How to take a screenshot on Samsung A50: all methods

Creating a screenshot on a modern smartphone seems like an elementary task, but device owners Samsung Galaxy A50 sometimes face difficulties due to the lack of physical buttons on the front panel or the unusual location of the controls. This device, released in 2019, combines classic image capture methods and advanced shell functions. Understanding all the available options will allow you to effectively save important information, correspondence or interesting footage from games without unnecessary movements. One UI. Understanding all the available options will allow you to effectively save important information, correspondence, or interesting footage from games without unnecessary movements.

In this article we will analyze in detail each method of creating a screenshot, from standard key combinations to using a voice assistant. You'll learn how to edit an image immediately after capture and where to find saved files. We will also touch on the topic of customizing gestures, since the interface Android on this model provides flexible options for personalization.

Let's start with the most obvious and common method, which works on the vast majority of devices running this operating system. If you are used to classic controls, this method will become your main method.

Classic button combination

The fastest and most reliable way to take a screenshot on Samsung A50 is using a physical key combination. You need to simultaneously press the power button (located on the right side) and the volume down button (located on the left below the magnification rocker). The press should be short and synchronous: just click and immediately release both buttons.

If you hold the keys for too long, the shutdown or reboot menu will appear instead of a screenshot. This is a common mistake made by beginners who confuse a short click with a long press. The system reacts instantly: the screen will blink and you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (unless the sound is turned off).

Immediately after capture, a toolbar will appear at the bottom of the display. It allows you to quickly crop an image, draw a picture, or share a file in a messenger. Do not ignore this panel, as it will disappear after a few seconds, and you will have to open the gallery again to edit it.

This method is universal and works even in situations where the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or blocked by third-party applications. This is hardware level interaction, which takes precedence over software settings.

Palm Swipe function

The company's devices Samsung are famous for their unique gestures, and the A50 was no exception. The Palm Screenshot feature allows you to capture an image by simply swiping the edge of your hand across the screen from left to right or vice versa. This looks impressive and is very convenient when the phone is lying on a table or held with one hand.

However, this option is often disabled by default or reset after a system update. To activate it, you need to go to settings. Follow the path Settings → Additional functions → Movements and gestures. Find the item “Palm screenshot” and move the switch to the active position.

The technique of performing a gesture has its own nuances. The palm should be perpendicular to the screen, and the touch should be firm enough, but not strong, so as not to damage the glass. The movement should be smooth and continuous from one edge of the display to the other.

• 🖐️ Hold your palm vertically, as if you want to split the screen in half with the edge of your hand.
• 🚀 Move your hand confidently, without stopping in the middle of the screen.
• 🧼 Make sure the screen and your hands are dry, otherwise the sensor may not recognize the gesture due to sliding.

⚠️ Attention: The function may not work in some secure applications (for example, banking) or in games with full screen, where gestures are intercepted by the game interface.

If the gesture does not work the first time, try changing arm angle or movement speed. Some users note that on protective glasses with a thickness of more than 0.3 mm, the sensitivity of the sensor to this gesture decreases.

Using the multitasking menu

The third method, which is often overlooked, is hidden in the menu of running applications. This method is especially useful if the buttons on your phone are faulty or you want to avoid accidental presses. It is completely software and is implemented through the interface One UI.

First, call up the recent applications menu. On Samsung A50 this is done by pressing the leftmost navigation button (if you have classic 3 buttons) or swiping from bottom to top with a delay (if control gestures are enabled). In the list of application cards that opens, find the window you want to photograph.

Above the application thumbnail you will see a row of icons. Among them will be an icon with a picture of scissors or a dotted square. Clicking on this icon will instantly create a screenshot of the current window. The system will automatically switch to editing mode, allowing you to immediately save the result.

Navigation: "Menu" button → "Scissors" icon above the application

This method has one important advantage: it takes a snapshot of the active application window, ignoring system navigation bars if they are overlaid on top. This makes the image look cleaner and more professional.

Edge panel and Smart Select tool

For users who want not just full shots, but cropped areas, the company Samsung has introduced a powerful tool Smart Select. It is part of the Edge panel, which is called up by swiping from the edge of the screen. This is ideal for creating GIF animations or highlighting a specific part of text.

To use this feature, first make sure the Edge panel is activated. Go to Settings → Display → Edge panel and turn it on. Then, in the settings of the panels themselves, select “Smart Select”. Now, by swiping from the right or left edge, you will see an icon in the form of scissors with a dotted line.

By clicking on this icon, you can choose the shape of the capture area: rectangle, oval, or even create a GIF animation from the video on the screen. After selecting an area, the system will offer to save it as an image or immediately send it to someone.

