Owners of flagship smartphones in the series Galaxy S20 often face the need to save information from the screen, be it a correspondence, a website page or a game moment. However, given the variety of input methods and settings in the shell One UI, not all users are aware of the hidden capabilities of creating snapshots. The standard button method can be inconvenient when using the device with one hand, especially given the 6.2-inch screen size of the base model.
The developers Samsung have provided many alternative scenarios for image capture, ranging from physical keys to advanced gestures and a stylus S Pen (for the Ultra version). Understanding all the available tools will allow you to save time and take screenshots exactly as it is convenient in a particular situation, be it driving a car or watching a video.
In this article we will analyze in detail each available method, from classic combinations to automation via Bixby Routines. You will learn how to edit received images instantly, create long screenshots of websites, and what to do if standard methods stop working after a system update.
Classic method: a combination of physical buttons
The most reliable and universal method, which works even in safe mode or when the touch layer freezes, involves the use of hardware keys. To take a screenshot, you must simultaneously press the Power (lock) button and the volume down Volume Downbutton. It is important to press them simultaneously, and not sequentially, holding them down for a split second.
If you press the buttons for too long, the smartphone may perceive this as a command to call the shutdown or reboot menu. In this case, the screenshot will not be taken, and a window with options for completing the work will appear on the display. A short and clear press is enough to trigger the image capture system.
After successful completion of the action, you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is not turned off) and see a screen flash. A toolbar with a thumbnail of the captured frame will appear at the bottom of the display. This is where the first options are available editing, such as cropping, drawing or adding text before saving the file to the gallery.
⚠️ Attention: On some market firmware versions, the shutter sound may be region-locked and not disabled through the standard silent mode. Check the camera sound settings in the application menu if you need complete silence when taking a screenshot.
If the volume buttons are located awkwardly for your hand, try changing their layout in the accessibility settings so that you only use the power button to capture the screen.
Using palm swipe gestures
One of the unique Features of the ecosystem Samsung is the ability to create screenshots using the gesture of swiping the edge of your palm across the screen. This feature is especially useful when the phone is on a table or when the other hand is occupied. To activate this option, you need to go to the device settings and find the section responsible for additional functions.
The sequence of actions to enable is as follows: open Settings → Additional functions → Movements and gestures. In the list that opens, find the item “Palm screenshot” and move the switch to the active position. After this, the system will be ready to recognize a specific hand movement on the display.
To directly take a photo, place the edge of your palm on the edge of the screen (left or right) and move it horizontally across the entire display, as if you were erasing something from a board. The movement should be confident, but not too fast, so that the sensor has time to register the touch with the entire area of the edge of your palm, and not with your fingertips.
- 🖐️ Make sure that you touch the screen with the edge of your palm, and not with your fingers, otherwise normal scrolling or text selection will work.
- 📱 The gesture works on most screens, but it may not trigger in some games or applications with protection against accidental clicks.
- ⚙️ Gesture sensitivity can be calibrated in the accessibility menu if the phone does not respond well to movement.
Creating long screenshots (Scrolling)
Often there is a need to save not just one screen, but an entire web page, long correspondence in messenger or document. For such cases, the Scroll Capture function has been implemented. After you have taken a regular screenshot in any convenient way, an additional icon in the form of two downward arrows will appear on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Galaxy S20 The Scroll Capture function has been implemented. After you have taken a regular screenshot in any convenient way, an additional icon in the form of two downward arrows will appear on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Clicking on this button causes the system to automatically scroll the content down and “stitch” the new area with the previous image. This process can be repeated many times until all the required content is captured or until the end of the page in the application is reached. The algorithm automatically aligns the joints, making the connection invisible.
It is worth considering that the scrolling function is unstable in applications with dynamic loading of content or in cases where interface elements overlap each other when scrolling. In such situations, it is better to take several ordinary screenshots with a slight overlap and subsequently combine them in a graphic editor.
| Content type | Scrolling support | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Web pages (Chrome, Samsung Internet) | Excellent | Ideal for articles |
| Correspondence (WhatsApp, Telegram) | Good | There may be artifacts at the joints |
| System settings | Limited | Works only in lists |
| Social networks (Instagram, TikTok) | Bad | It is better to use screen recording |
Long function screenshot automatically crops repeated interface elements (the header and footer of the application), creating a clean image of the content.
Working with the S Pen (for S20 Ultra and FE models)
If you own the version S20 Ultra or S20 FE with stylus support, you have access to the most accurate method for taking screenshots. By removing S Pen from the slot or pressing its button while in the application, you will call up the menu Air Command. Among the available options, select the “Create Note” or “Smart Select” tool.
