Users of modern smartphones are often faced with the need to save more information on the screen than fits in a standard frame. Whether it’s a long correspondence in a messenger, an article in a browser, or a shopping list in an online store, a regular screenshot cuts off everything unnecessary. Device owners Honor are lucky, since the shell MagicOS (and its predecessor EMUI) provides built-in tools for implementing this task without installing third-party software.
The screen scrolling function works on most current models, from budget X series to flagship Magic. However, the algorithms for creating such images may differ slightly depending on the version of the Android operating system and specific interface settings. In this article we will analyze in detail all the ways to create long screenshotsso that you can save any information in high quality.
Before moving on to specific actions, you should make sure that your display works correctly and the sensor responds to touches. Sometimes problems with taking pictures are associated with temporary software glitches that can be resolved by simply rebooting the device. If you are ready, let's look at the basic methods.
Standard method through control buttons
The most common and reliable method of taking a screenshot on any device Honor is a combination of physical buttons. This method is universal and works even in cases where gestures are disabled for some reason or do not work. You need to simultaneously hold down the volume down button and the screen lock button.
As soon as you hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter or see the screen flash, a thumbnail of the photo taken will appear in the lower left or right corner. It is at this moment that you need to act quickly. The thumbnail will display a special icon in the form of two downward arrows or the words “Scroll”. Clicking on this button activates the long image creation mode.
Once activated, the system will automatically begin scrolling the screen content down, capturing new areas. You can stop the process at any time by pressing the stop button or simply touching the display.
- 📱 Press the
Volume -andPowerbuttons at the same time. - 👆 Quickly tap the scroll icon that appears on the thumbnail.
- 🛑 Tap the screen to complete the long screenshot.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to scroll the page manually while taking a long screenshot. The system does this automatically, and your intervention may lead to image tearing or artifacts.
☑️ Check before taking a screenshot
Using gestures to take pictures
For those who prefer one-finger control, developers Honor implemented a convenient function for creating screenshots using triple tapping on the screen. This method is especially convenient when the phone is on the table or when the other hand is occupied. To use it, you must first activate the corresponding setting in the menu.
Go to the section Settings, then select the item Special features and find the subsection Shortcuts and gestures. Here you need to activate the “Triple tap screenshot” switch. After this, by making three quick taps on the center of the display, you will receive a standard screenshot.
Then the algorithm of actions is similar to the button method: wait until the thumbnail appears and press the button scroll. Gestures work quite accurately, but require some skill to avoid false clicks. If you have a thick screen protector, sensitivity may require stronger pressure.
There is also an alternative gesture - swiping two knuckles diagonally across the screen, which was popular in older versions of EMUI. In new firmware MagicOS it is often disabled by default or replaced with a triple tap, but you can try activating it in the same accessibility settings if your model supports this function.
Control panel and additional menus
If physical buttons are inconvenient for you and gestures do not work, you can always use the quick access panel. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification shade and control center. Among the Quick Settings icons, look for the “Screenshot” icon, which usually looks like scissors or an image of the screen.
Clicking on this icon will instantly create a snapshot of the current display contents. As in previous cases, after taking a photo, a floating window with a thumbnail will appear. This is where the key to creating a long image lies: do not close the thumbnail, but immediately look for the button to expand the capture area.
In some versions of the firmware, the “Smart Screenshot” function is available, which allows you not only to scroll, but also to highlight individual areas or recognize text. To access these functions, you sometimes need to go to the editing menu by clicking on the pencil on the photo thumbnail. There you will find tools for cropping and adding new areas to the image.
| Method | Response speed | Convenience | Risk of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons (Volume + Power) | High | Medium | Low |
| Triple tap | Medium | High | Medium |
| Notification panel | Low | Low | Low |
| Voice assistant | Low | High | Medium |
Editing and saving a long screenshot
After you have created a long image, it is automatically saved in the gallery, but often requires additional processing. The built-in image editor on Honor allows you to trim unnecessary empty fields that could be captured during the scrolling process, or add annotations.
Open the gallery and find the folder Screenshots. Select the desired file and click on the “Edit” button. Here you can use the Crop tool to remove the bottom part with interface icons or the top part with the status bar if they spoil the appearance of the final document. This is especially important if you plan to send the screenshot in printed form.
The editor also offers drawing and adding text functions. You can use a marker to highlight important information in a long correspondence or underline key points in a list. Once you've finished editing, be sure to click the "Save" button to save your changes. The system will offer to save the file as a new one or replace the original one.
Use the PNG format to save long screenshots with text. This format is better at compressing images without losing letter clarity, unlike JPG, which can create artifacts around small text.
If you need to send a long screenshot to someone else, be aware that these files can be heavy. Messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp can compress the image, making the text unreadable. In this case, it is better to send the file as a “Document” to maintain the original quality.
Solving common problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the scroll button simply does not appear after taking a regular screenshot. This may be due to the fact that in a particular application, the long screenshot function is not supported by the system. For example, some banking applications or secure video players block the creation of screenshots for security purposes.
In other cases, the problem may lie in a lack of RAM. If you have too many heavy applications open, the system may not have the resources to process the large image. Try closing background apps through the multitasking menu and try again.
It's also worth checking your screen resolution settings. On some models, if you set a non-standard interface resolution, the screenshot functions may not work correctly. Return the display settings to Default or Recommended in the screen settings menu.
⚠️ Attention: If the scrolling function does not work in the browser, make sure the page is completely loaded. Trying to take a long screenshot while content is loading may result in the bottom of the image being blank or cropped.
What to do if the screenshot is black?
If you get a black screen instead of an image, most likely the application uses DRM protection (for example, Netflix or banking software). In this case, it is impossible to take a screenshot using standard means; you will need to use another device to photograph the screen.
Third-party applications and alternatives
If the built-in tools Honor for some reason do not suit you or do not work in the desired application, you can always turn to third-party software. In the store Google Play or AppGallery there are many utilities available for creating screenshots with advanced functionality.
Applications like LongShot or Stitch It! allow not only automatic scrolling, but also stitch together several separate screenshots manually. This is useful if the Auto mode is malfunctioning and creates “jaggies” in the image. You take several regular pictures with a slight overlap, and the app independently combines them into one long tape.
However, using third-party apps requires permission to access the screen and data storage. Be careful when installing such software and download applications only from trusted sources. In most cases, the built-in functionality MagicOS does the job better and more securely than third-party counterparts.
The built-in scroll function on Honor is the most optimized solution, since it works at the system level and does not consume additional battery, unlike third-party applications.
Why does the scroll button disappear too much? quickly?
The screenshot thumbnail is displayed on the screen for just a few seconds. If you can't press the scroll button, try increasing the responsiveness or use the screenshot widget on your desktop if your software version supports docking the toolbar.
Is it possible to take a long screenshot in split screen mode?
In Split Screen mode, the long screenshot function is usually not available for both windows at the same time. The system only allows you to take a snapshot of the current visible state. You will have to exit the split mode to capture the entire content.
Where are the created long screenshots stored?
All screenshots, including long ones, are saved in the system folder DCIM/Screenshots or simply Screenshots in the internal storage. They are also automatically displayed in the Screenshots album in the Gallery application.
Does a long screenshot affect the performance of the phone?
The process of taking a long screenshot creates a short-term load on the processor and RAM, since the system needs to process a large amount of graphic data. On older models, this may cause a slight slowdown of the interface at the time of saving.