How to take a screenshot on the Samsung Galaxy S3 (free – no app required!)
107Most Android phones require Root access and/or an app in order to be able to take a screenshot of your phone’s display. Well, that’s no longer the case for the Samsung Galaxy S3! With the Galaxy S3 you can capture a screenshot easily without any third-party apps! You heard correctly… no root or third-party paid apps required. This is now a stock feature on Android 4 ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich). This method is totally free and simple!
Why would you need to capture screenshots on your device? So that you can share what is on your screen with your friends! Get a high score on a game? Take a screenshot and send it to friends via email or Facebook! Want to share a funny text that someone sent you? There are so many reasons!
There are actually two different screenshot methods available for the Samsung Galaxy S3. Just follow the steps below to start taking screen shots on your SIII.
Instructions:
Method 1:
1. HOLD down the POWER button and the HOME button at the same time.
2. That’s it! Seriously, it’s that easy! For those having issues, hit the home button first, then right after that tap the power button. You’ll see a message appear on the screen that says “screenshot saved to Camera shots”. With this method, your screenshot will appear in the directory /Pictures/Screenshots. You can also go to your Gallery app to see the screenshots that you have captured.
Method 2:
1. Click the MENU button and select SETTINGS.
2. Select MOTION.
3. Under “Hand Motion” settings, check “Palm swipe to Capture” checkbox.
4. That’s it! Now you can capture screens by moving your palm on the screen from left to right or right to left. This will take screenshot of whatever screen you are currently on. You can go to your Gallery app to see the screenshots that you have captured.
Now go try it out and start capturing some cool images of your Android screens! Leave us a comment if you have any questions.
John A
I'm a huge Android fan and also the founder of the DroidLessons website. I started obsessing about the Android platform as soon as I got my HTC EVO phone in mid-2010. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with learning all that I can about the Android OS and sharing that knowledge with my friends and family.
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We have been able to do this on the stock Samsung Galaxy Note since November last year! We can also initiate a screen cap using the stylus.
You do realize that not all Android phones have this feature, right? That is the point of this lesson… to teach those that do not know. For some folks, this is a new feature coming from different devices.
Yes I did realise.
The Galaxy Note was one of the very first phones to have this feature (even under Gingerbread) when other phones needed to be rooted (as you correctly stated).
The article just gave the impression that this feature was unique and/or new to the Galaxy SIII. I was just pointing out that it seems to be a standard feature that Samsung is now incorporating.
John, your are awesome; If I didn’t see your instructions about screenshot I was going to root my phone. You saved me from lots of troubles!!!
Thanks again.
Thanks to this! I thought I need to DL an app in my s3 as this feature was not in Samsung Galaxy Ace.
Thanks John A. I just got my Galaxy S3 Sunday and I was amazed by this phone but kinda bummed because I thought you couldnt do screenshots but I just googled it and came to this link. Thanks for sharing!
Works great! Thank you!
That’s great!
Glad it worked well for you. Which method did you prefer?
The power-and-home buttons method didn’t work for me – and I find that one a lot easier to do! Is there anything I should do to make it work?
Hey Mick. That power-and-home method works for most folks with the Samsung S 3. But if it isn’t working for you can try this: Press Volume Down button & the Power Button at the SAME time. I’m not sure if it will work so let us know. This method works on other Android 4 devices so it’s worth a shot.
FYI, Volume down button + Power button mostly for other samsung version.
it works you just need to hold it longer than the iphone and stuff. press them both at the exact same time for about 3 seconds
Thank you very much. I thought it didn’t work until I followed your advice
It worked for me but only the one where u change that motion thingy … the home screen button + power button didn’t work on my SGS3 ♡ it
YES! it took several tries before i got it right, but it worked! thanks so much!
(the home button and power button)
On my Slll both methods work just fine. Thank you so much. By the way that volume down button and power button at the same time method worked on my Sll after I upgraded firmware to ICS. Prior to the upgrade it was home button and power button simultaneously.
Heey thank you soo very much for the tips and the pics! I was able to FINALLY do my 1st screen shot on my S3! The hand motion worked like a charm and was very easy to do!
You’re very welcome!
Have fun taking screenshots on your smartphone!
Thx…this site helped a lot!!!!!!!
thank you! this is very informative!!! it works on my phone!
Yeeeyyyy!!!!
No problem!
Have fun with it!
Worked perfect for me! Thanks a bunch!!!!
Perfectly worked on my galaxy s3! Thanks a heap!!!
Glad to hear it!
Neither are working on mine :/ i have had all the galaxys not too fond of the s3 maybe i got a dud alot of things arent workin the way they should :@
Both ways work for me on my t-mo S3
For the power and home button the hand motion for screenshot must be unchecked. But I still can’t get get the hand swwipe to work. It worked once and that was it.
