How to take a screenshot on an Apple Watch

Posted on 15/09/2023 by Julia Mercado

You can take a screenshot on your iPhone, your MacBook, your iPad, you name it. But what about your Apple Watch? If there’s an alert you want to keep safe, or you want to show off your personalized watch face to a friend, you can easily do that without whipping out your iPhone to take a picture of your watch. The Apple Watch has a built in way that makes taking a screenshot more accessible — it just takes a few steps to enable. Here’s how to take a screenshot on an Apple Watch.

How to set up the screenshot feature on an Apple Watch

To take a screenshot on an Apple Watch, you first have to enable the feature, which you can do directly from your wearable. Just go into the Watch’s settings and select general, then scroll to screenshots. Toggle on the enable screenshots option.

How to take a screenshot on an Apple Watch

How to set up the screenshot feature from an iPhone

You can also use your iPhone to set up the screenshot feature for your Watch. Go into the Watch app, select general and scroll down to toggle the enable screenshots option.

How to take a screenshot on the Apple Watch

To take a screenshot on the Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown and the side button simultaneously. They will go right to your Photos library.

How to view Apple Watch screenshots

You can find Apple Watch screenshots in the Photos app on your iPhone under media types in the screenshots folder. If you would like to see those screenshots on the Watch itself, you can sync the album from your iPhone to show them on your watch. To enable this, go to your Watch app, tap Photos and select photo syncing then tap sync album to link the album of your choice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-apple-watch-120036396.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on an Apple Watch

Posted on 15/09/2023 by Julia Mercado

How to set up the screenshot feature on an Apple Watch

How to set up the screenshot feature from an iPhone

You can also use your iPhone to set up the screenshot feature for your Watch. Go into the Watch app, select general and scroll down to toggle the enable screenshots option.

How to take a screenshot on the Apple Watch

To take a screenshot on the Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown and the side button simultaneously. They will go right to your Photos library.

How to view Apple Watch screenshots

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-apple-watch-120036396.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on an iPhone

Posted on 07/09/2023 by Julia Mercado

If you want to share a QR code or keep a receipt handy, taking a screenshot is one of the best ways to do so. Fortunately, there are a few ways to take a screenshot on your iPhone, no matter which model you have. In fact, even the Apple logo on the back of your phone can be used to capture your screen. Here’s our guide to all of the ways you can take a screenshot on an iPhone.

How to take a screenshot without a home button

On the latest iPhones, press the volume up and power buttons at the same time to take a screenshot. A preview will appear in the bottom right corner. From there, you can click on it to open the image or you can find it in your Screenshots folder in the Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with the home button

The iPhone SE, Apple’s most affordable iPhone, still comes with a home button. For this model, hold down the home button and the Power button simultaneously to take a screenshot. You’ll see a small preview on the display afterward and the image can be found in the Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with AssistiveTouch

AssistiveTouch makes up for the lack of a physical home button on new iPhones. This feature allows you to have a virtual home button on your screen that you can use to take a screenshot. To set it up, go into Settings, select Accessibility and then Touch. Toggle AssistiveTouch to turn it on and select Double or Triple Tap. These gestures will allow you to use the virtual home button to take a screenshot by tapping the button two or three times.

How to take a scrolling screenshot

If you want to take a screenshot of an entire website, hold the power and volume up buttons to take a screenshot, then tap the preview to access the editor. Choose Full Page and then edit the photo to your liking.

A bonus: Use Back Tap

Similar to Google Pixel phones, iPhones also have a back-tap feature that you can use to take a screenshot. Just go into your accessibility settings, select Touch and then Back Tap. Choose Double or Triple Tap and select the action (screenshot) you want to associate with that gesture.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-iphone-120004220.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on an iPad

Posted on 30/08/2023 by Julia Mercado

If you’ve recently bought an iPad and now use it for everything, you probably have run into a case where you’ve needed to take a screenshot. You can do that on any iPad, but the steps are different depending on the model you have. If your iPad has a home button (or not), there are a couple of tricks to remember for taking screenshots. If you have an Apple Pencil, it’s easy to take a screenshot with it and quickly edit the image — and there’s even a virtual home button that can help you, too. Here are all of the ways you can take a screenshot on an iPad.

