How to take a screenshot with an Android phone?

Question

Is there a way to take a screenshot of an android phone and save it as an image file?

Answer 1

If you're rooted: you can install an app called drocap2. This will let you shake your phone, wait on a timer, or click on a notification in your notification bar to take a screenshot and it'll save it to your phone.

If you're not rooted: you can not run a screenshot app on your phone, period. You'll have to install the Android SDK on your computer, connect you phone via USB, and run a program called DDMS. This program is mainly used for developer debugging, but it has a screenshot utility under one of its menus. For a tutorial, see this page.

If you have Android 4.0+: You can press the Power button + the Volume Down button at the same time to take a screenshot. It will be saved to your gallery.

Answer 2

Starting with Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich there is finally a possibility to create a screen-shot without 3rd party app or connected computer:

Press the following two keys at the same time: Volume-Down + Power

Answer 3

In most Samsung phones with Android 2.2+ you can take screenshots by holding the back key and tapping the home button.

Answer 4

Install the android sdk on your computer, connect the phone and run ddms from the terminal and then select Device > Screen Capture (Or CTRL-S) and a screenshot will be made.

Answer 5

Once rooted, I've liked working with Screenshot (Cyrket link).

Set the timer, go to your application and wait; or set it to “Shake” mode, go to your application and shake it. Hard. And files show up in a screenshot folder. Happy day.

I mean it. SHAKE IT HARD. Unless there's some trick to shaking and I'm doing it in the wrong direction, this is NOT a sensitive shaker.

UPDATE: yeah, I'm using the timer option. Either the Incredible has a lousy shake sensor, the app is implementing it weirdly, or something else -- but shaking was just ridiculous. Would have been a nice interface, if that worked.

(Variable) Timer to take screenshots works just fine!

Answer 6

On the HTC EVO3D, you may press lock button and home button at same time to capture a screenshot.

FYI the "lock button" is the same thing as the power button

Answer 7

ShootMe does work for me on the Galaxy Tab (2.2), even if I did not root it and the ShootMe page says, that it works only for rooted devices.

Answer 8

Your phone has to be rooted. If it is just search "screenshot" in the market for many options. For an unrooted phone you can use dolphin browser hd with an addon to get screen captures of a website.

Answer 9

On the optimus black you can also use the lock+home button

Answer 10

The following method also requires root, but may be better and easier if you need the screenshots while writing articles, app reviews or documentation.

You do not need complex instructions or the Android SDK, and this works on all rooted devices.

1. Install droid VNC server.

   

2. Print Screen.

3. Profit!

Answer 11

Some phones have the functionality built in, such as the previous mentioned Galaxy S. On the Droid Charge, hold the back button and press home. On most new LG Android phones, hold home and press power.

Unfortunately, the only universal method is using the Android SDK to take screenshots with a computer. Rooting and using a screenshot app works on many devices, but sometimes not, and it's not the easiest way to take a screenshot.

Answer 12

On a Samsung Galaxy S II it's simultaneously pressing the power+home button it's tricky though 9 out of 10 times I can't get it. Obviously that's specific to that model of phone and not the Android OS.

As far as I know there isn't any native app built-in to the OS for all phones, it's too bad really.

Answer 13

When I got the 2.3.4 Upgrade on my Sony Ericsson Arc (from 2.3.3) holding down the power button brings up the "airplane mode/power off/silent" menu, and new to 2.3.4 is the presence of a "take screenshot" button as well.