A man trying to take a screenshot on an iPhone.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone

Taking a screenshot on an iPhone can be difficult if you are not familiar with the process. There are a number of variations between the different models of iPhone, so the process differs slightly between each of them.

In this article we are therefore going to break down how to take a screenshot on an iPhone for each model. What’s more, we also give you an extra useful tip about a secret button that might be hidden on your iPhone.

Taking a screenshot on the three variations of iPhone

iPhones break down into three distinct configurations. Firstly, iPhone with face ID. Secondly, iPhone with touch ID. Finally, iPhone with buttons on the top.

If you are unsure which configuration your Apple phone has, you can read our handy guide on what iPhone do I have?

iPhone with Face ID

iPhones with Face ID include: iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XR and iPhone X and all variants of these models.

As shown in our example for taking a screenshot on an iPhone X:

Press the side button and the volume up button at the same time.
Quickly release.
After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail subsequently appears temporarily in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Tap the thumbnail to open it or swipe left to dismiss it.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone X.

iPhone with touch ID and side button

iPhones with touch ID and a side button include: iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and all variants of these models.

As shown in our example for taking a screenshot on an iPhone 8:

Press the home button and side button at the same time.
Quickly release. (Don’t worry if you activate Siri the first few times you try this)
After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail subsequently appears temporarily in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Tap the thumbnail to open it or swipe left to dismiss it.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone 8.

iPhone with top button

iPhones with top buttons include: iPhone SE, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s.

As shown in our example for taking a screenshot on an iPhone SE:

Press the top button and the home button at the same time.
Quickly release. (Don’t worry if you activate Siri the first few times you try this)
After you take a screenshot, a thumbnail subsequently appears temporarily in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Tap the thumbnail to open it or swipe left to dismiss it.

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone SE.

An alternative method to take a screenshot on an iPhone

Holding down all the buttons at the same time can certainly be quite challenging, especially if you are trying to do it with one hand as shown in the pictures above.

However, if you have an Apple iPhone 8 handset or higher, there is a secret hidden button that can be set up to take screenshots should you choose to use it in that way.

How to activate back tap to take a screenshot

Hidden away in the settings menu is a secret button. This button is located on the back of the iPhone.

If you navigate to: Settings > Accessibility > Touch. Located at the bottom of the page is the option to set up back tap.

You can choose to have this activated by a double or triple tap – what this button does is entirely your choice. You can have it so it turns on the light, activates the mute function, act as a home button, or in this case, take a screenshot.

Once this is set up, if you double or triple tap – depending on your preference – the Apple logo on the back of the device will now take a screenshot. However, this doesn’t work if the phone is inside a case or if you have damage to the back glass.

This function is very useful if you have managed to damage one of the other hard buttons on your iPhone. The back tap can act as a replacement until you can get a repair.

For example, on the iPhone 8 it can be used as a replacement home button. This is useful if you have damaged or broken it and don’t like the on-screen virtual home button option.