How to take a screenshot on an iPad without a home button

Like the latest iPhones, most of the newest iPad models like the iPad mini don’t have a home button. So how do you take a screenshot? You can still use the physical buttons on the iPad to do this: press the power button and either of the volume buttons at the same time. The screen will flash and a preview of the screenshot will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen.

To edit the image, tap on the preview and work from there. Otherwise, you can find the screenshot in your Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with a home button

Older iPads come with a physical home button, so taking a screenshot on these devices is a little different. Press the power and home buttons at the same time, the screen will flash and the screenshot will appear in your Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with AssistiveTouch

There’s also a way to take a screenshot on an iPad without using any buttons. Go into Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn Assistive Touch on. Click on Double Tap and customize that setting to take a screenshot. A virtual home button will then appear on the right side of your screen. Quickly tap that button twice to take a screenshot.

A bonus for Apple Pencil users

With an Apple Pencil, swipe up from the bottom left corner of your screen to take a screenshot. An editing menu will open automatically and from there, you can annotate and mark up the image with the Pencil using several brush options. Tap Done and Save to finish editing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-ipad-120059001.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on an Android device

Posted on 23/08/2023 by Julia Mercado

For Apple users, you know what you’re going to get each new model of iPhone. Android users on the other hand have a ton of makes and models to consider. So when you get a new Android device, it’s not always clear how to take a screenshot. For most, you can either use the physical buttons on the handset, or ask your handy virtual assistant to take one for you. Whether you have a Samsung, Google, Motorola or phone, here’s how to take a screenshot on (almost) any Android device.

How to take a screenshot using physical buttons

Most Android devices have a power button and volume key — phones and tablets alike. In order to take a screenshot on most of these, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. The screen will flash and a preview of the screenshot will appear at the bottom right corner. The image will go straight to your designated screenshots folder.

How to take a screenshot using gestures

While your Android phone may not have them turned on by default, you can use hand gestures to take a screenshot on many devices. On Samsung devices, turn on Palm Swipe to capture and then run your hand across the screen to take the screenshot.

Google Pixel phones (starting from the Pixel 4a 5G and newer) have a gesture called Quick Tap. This allows you to perform certain tasks just by double tapping the back of the handset. To find it, go to Settings, scroll down to System and select Gestures. Hit “Quick Tap to start actions” and toggle the switch to activate Quick Tap. This feature will default to taking screenshots, but you can change it to a number of other actions if you want.

How to take a screenshot on an Android device

How to screenshot using a virtual assistant

Samsung’s Bixby and the Google Assistant can take screenshots for you. Just say “Hey, Google” or “Hi, Bixby” and instruct them to take a screenshot. On Google devices, you will automatically get the option to share the image on any app of your choice. For Bixby users, you can instruct the assistant to share via a specific app by saying “Hi, Bixby. Take a screenshot and share it on Instagram,” and the like.

How to take a scrolling screenshot

Both Samsung and Google have built-in ways to take a scrollable screenshot. This means you no longer have to take multiple images of one, long webpage to share with your friends. To take a scrolling screenshot, press the Power button and Volume Down at the same time, then a preview of the screenshot will appear at the bottom left.

On Google devices, it will give you the option to “capture more.” On Samsung phones, there will be an arrow pointing down. When you tap that, you will get a preview of the entire page where you can adjust the edges to include what you want.

A bonus for Samsung users

Samsung devices that come with an S Pen can take a screenshot using the stylus like a remote. Take out the S Pen, press and hold its button for at least three seconds and wait for the screen to flash. From there you can edit your image, annotating it with the pen or cropping it to your liking.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-android-120035005.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on a Windows PC

Posted on 17/08/2023 by Julia Mercado

Whether you just splurged on a new Surface device or you’re still working with a trusted, older machine, learning the basics like taking a screenshot will be quick and easy. There are several ways to take a screenshot on your PC. The most versatile though is probably Microsoft’s Snipping Tool, which lets you save your entire screen or a free-form screenshot. Here’s how to take a screenshot on a PC, including instructions for Windows 11 machines and older, Windows 7 devices, too.

How to take a screenshot of the entire screen

There are two different ways to screenshot on Windows. The first option is the Print Screen button: to capture your entire screen, press the Windows key and the PrtScn key simultaneously. If your PC doesn’t have the PrtSc button, instead press Fn + Windows key + Spacebar. To locate the image, open File Explorer, and go to the Pictures folder and then the Screenshots subfolder.

