenshots a month are free with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to start.
Performance, reliability and cost notes
- Hardware shortcuts are immediate and require no network connection.
- Full-page captures can take longer than a visible-screen capture because the device or app must render more content.
- For automated webpage capture, wait for the page to finish loading before capturing. Dynamic content, consent dialogs and protected media can change the result.
- ScreenshotNeo charges only for clean shots. Cache hits, bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts and failed loads cost nothing.
FAQ
Can I screenshot an entire webpage on iPhone?
Yes, in supported apps such as Safari. Tap the screenshot thumbnail, select Full Page and save as an image or PDF.
How do I screenshot without buttons?
Use Siri, AssistiveTouch or Back Tap on iPhone. On iPad, swipe upward from a bottom corner with Apple Pencil.
Do Mac screenshots include the pointer?
The Screenshot app lets you choose whether to show the pointer.
Why are my Mac screenshots not in Photos?
Mac screenshots normally save to the desktop unless you change the destination in the Screenshot app.
Does Apple Watch screenshot capture need to be enabled?
Yes. Enable screenshots in the Watch app or Watch Settings before pressing both watch buttons.
