Skip to main content

How to take a screenshot on your Samsung Galaxy S21

Need to share a juicy bit of gossip from within your messaging app? Or perhaps you want to share bits of an online article with friends and family? For all those moments in your life when you want to share your screen’s contents, you have the handy screenshot function. With only a few button presses, you can take a copy of your screen and save it to your gallery. If you’re rocking a Samsung Galaxy S21, here’s how to take a screenshot.

Take a screenshot on the Galaxy S21

Samsung Galaxy S21+
Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

Once you have something on the screen that you wish to take a snapshot of, press both the Side button (the sleep/wake button) and the Volume Down button at the same time. Be sure only to press the buttons simultaneously and not hold them down; otherwise, you will trigger the power options screen. When successfully pressed, your Samsung Galaxy S21’s screen will briefly flash, alerting you that a photo has been saved to your gallery.

Editing your screenshot

When you take a screenshot on a Galaxy S21, you will be presented with a menu bar of options right after the shot is taken. Four buttons allow you to either enter the Smart Capture mode, Crop/Draw your screenshot, Tag your photo to find it later within your gallery easily, or Share your photo. The Share button is quite self-explanatory, allowing you to share the newly-captured screenshot with your contacts or via one of the applications on your smartphone, so let’s take a look at the three other options available on the Galaxy.

The Smart Capture button allows you to continue taking additional screenshots in a scenario where you might want to scroll down to see other content, such as when on a webpage. To use the function, take your first screenshot, then, when the menu bar appears, select the Smart Capture button. Your Galaxy S21 will automatically scroll down the page and take another screenshot, capturing more content than was previously possible.

Taping the Crop/Draw button in the menu bar will allow you to crop your image, or, by clicking on the Pen icon, you can write notes and make annotations on top of your screenshot. Lastly, the Tag button will allow you to specify a tag to attribute to the screenshot. When you later visit your photo gallery, you can use the tag to search out the shot with greater ease. Your Galaxy S21 will recommend tags automatically, or you can create your own.

Viewing your screenshot

To view your screenshot once it has been taken, navigate to the Gallery app on your device; here, you will be able to view all photos on your smartphone. To see only screenshots, click the Albums button at the bottom of the screen, then choose the Screenshots album. You can edit, delete, or share your screenshot from the gallery, just as you could do with any standard photograph. Also, don’t forget to keep your photos backed up using a cloud storage service so that you don’t risk losing valuable information.

Editors' Recommendations

Michael Archambault
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Michael Archambault is a technology writer and digital marketer located in Long Island, New York. For the past decade…
Best Samsung Galaxy S24 deals: Save up to $800 on the phone
Samsung Galaxy S24 in Marble Gray showing Google Maps.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is Samsung’s newest flagship smartphone. It’s a great phone to shop if you’re looking for the newest tech and software you can get in a smartphone, but it’s also a great phone to shop if you’re looking for some of the best phone deals currently taking place. You might not expect to find substantial savings on such a new phone, but there’s a lot of ways out there to save big on a new Samsung Galaxy S24.
Today's best Galaxy S24 deals
When it comes to landing the best Samsung Galaxy S24 deals, purchasing from your favorite carrier may be your best option. Massive discounts are available if you’re willing to sign a new contract or add a new line. Most carriers are currently offering major discounts with an eligible trade-in device as well, but you can also save on an unlocked version of the Galaxy S24 by purchasing directly from Samsung.

-- Get up to $550 instant trade-in credit with exclusive colors available and discounts on other Samsung devices.
-- Get up to $800 in credit over 36 months with an eligible trade-in device and a qualifying unlimited plan.
-- Get up to $800 in savings applied over 36 months when you trade-in an eligible device and add a new line.
-- Get up to $1,000 monthly bill credits when you trade in an eligible phone.
-- Get up to $800 trade-in credit when you pay over 24 months.
-- Get up to $500 trade-in credit when you trade in an eligible device.

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals: How to get the phone for free
Close-up view of the cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Despite the recent release of the Samsung S24 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a powerhouse smartphone worth considering. Right now is also one of the best times to buy a new Galaxy S23 Ultra, as it becoming a generation older has ushered in some really impressive Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals. You’ll find these deals scattered across all kinds of retailers, so we’ve done the heavy lifting of organizing all of them in one place. The best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals include some massive savings through sales and trade-in credits, so keep reading for more details on which retail outlet may net you the most savings on a new Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals at Amazon

Amazon is offering a 14% discount on the 512GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, bringing the price from $1,380 to $1,199. That's a savings of nearly $200 to get the new phone. This version of the phone is unlocked for all carriers, so you have the freedom to use whatever plan you choose with it.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra cases in 2024: the 15 best ones
A rear view of the gray Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has been highly anticipated and it has lived up to the hype. It is available in a range of fresh new colors and is made of titanium for the first time. The phone also boasts a host of new camera features that are sure to excite photography enthusiasts.

However, it's important to note that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is an expensive device, starting at a whopping $1,300. If you are planning on purchasing one, it's highly recommended that you also invest in a compatible case to better protect your investment. Here are some of the best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra cases available today.

Read more