For any device with the most recent versions of Windows 11, pressing the Print Screen key will open the Snipping Tool, which you can read more about below.

How to take a screenshot of an active window

If you only want to save an image of the window you’re currently in, press the Alt and PrtScn keys together. This will put the image into your clipboard. While your PC will save screenshots into a designated folder, partial screenshots like these will go to your clipboard. You will need to move them from your clipboard to an image editor like Photoshop, Windows’ default Photos app or even a document editor like Microsoft Office to save it in the file format of your choice.

How to use the Snipping Tool

You can use Windows’ Snipping Tool to customize your screenshot further. For any Windows 10 or 11 machine, press either Windows key + Shift + S together or the PrtScn key to open the Snipping Tool. For those using Windows 8.1 or 7, you will need to search for the app in your Start menu. Both options will give you a toolbar where you can customize your “snip.”

From here, you can take free-form or rectangular images of your screen. Any screenshots captured by the Snipping Tool will be sent to your clipboard. From the clipboard, so you can save the image to the Screenshots folder, as well as rename the file and change the file format. You can also annotate your screenshots using the pen or highlighter icons.

There are several keyboard shortcuts for the Snipping Tool that will help you customize your screenshot experience:

Ctrl and +: Save the Snip
Ctrl + C: Copy the Snip
Alt + M: Select a Snipping Mode
Alt + D: Set a timer to your screenshot by 1-5 seconds
Alt + M: Create another snip but with the same mode. For example, if you took a rectangular snip, you could make another one quickly using this method.
Shift + arrows: Move between different types of snips

Bonus for Microsoft Surface users

If you have a Microsoft Surface device in tablet mode, press the Power button and the Volume Up button at the same time to take a screenshot. If you have an attached keyboard, you can take the steps listed above, too. Similar to a desktop, the screenshot can be found by going to the Pictures folder and then Screenshots.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-windows-120001872.html?src=rss

How to take a screenshot on a Mac

Posted on 08/08/2023 by Julia Mercado

Taking a screenshot comes in handy for multiple reasons, which is why it’s so easy to do on several devices, including Macs. When it comes to saving what's on your display, the answer lies in your keyboard. All you need to remember are a few keyboard shortcuts and you’ll be able to take a screenshot on Mac easily — and there are even ways to save only portions of your display and screen record, too. Here are all of the ways to take a screenshot on a MacBook or Mac desktop.

How to take a screenshot of your entire screen

If you just want a screenshot of your entire screen, just press: Command (⌘), Shift and 3. By default, that image will appear on your desktop for easy access.

How to capture a portion of your screen

If you want to save a portion of your screen, hit Command + Shift + 4. A crosshair cursor will appear and you can select which part of the screen you want to capture within the gray box.

If you hold the Spacebar after selecting a portion of the window, then you can move your cursor to choose what part of the screen you want to capture.

To take a screenshot of an entire window, select Command + Shift + 4, hover over the window in question and then tap the Spacebar. A camera icon will appear and the window will turn gray to show it’s selected. Click on the screen and you will get an image of the window you chose. (Select option (⌥) in order to get rid of any border edges.)

How to customize your screenshot experience

If you can’t remember the keys to screenshot an entire window or a certain portion, Macs have an even easier way to screenshot. Press Command + Shift + 5 to bring up the toolbar (or simply open the screenshot tool from Spotlight).

This will give you several options, such as taking screenshots of videos and even recording the screen. For a more customized experience, click on Options in order to set a timer for your screenshot and select the folder in which you want to save the image or video. This toolbar also allows you to do the basics like take a screenshot of the entire screen or just a specific window.

A bonus for Touch Bar MacBooks

MacBooks with a Touch Bar have the ability to screenshot the bar itself: hit Command + Shift + 6 to do so.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-mac-120034155.html?src=rss

How to scan with an iPhone

Posted on 27/07/2023 by Julia Mercado

Our phones can replace a lot of things we used to need on the regular — our wallets, our car keys and now even scanners. Thanks to your handset’s camera, the power to scan things is built into your iPhone. You can use it to scan documents, QR codes and more, allowing you to save IRL files in a pinch, pull up menus at restaurants and even check grocery prices on the fly. Here’s how to scan almost anything with your iPhone.