That’s not true I have motion enabled and I can use home screen and power you just have to hold it down until it initiates
Samsung implemented it very badly!!!
this feature takes pictures of applications spontaniuosly (and even the lock screen) while in my pocket.
what were they thinking !)#*(&$)*(&!#)$*&
Yupe, same here.
I sometimes take it out of my pocket and have 10 screenshots of the locked screen…
Anyway, didn’t know how it was done until I just read this. Both work for me, still not sure which one I will prefer using.
Using a 3 Sweden branded Galaxy S3 and the home+button didn’t work. Only the gesture one. Thank you for your post!
That’s great, thanks for letting us know!
Love it! Thanks works perfectly!
fyi – home+power works only if you are running gingerbread. Volume down+power works when you have ice cream sandwich. I believe this is true for all Samsung Android phones. I have the galaxy s2 and used home+power until I upgraded to ice cream sandwich, then had to start using volume + power. Hope that helps some of you having trouble.
No, the home+power works for ice cream sandwich too. That’s how I take my screen shots.
The palm swipe works on my S3 (it was enabled by default).
Home+power just brings up the current running programs list, same as pressing and holding the home key by itself.
Volume down+power just turns my volume down and then turns off of phone
Same here, only swipe worked, other options had same results on my Dutch S3 as they did for rborchert.
And boy, does that swipe suck..! If u wanna take a screen shot of something you have zoomed in on (like part of a site), then you get only half of the intended spot on ya pic… :s
Not sure what your problem is. The screen shot captures what is currently on the screen. So, if you have zoomed in on something, that’s what you capture.
Just wanted to say thanks…somehow did this on accident and your site let me actually figure it out! awesome
No problem! Thanks for visiting the site and letting us know it worked well for you.
This is a great way to bring up the task manager, but I have yet to be able to get a screen shot using either method.
What about Method #2 didn’t work for you?
It took me half a day, but I got the two button method to work. I think it has to do with pushing one button before the other instead of making sure that you press both buttons at exactly the same time. It’s not the most user friendly feature and is more involved than any tutorial I could find, but it does work if you fight with it for a few hours.
Thank you I learned how to do the screen shot. The instructions we’re so easy. Thanks alot.
Thanks for the post. I’ve been taking screenshots in my pocket for a week! Couldn’t figure out how to do it when I wanted too!
The power+home buttons method only worked for me when I pressed them simultaneously. If I pressed either one first, then the other, I got the list of running apps. I can make it work consistently now.
My phone won’t do the hand slide screenshot what am I doing wrong?
Thanks for the help buttons worked great! Just switched from the iphone and tried it at first and didnt work lol. Is there another way to save a picture like from facebook or the web? I know on iPhone you can just hold your finger on the photo and hit save. Thanks
Works perfect ( Hold home button first then press the power button ) on my Galaxy Wonder (Gingerbread 2.3.6).
Thanks for this, went from my S1 to my S3 and the old S1 button combo (Back + Home) didn’t work any more!
No problem! I’m glad it worked well for you. Hope you are enjoying the newest version of the Galaxy!
Definetly the side swipe is the easiest. Cant get the button method to work/
I Love You! I have been trying to figure out how to do this for the longest!
Yeoww… Thanks matey!!
Thank you random tutorial website, you made my day!
Any additional advice on where to find the actual screenshot “picture” once you’ve taken it? It’s not in my photo gallery, but I do see where it confirmed a save, so I know it’s working. Thanks!
On my Galaxy S III it creates an album called Screenshots in the Gallery
Thanks for the info… I got this S3 phone like 3 mths back, but don’t know how to capture a screenshot… was trying to download an app but they said u got to root it (which I’m not familiar because still new to this smartphone).
But after reading your blog, I now able to capture any screen shots that I wanted. Thanks again.
i dont know why the palm swiping method isnt working for me. i’ve tried swiping it from left to right right to left, bottom to top, top to button, and nothing.. and i do have it activated in settings in th e motion menu…. im usin a galaxy s3 international version ics 4.0.3
Joooohn…I wana give you a hug ^_^ I’ve been searching on play store but none for S3. Thank you. I will definitely read your other posts.
Haha, no problem! Glad to be of help.
Hope you enjoy the other articles on this website!
Thank you!
I was searching for apps and they were all complex (and wanted access to my info which gives me the creeps).
Duh, palm swipe!!
You’re a legend
You are very welcome!
Is there a way to do the screenshot without having the top bar in the picture? Would be nice to not see my signal and battery levels.
Not that I know of! Let me know if anybody figures it out and I’ll add it to the lesson. Thanks!