The tool Smart Select allows you to select an arbitrary area of the screen, be it a rectangle, an oval or a free form. This is indispensable when you need to save only a specific fragment of an image, map or graph, without capturing unnecessary interface elements. After selecting an area, the system will immediately offer to save the result or share it.
Another powerful feature is the ability to create animated GIF directly from the screen area. By selecting the appropriate mode in the S Pen menu, you can record up to 15 seconds of on-screen actions, which is convenient for creating instructions or demonstrating bugs in applications without using full video recording.
⚠️ Attention: S Pen functions may not be available if the screen has a low-quality protective glass or if you are using a third-party pen that does not support the protocol Wacom used in Samsung.
How to calibrate the S Pen?
If the pen does not respond accurately, go to Settings → Advanced features → S Pen → S Pen Calibration and follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the pressure sensitivity.
Voice control and assistant Bixby
For situations where your hands are busy (such as driving or cooking), the most effective method is to use a voice assistant. Samsung smartphones have a default integrated Bixby, which is deeply embedded in the system and can execute system commands, including taking screenshots.
To use this method, make sure that voice wake-up is activated in the settings. Just say the phrase “Hi Bixby” (or “Hello, Bixby”) and immediately after the signal say the command “Take a screenshot” or “Make a screenshot”. The system will instantly capture the current screen and save it to the gallery.
Google Assistant is an alternative, although its ability to control Samsung system functions is sometimes limited compared to the native assistant. However, the “Hey Google, take a screenshot” command also works on most devices with the current version of Android, providing another control option without touching the screen.
- 🎤 Voice control requires clear diction and the absence of strong background noise for the command to be correctly recognized.
- 🔒 In some protected applications (banks, incognito browser mode) voice command may be blocked by security policies.
- ⚡ The response speed to a voice command is usually slightly lower than when pressing physical buttons.
Automation through Bixby Routines
For advanced users, the shell One UI offers a powerful automation tool - Bixby Routines (or Modes and Scenarios). With it, you can configure the creation of a screenshot upon a specific event, for example, when connecting to a specific Wi-Fi network, launching a specific application, or at a specified time.
To create such a scenario, go to Settings → Modes and scenarios. Create a new mode, select a condition (for example, “Launch application” and select the desired software). In the Actions section, add the Take Screenshot command. Now, every time you open this application, the phone will automatically save the current view.
This is especially useful for keeping diaries of application use, saving evidence of errors in specific software, or for quickly archiving information from work chats without having to perform physical actions each time. You can set up an exception to the rule so that screenshots are not taken at night.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and capabilities of the “Modes and Scenarios” menu may vary depending on the firmware version and region. If you don't find the option you need, check for system updates or use the Good Lock app from the Galaxy Store to expand functionality.
☑️ Setting up an automatic screenshot
Where are screenshots stored and how to find them
All The created images are automatically saved in the internal memory of the device in a special folder. The standard path to files looks like Internal memory → Pictures → Screenshots. In the Gallery application, a separate album has been created for them with the appropriate name, which simplifies the search and sorting of media files.
Files are named according to a pattern that includes the date and time of creation, for example, Screenshot_20231025_143000.png. The default saving format is PNG, which provides high-quality, lossless images but takes up more space compared to JPG. This is critical when creating a large number of screenshots.
If you use cloud synchronization via Google Photos or OneDrive, screenshots can be automatically uploaded to the cloud immediately after creation. Check your app's sync settings to make sure your photos aren't taking up space on your phone if you prefer to store them online.
Use the Free Up Space feature in Google Photos to delete local copies of screenshots that have already been successfully uploaded to the cloud, saving gigabytes on your device.
Why screenshot is not saved or the screen turns black?
Most often this is due to the application’s security policy. Banking apps, payment applications and some streaming services (Netflix, Kinopoisk) block the creation of screenshots at the system level (flag FLAG_SECURE). In such cases, you will receive a black snapshot or a notification that the action cannot be taken. It is impossible to bypass this using standard means without root access.
How to change the format for saving screenshots to JPG?
In the standard Samsung settings there is no direct option to change the format. However, you can use third-party conversion apps or set up a script in Good Lock that will automatically convert new PNG files to JPG when saving, saving space.
Is it possible to take a screenshot of a locked screen?
No, Android does not allow snapshots of the lock screen for security purposes, to prevent attackers from copying notifications with verification codes or personal information without unlocking device.
What to do if the editing panel does not appear?
Check your notification settings. Notifications from the Gallery app or system interface may be hidden. Also try clearing the cache of the System Interface application in the application settings menu, displaying system processes.