How to scan documents with an iPhone

The default way to scan a document with an iPhone lives within iOS’ native Notes app. Open it and open a new note. Tap the camera icon on the bottom menu bar, tap Scan Documents and then hold your phone to frame the document you want to scan.

The camera will scan the document automatically. But, just like taking a photo, you also have the option to do it manually by tapping the white button at the bottom of the screen or pressing the volume button.

If your document is more than one page, repeat the process for each page and hit the Save button at the bottom right corner when you’re done. If you need to redo or edit a scan, tap the stack icon at the bottom left corner. Once saved, all of the pages will be attached to the same note in your library.

Your iPhone also has the ability to scan the text in your document and make a note from it as well. Just tap and hold on text in your scanned document and highlight the portion you want to extract. You can then make a new note from that, or copy and paste the text into an existing note.

How to scan a QR code with an iPhone

Open the Camera and hold it up to the QR code. Tap the link that generates beneath the code and it will take you straight to your browser. You will automatically be sent to the site or PDF that the QR code links to.

Another way to scan a QR code is by using iOS’ built in Code Scanner. First, go to settings and tap Control Center. Then, tap the green plus icon next to Code Scanner to add it to your Control Center. Swipe down from the top right corner of your home screen and tap the Code Scanner. The icon is represented with a small QR code inside four corners framing it.

That option will take you to another form of your camera. This time, there’s no need to click a link: just frame the code in the four white corners and wait. Code Scanner will automatically show you what's linked in your browser.

How to scan a barcode with an iPhone

Unfortunately, iPhones can’t handle barcodes on their own just yet, but there are third-party apps that can. Depending on the barcode, each app can help you do something different. If you are looking to keep track of books in your library, you can rely on Goodreads. If you just want to shop smart, ShopSavvy can help you find coupons on items you’re thinking of buying. And if you need a basic scanner, Barcode Scanner can look up anything and add it to your history, plus it even lets you make your own QR codes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-scan-with-iphone-120030667.html?src=rss

How to screen record on an iPhone

Posted on 25/05/2023 by Julia Mercado

Sometimes, it’s just better to share your screen when you’re trying to show how to do something or get an idea across. The latest version of iOS on iPhones has made it easier to do this — you can even share your screen via Facetime now, too. But you don’t have to force your not-so tech savvy mom or dad to jump on FaceTime to show them how to check their email. iPhones have another built-in feature that makes screen recording and sharing easy. The steps below will work on iOS 11 and later. Any older iPhone will have to rely on third-party screen recording apps from the App Store.

How to screen record on iPhone

To start screen recording, you first need to make the option more accessible by editing your Control Center.

1. Go to the Settings app and tap Control Center.

2. Here you’ll see a list of tools you can add to your Control Center for easy access. Scroll down the list and tap the green plus icon next to Screen Recording. That will move it up to the “Included Controls” list.

3. Now when you go to the Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your iPhone’s screen. (On anything older than the iPhone X you’ll swipe up from the bottom.) Screen Recording is represented by an icon with a white dot with a circle around it.

4. Tap that icon and wait for the three second countdown to begin.

How to stop screen recording

Depending on your iPhone model, you’ll see a red timestamp at the top left of your screen or a red dot near the center while recording. Tap either of those and the iPhone will ask you if you want to stop recording. Hit “confirm” and you’ll then see a pop up that tells you your video is saved and where to find it.

How to turn on your microphone

If you want to add audio to your recording, go to the Control Center. Press and hold the Screen Recording icon and tap the microphone icon in the context menu. Now, every time you screen record, your iPhone will collect sound along with video.

How to find a screen recording

Screen recordings are treated like any other video, so you’ll find them in the Photos app where you can edit them if needed. However, if you would like your recording to go to a different location, press and hold the Screen Recording icon in the Control Center. You’ll then see a list of apps to which you’re able to send your video and share with others. For example, if you want to send that screen capture to Discord, all you have to do is tap the app in the menu and add a check next to it. Next time you want to show your gaming buddies what's on your screen, you can send the video straight to them.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-screen-record-on-iphone-123016561.html?src=rss