Thank you for this! I was very sad to think that I lost that feature from the Galaxy Nexus.
Thanks for the help you are a lifesaver now I’m a part of the in crowd lol.
I have to take a lot of screenshots for my job — QA testing smartphone apps. Home + power is so frustrating. LOVE the palm swipe. Sooo much easier! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers for this info i knew the phone could do it as i’ve taken loads when the phones been in my pocket… Being new to samsung i had no clue…. Great help thank you
Glad to be of help!
Well done..it works..thanks for helping..
Thank you! So many free and paid apps that do this but are not as close to simple and easy *not to mention less memory and resources being used*
Very helpful and quick. Thank you
Very welcome! Hope you find our other articles here to be just as helpful.
Thank you so much for this. I was getting soooo frustrated bc the swipe method didnt always work or my hand would hit other options.. ugh it was annoying. But now i have the other option and it works perfectly. I love my GS3
Thanks for this! I would randomly see in my notifications drop down “screenshot captured” and I’d have no idea how I did it.
i have a problem please no idea why it is happening, when i take the screenshot with the volume and home key i have no problem but when i try to do it with thw palm swipe the screenshot is taken but it stays in the notification bar as “saving screenshot” and nothing else happens it stays like that saving and doesnt let me to get access to the picture or anything… like i said this is just when i use the palm swipe… whats going on please help!!
It might just be a glitch on your phone… try rebooting (power off and back on) and giving it another try. Hope that helps!
worked first time for me, 2nd method. great thanx
Both methods work great on LG Optimus LTE.
That’s great. Thanks for letting us know!
Thanks!! I’ve had my phone about a week and accidentally captured a few screen shots but wasn’t sure how I’d done it!
Thank you soooooo!!! i was ready to take it back and get the iphone 5.
No problem!! Best of all you didn’t make the mistake of taking it back and getting the iPhone instead! Yikes! Haha.
Wow! thanks John
Fabulous and it works! I love my Samsung Galaxy 3 and your excellent tips!
Now all we need is to be able to use our phones and all our apps etc anywhere in the world without the ridiculous costs and the inconveniences of having to change sims or buy cheap phones to keep in contact or use maps!
Thank you very much. The method #2 didn’t work for me in the app I want to take screen shot. But method #1 works after a few tries. After I get hold of the method, I can do it consistently now. I suddenly feel superior as a Samsung S3 owner over the other models!
Thank you!
This was so simple? Just holding down two buttons?
Sheesh… I searched so much for such a simple matter. Thanks!
Thanks John A.. Wish I found this before I installed them garbage apps that don’t work on my S3!
This is just awesome. I had switched over to iOS last year because of some of the features it offered, like the screen shot, but ended up not liking the iPhone at all. I finally had the chance to upgrade my phone this January and immediately sought out the S3. I tried both methods and they both work great. I mentioned it to my best friend and my sister, since they both own the S3. Extremely happy the way Android is getting better. Thanks for the tips!!
Glad you switched back to Android! Hope you enjoy the rest of the tutorials on our website!
This was really helpful! I knew about the hand swipe but never knew how to screen cap using the buttons so now I can take screen shots whilst playing games! Thank you!
Thanks so much for the help! It works great! I love the palm swipe, so simple!
THANKS … the first method does not seem to work on my S3 but the second one did … I actually rooted my phone just to get a Screenshot app to work/
No problem!
Glad you got it to work on your S3. Sorry you didn’t find this before having to root you phone! But good news is that having rooted your device also opens up a lot of other features that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
Not one but two options; great; good and easy. Thanks a lot
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! – Very cool and very happy!
Thank you for visiting the website!
Hope you find our other tutorials helpful as well!
I have been trying to figure this out all morning. Thank you! Best instructions ever!
John – is there a way to change WHERE the screenshots are saved?
Thank you so much! I had captured a screenshot by accident before so I knew it was possible. Who knew it was so easy! Thank you
Thanks for the tip! I’m probably the last person to use this feature on S3, and again better late than never !
I can get the screen shot and it’s great! But when I try to text the image to anyone it changes to a short :05 video clip. Why does it do that? And how do I change it?
Thank You so much! This was very helpful, I have this fancy schmancy phone because it was pretty but I really have no idea what to do with it.
Thank you and keep up the good work.
You can also do a screenshot by holding power button and home button at some time. I find this easier as I can’t also get the swipe to work.
Thank You. both worked but I prefer the swipe its alot faster and easier to do. Thank you so much you answered my question just right!!
Is there any other little tricks this phone can do that I dont know about? Please let me know thanks!
Awesome I finally learned something about my phone, which I’ve had for a while now.