The fastest way: press the top button and volume up together
On newer iPads, you take a screenshot by pressing the top button (the power button) and the volume up button at the same time, then releasing both. The screen will flash white, you'll hear a camera shutter sound, and a thumbnail will appear in the bottom left corner for a few seconds.
This works on iPad Pro models from 2018 onward, iPad Air 3 and newer, iPad (7th generation and newer), and iPad mini 5 and newer. If you have an older iPad with a home button at the bottom, the method is different — you'd press the home button and the top button together instead.
The screenshot saves automatically to your Photos app in the Screenshots album. You don't have to do anything else unless you want to edit it or share it right away.
Key Takeaways
- Press the top button and volume up button at the same time to take a screenshot on modern iPads.
- The screenshot appears as a thumbnail in the bottom left corner and saves to your Photos app automatically.
- You can tap the thumbnail when ready to edit, crop, or mark up the screenshot before it disappears.
- Older iPads with a home button use the home button and top button instead of volume up.
What happens right after you take the screenshot
After you press both buttons, a small preview of your screenshot appears in the bottom left corner of the screen. This thumbnail stays visible for about five seconds. If you tap it, you open the full editing view where you can crop, draw on, add text, or magnify parts of the image.
If you don't tap the thumbnail, it disappears and your screenshot is saved to the Photos app without any changes. You can find it later by opening Photos, tapping Albums at the bottom, scrolling down, and selecting Screenshots.
Editing and marking up your screenshot
When you tap the thumbnail right after taking a screenshot, the Markup tools appear. You can use a pen, highlighter, or eraser to draw on the image, add text boxes, insert shapes, or sign your name. These tools are useful if you need to point out something specific or add notes before sharing.
After you finish editing, tap Done in the top left corner. You'll see options to Save Only, Save to Photos, or Copy. Save Only keeps your marked-up version in the Screenshots album. Save to Photos saves it to your main photo library. Copy puts it on your clipboard so you can paste it into an email, message, or document.
Where your screenshots are stored
All screenshots go into your Photos app by default. Open Photos, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, scroll down past your regular albums, and you'll see a Screenshots section. Every screenshot you've taken is stored there in reverse order — newest first.
If you want to move a screenshot to a different album or delete it, you can do that from the Screenshots section. You can also search for screenshots by date or use iCloud Photos to see them on your other Apple devices.
Sharing a screenshot directly
The fastest way to share a screenshot is to tap the thumbnail while it's still visible and then tap the Share button (the box with an arrow pointing up). This opens a menu where you can choose to send it via Mail, Messages, AirDrop, or any other app you have installed.
If the thumbnail has already disappeared, open Photos, find the screenshot in your Screenshots album, tap it, tap the Share button, and choose how you want to send it. You can also copy a screenshot and paste it directly into an email or message without saving it first.
Troubleshooting when the screenshot doesn't work
If you press both buttons and nothing happens, make sure you're pressing the correct buttons for your iPad model. On newer iPads without a home button, it's the top button plus volume up. On older iPads with a home button at the bottom, it's the home button plus the top button.
If you're still not seeing a screenshot, check that you have enough storage space on your iPad. Go to Settings, tap General, then About, and look at the Available space. If you're very low on storage, your iPad may not save the screenshot. You can also restart your iPad by turning it off and back on, which sometimes fixes button responsiveness issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a screenshot of my entire screen if it's longer than what fits on the display?
Yes. After you take a screenshot, tap the thumbnail and look for a tab at the top that says Full Page. Tap it and your iPad will scroll through the entire page and capture everything, creating one long image. This works in Safari and some other apps, but not all.
What if I don't want the screenshot sound to play?
Put your iPad in Silent mode by flipping the mute switch on the side of the device (if your model has one). On newer iPad Pro models without a physical mute switch, go to Settings, tap Sounds, and turn off the volume. The screenshot will still save — it just won't make a sound.
Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen instead of the whole thing?
Yes. Take a regular screenshot first, then tap the thumbnail and use the crop tool to select only the area you want to keep. You can also use the Markup tools to draw a rectangle around the part you want to highlight before saving.
Where do my screenshots go if I have iCloud Photos turned on?
They sync to iCloud and appear on all your Apple devices — your iPhone, Mac, or other iPads — in the Screenshots album. If you turn off iCloud Photos, screenshots stay only on that iPad. You can turn iCloud Photos on or off in Settings under your name, then iCloud, then Photos.