Galaxy S6 Guide

How to take screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge?

Take Galaxy S6 screenshot without using any apps. You can print Galaxy S6 screen with Home and Power buttons, palm switch or assistant menu.

Taking a screenshot on Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is easy without using any third-party apps.

This Galaxy S6 how-to guide explains 3 native ways to take screenshots on Galaxy S6, shows you how to use smart capture to take a screenshot for pages larger than one screen and edit them instantly, Finally, your questions on taking and editing screenshots are answered.

Table of Contents hide
1) When you may want to take a screenshot?
2) 3 ways to take a screenshot on Galaxy S6 without using any apps
2.1) Method 1: use Home button + Power button
2.2) Method 2: Palm swipe
2.3) Method 3. use the Assistant menu to take a screenshot for Galaxy S6 ad S6 edge?
3) How to edit the screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6
4) How to use Smart Capture (scroll capture) to automatically scroll down on Galaxy S6?
5) Why I cannot take screenshots when playing a video?
6) Can you take screenshots on Samsung Galaxy S6? Do you have questions on editing the screenshots or using Smart Capture on Galaxy S6?

When you may want to take a screenshot?

You may think you will never take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6. But this is probably not true.

Whenever you want to or need  show someone remotely the screen of Samsung Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge, e.g.,

  • Technical support for Galaxy S6 and S6 edge remotely ;
  • Requesting help for some apps;
  • bragging the achievement in a game;
  • showing booking proofs or ordering info;
  • sharing some key information on a website, or a location in the Google Map (not everyone always has an internet connection).

You will then find a  screenshot on can solve all these issues.

Of course, if you need to share some eye-catching contents with your friends through MMS or social networks, a screenshot can be a better option.

If you share the article using sharing buttons on most websites, people need to open the browser to read it online.

3 ways to take a screenshot on Galaxy S6 without using any apps

Someone may think taking a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 is too geeky or difficult.

Actually, it is very easy and simple, partially thanks to the home button in the Galaxy S6.

You do not need any apps to take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6.  Actually most such apps require root.

In this guide, I will show you 3 different methods of taking a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 without using any apps, or connecting to other devices.

In short, you can take screenshots on the phone directly without using any apps.

The three methods to take screenshots on Samsung Galaxy S6 are:

  1. Use buttons. Pressing and holding Power + Home button simultaneously.
  2. Palm swipe. Swiping your palm over the screen from the right side or left side of the screen.
  3. Using the Assistant menu. Ther is a screenshot button in the Assistant menu,

These three methods work identically on Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge.

Method 1: use Home button + Power button

The first method for taking a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 is to press and hold the Power button and Home button simultaneously. Please check Galaxy S6 layout or Galaxy S6 edge layout or Galaxy S6 edge+ layout to locate the buttons,

You will hear a shutter sound if you didn’t turn off the notification sound on Galaxy S6.

The key point of this method is you need to press and hold the two buttons simultaneously.  In reality, however,  you always press one button earlier than the other.

So, the trick of this method is to press and hold the Power button slightly earlier. This is due to the associated functions of the individual buttons as explained in this page.

Just for your information, as detailed in Galaxy S6 layout page and galaxy S6 edge layout page, the Power button is on the right side of Galaxy S6 (or S6 edge), and the Home button is just below the screen.

If you get the power options using this method, it means you press the power button too early.

If you are redirected to the Home screen, it means you press the home button too early.

Method 2:  Palm swipe

The second method to take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 is to swipe your palm over the screen from the left side to right side, or from the right side to left side, as shown below.

Palm swipe to take a screenshot on Galaxy S6
Palm Swipe toa take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6

If nothing happens when you swipe your palm over the Galaxy S6 screen, you may need to enable this feature in Settings—Motions and gestures — Palm swipe to capture.

This method is a bit gimmicky. The successful rate maybe not as high as method 1. But if you master it, it is fun.

Method 3. use the Assistant menu to take a screenshot for Galaxy S6 ad S6 edge?

In addition to the two methods mentioned above, you can also use the Assistant menu to take screenshots (print screen) for Galaxy S6, S6 edge, and S6 wedge+.

Please follow this guide on using Assistant menu to take a screenshot on Galaxy S6, S6 edge, and S6 edge+.

How to edit the screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6

Screenshots taken on Samsung Galaxy S6 are automatically saved in Pictures folder in the storage. Unlike in some previous generations of Galaxy S phones, it will not pop out the image for editing.

So, after taking the screenshot on Galaxy S6, you need to go to the Gallery app or Photos app to edit the picture as normal photos.

Of course, you can share it with other apps from the Gallery app or Photos app.

Once the screenshot is taken, you should also get a notification, tap the message and follow the instructions to quickly share it without editing.

How to use Smart Capture (scroll capture) to automatically scroll down on Galaxy S6?

