Taking a screenshot on your Pixel phone

On a Google Pixel, press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time. Hold them both for about a second. You'll see a flash on your screen and feel a vibration — that's your screenshot being saved. The image goes to your Photos app automatically.

If you have an older Pixel (Pixel 3 or earlier), you can also take a screenshot by pressing Power and Volume Up together instead. Both methods work the same way. The button combination that works depends on your exact model, so if one doesn't work, try the other.

After you take a screenshot, a small preview appears at the bottom left of your screen for a few seconds. You can tap it to edit the image right away — crop it, draw on it, or add text — before it saves permanently. If you don't tap it, the full screenshot saves as-is to your Photos app.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Power and Volume Down together to take a screenshot on most Google Pixel phones.
  • Your screenshot appears in the Photos app and also shows as a preview at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds.
  • You can edit, crop, or annotate your screenshot when ready after taking it using the preview that appears.
  • To record your screen instead of capturing a still image, use the Screen Recorder tool found in Quick Settings.
  • Screen recordings save as video files and include audio from your phone's speaker and microphone.

Recording your screen with Screen Recorder

Google Pixel phones have a built-in Screen Recorder tool that captures video of everything happening on your screen. To start, swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open Quick Settings — the full panel of toggles and options. Look for Screen Recorder in the list. If you don't see it, tap the pencil icon to edit which shortcuts appear, then add Screen Recorder to your Quick Settings.

Tap Screen Recorder to open it. A dialog box appears asking whether you want to record audio. Choose Don't record audio if you only want video, or Record audio if you want to capture sound from your speaker and microphone. Then tap Start recording. A countdown appears, and recording begins after three seconds.

While recording, a red dot appears at the top of your screen to remind you the recorder is running. To stop, swipe down to Quick Settings again and tap Screen Recorder, or tap the red recording indicator at the top. Your video saves to the Photos app as an MP4 file that you can share or edit later.

Where your screenshots and recordings are stored

Both screenshots and screen recordings save automatically to your Photos app in a folder called Screenshots. Open Photos, tap Library at the bottom, and you'll see Screenshots listed as a separate collection. All your captures appear there in order by date, newest first.

These files also take up storage space on your phone. If you're running low on storage, you can delete old screenshots and recordings from the Screenshots folder. Deleting them from Photos removes them from your phone entirely, so make sure you don't need them first. If you want to keep them, you can move them to Google Drive or another cloud storage service before deleting them from your phone.

Editing and sharing your captures

After you take a screenshot, the preview at the bottom of your screen lets you edit it when ready. Tap the preview to open the editing tools. You can crop the image by dragging the edges, draw on it with a pen or highlighter, add text, or blur sensitive information. When you're done, tap Save to keep your changes.

To share a screenshot or recording, open your Photos app, find the image or video, and tap the Share button (usually a curved arrow icon). You can send it through Messages, Gmail, social media, or any other app installed on your phone. You can also copy the image to your clipboard and paste it directly into an email or chat.

Troubleshooting common issues

If the Power and Volume Down button combination doesn't take a screenshot, make sure you're pressing both buttons at exactly the same time. Press them firmly and hold for about a second. If your phone is very new or very old, the button combination might be different — check your phone's manual or search for your specific model number online.

If Screen Recorder isn't appearing in your Quick Settings, your phone may not have the feature, or it might be hidden. Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings, tap the pencil icon at the bottom, and scroll through the list to find Screen Recorder. If it's not there at all, your Pixel model may not include it — older Pixels don't have this tool built in.

If your screenshot or recording didn't save, check that you have enough storage space on your phone. Go to Settings > Storage to see how much space is left. If you're almost full, delete some old files or photos first, then try again. Screenshots and recordings need at least a few hundred megabytes of free space to save properly.

Using gestures and accessibility shortcuts

If pressing buttons is difficult for you, Google Pixel offers other ways to take screenshots. You can use Voice Access, which lets you control your phone by speaking commands. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access and turn it on. Then say "Take a screenshot" and your phone will capture the screen.

You can also set up a custom gesture through Accessibility settings. Some Pixels allow you to assign a three-finger tap or other gesture to take a screenshot. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Gestures and look for screenshot options. Not all Pixel models support custom gestures, but if yours does, this can be faster than remembering button combinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a screenshot of just part of my screen?

Yes. After you take a screenshot using the Power and Volume Down buttons, the preview appears at the bottom. Tap it to open the editing tools, then use the crop tool to select only the part you want to keep. Drag the corners and edges to frame the area, then save.

Does screen recording include audio from apps I'm using?

Screen Recorder captures audio from your phone's speaker and microphone if you choose the "Record audio" option when you start. This means it will pick up music, videos, calls, or any other sound playing on your phone, plus anything you say into the microphone. Choose "Don't record audio" if you want video only.

How long can I record my screen?

Screen Recorder can run as long as your phone has storage space available. There's no built-in time limit. However, longer recordings create larger video files, so if your phone storage is almost full, you may not be able to record for very long. Check your available storage before starting a long recording.

What format are screenshots saved in?

Screenshots are saved as PNG files, which preserve image quality without taking up too much storage. Screen recordings are saved as MP4 video files. Both formats work with most apps and devices, so you can share them easily without needing to convert them first.

Can I take a screenshot while I'm in an app?

Yes, the Power and Volume Down button combination works in any app. However, some apps like banking or payment apps may block screenshots for security reasons. If a screenshot doesn't save when you're in a particular app, that app has likely disabled the feature.