Selection type	Description	Best use
Rectangle	Classic area selection	Articles, correspondence
Oval	Selecting a round area	Avatars, icons
Animation (GIF)	Screen recording up to 10 sec	Instructions, bugs in games
Drawing	Free selection form	Non-standard objects

Using Smart Select allows not only to save space in memory, saving only the desired part of the screen, but also immediately add captions or drawings to the selected area before saving.

Secret GIF function

You can record a short video of the screen up to 10 seconds long and save it as an animated GIF. This is useful when you need to show someone a sequence of actions, rather than a static picture.

Voice assistant Bixby and Google Assistant

In the era of smart homes and voice control, it is logical to use voice to take screenshots. The Samsung A50 assistant Bixbyis preinstalled, which is deeply integrated into the system, but you can also use the usual Google Assistant.

To work with Bixby, make sure that voice wake-up is enabled in your Samsung account settings. Simply say "Hey Bixby" or hold down the side button (if configured) and then say "Take a screenshot." The phone will perform the action without touching the screen.

Google Assistant works similarly. Activate it with the phrase “Ok Google” and say “Screenshot”. However, it is worth noting that in some versions of the Google Assistant firmware, the request can be redirected to Samsung system functions, so the response may be slightly slower than the native Bixby.

This method is indispensable in situations where your hands are busy (for example, you are preparing a recipe from your phone) or when the device is contaminated with water/oil and the sensor does not work correctly.

⚠️ Attention: For voice commands to work An active Internet connection is required, since request processing often occurs on the company’s servers. In airplane mode, this method will not work.

Setting the side button and solving problems

On A series models, including the A50, the power button settings sometimes reset. By default, a long press may bring up Bixby instead of the shutdown menu, which is confusing when trying to take a screenshot with the button combination. It is important to check these settings to avoid confusion.

Go to Settings → Additional functions → Side button. Here you can select the action for "Hold". It is recommended to set the “Shutdown menu” so that a long press does not conflict with a short press for screenshots. Although the system can distinguish the duration of the press, a clear setting prevents false positives.

If screenshots are not saved or the system displays an "Insufficient memory" error, check the free space in the storage. Screenshots take up little space, but when the memory is full, the system may block the creation of new files.

• 📂 Check the folder DCIM → Screenshots for damaged files.
• 🔄 Reboot the device if the toolbar does not appear after the snapshot.
• 🛡️ Disable the "Energy Saver" mode, it can limit background saving processes.

It is also worth mentioning content protection. In applications like Netflix, banking clients or a browser in incognito mode, the security system Android blocks the creation of screenshots. Instead of an image, you will get a black screen. This is not a malfunction of the phone, but a standard measure to protect copyright and confidential data.

Where to find and how to manage snapshots

After successful creation The screenshot file is automatically saved to the internal memory of the device. Understanding the folder structure will help you quickly find the file you need or transfer it to your computer.

The standard path to files is as follows: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots. Also, a duplicate may be saved in the folder Pictures → Screenshots, depending on the version of the installed security update. In the "Gallery" application, these images are grouped into a separate album "Screenshots".

You can configure automatic deletion of screenshots after a certain time or their synchronization with the cloud. In the Gallery settings, enable synchronization with OneDrive or Google Photosto avoid losing important data if your phone breaks down.

To bulk delete or move files, use the "My Files" application. It provides more flexible sorting tools than the standard Gallery, allowing you to filter files by creation date or size.

Why does the screenshot turn out black in some applications?

This is standard Android protection (FLAG_SECURE flag). It prohibits image capture in applications that work with confidential data (banks, payment systems) or protected content (streaming services). There is no way around this using regular tools.

Is it possible to change the screenshot saving format to PNG?

By default, the Samsung A50 saves screenshots in JPG format to save space. This cannot be changed through system settings. However, you can use third-party applications from Google Play that allow you to save pictures in PNG or WebP.

Where does the editing panel disappear after a screenshot?

The editing panel disappears automatically after 3-5 seconds of inactivity. If you haven't had time to edit the photo, open the Gallery, find the last photo and click on the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen - the functions will be the same.

How to take a long screenshot of the entire correspondence?

Take a regular screenshot. On the toolbar that appears, click the down arrow button (Scroll). The phone will automatically scroll the screen and add the next part to the image. Repeat pressing until you capture all the necessary content.

Does a screenshot affect game performance?

At the time of taking a screenshot, there is a short-term load on the processor and writing to memory. In heavy 3D games, this can cause micro-freezing (stuttering) lasting a split second. To record gameplay, it is better to use the built-in Screen Recording function.