In Marshmallow update for Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+, scroll capture (smart capture), which allows you to take multi-screen screenshots, is available. You can use capture more button to automatically scroll down and capture additional screenshots until the whole page is captured.

Scroll capture works for all apps that require scrolling up and down.

If you want to take a screenshot for multiple screens (e.g., a web page) in Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+, please follow this guide.

Why I cannot take screenshots when playing a video?

You may notice sometimes you cannot take a screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S6 when using some apps or features, mainly playing videos. In this case, you should get an on-screen message telling you screenshot cannot be taken.

This is due to copyright or security reasons. Samsung disables screen capturing features for such apps based on App details.

If you really need take screenshot under this situation, you can take a screenshot of Galaxy S6 from a PC using ADB tools.

Can you take screenshots on Samsung Galaxy S6? Do you have questions on editing the screenshots or using Smart Capture on Galaxy S6?

If you have any questions or problems on capturing screen on Samsung Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 edge, please let us know them in the comment box below.

We will try to find a solution for you.

For other features of Galaxy S6, please check Galaxy S6 online manual page.

For detailed guides on how to use Samsung Galaxy S6, please check Galaxy S6 how-to guides page.

For detailed guides on how to use Galaxy S6 camera, please check Galaxy S6 camera guide page.

Please check Galaxy S6 Android Marshmallow update guide for more on new features in  Android Marshmallow update for Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, and S6 edge+.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. resh says

    Omg.. what a nightmare .. neither of these work for me .. so frustrating .. wish I’d stayed with iPhone now

    Reply

    • Tony says

      That’s the key right there, ignore what Elsa say’s and don’t let it go, I was just pressing the two and letting go. Crazy, I’ve gone to 3 different forums for this cause I knew I was doing it right but missing something. That’s kind of important information to leave out.

      Reply

  7. Marsha says

    The palm swipe just doesn’t work on my s6 edge. And yes, I have the gesture enabled in settings. It just keeps opening apps or swiping windows. It’s so frustrating. It wasn’t hard at all on my s5. Guess I’ll just have to stick to the home and power button method.

    Reply

  8. annoonn says

    you need to make sure when u swipe you only swipe top 80% of screen. avoid bottom of thescreen just above the home button

    Reply

    • lol says

      Omg!! I never knew!!! What a life saver u are!!!
      I came across this page as my swiping skills deteriorated(lol) somehow. I used to have the note 3 so i guess i naturally swiped 80% of the screen as my hands are smaller than the screen. But once upgraded to s6 i coundn’t get the hang of swiping to screenshot! Still, learning about the power+home combo is a plus! Thanks!

      Reply

  10. Hannah says

    Palm swipe to capture doesn’t work all the time even if it’s activated on the Settings. It’s so frustrating.

    Reply

  11. Sherry says

    All that happens when I push home and power is that I get taken to Google search. Palm swiping works occasionally, but usually just ends up swiping me from one page to the next. It’s rather frustrating.

    Reply

  12. JB says

    Its not about practice really. If your screenshot is not working via either method contact samsung support they need to know about it. Im familiar with the screenshot with my G3 but now with my G6 Edge it doesnt work at all. Good luck and hope Samsung fixes this soon.

    Reply

  13. DH says

    The easiest way to take a screenshot on the S6 Edge is to use the Assistant menu. It can be enabled from:
    Home Screen –> Menu –> Settings –> Accessibility –> Dexterity and Interaction –> Assistant menu

    After you enable it, simply press the blue button and look for Screenshots.

    Reply

  16. Fahad says

    The palm hand works perfectly but I am trying to take a screenshot of my locked screen, it never works with the 2 buttons press.

    Reply

  18. Cynthia says

    I learned to do the power and home button trick, but i also learned you have to hold those buttons down for a few seconds. Not like the iPhone which is quicker. Beats trying to swipe my hand across.

    Reply

  19. Denise says

    I have the GS6 edge and I used to LOVE taking screenshot of videos of my baby to get that perfect pic, but lately the video player has changed and no matter what I do, even though the control pangel disappears, the “play” button stays in the middle of the screen, ruining my pictures! I am SO upset! Please help!

    Reply

  20. Gena says

    Just upgraded from an S5 to S6. Hate the fact that you can no longer take screenshots from a video. It was so easy on the S5. I video my daughters horse eventing competitons and the video screenshots on S5 were perfect. I could advance video one frame at a time and capture the perfect action shot. May be a better camera on the S6 but by taking this function away it is a terrible upgrade for me.

    Reply

  21. Connie says

    I have the S6 Edge. It is a beautiful phone with a brilliant screen, but it is SO GLITCHY!! The palm swipe screenshot thing is totally hit or miss. The other method is great. Plus, because of the Edge thing (worthless gimmick) you are always touching a live screen and it completely screws you up. It locks up as well. I will never go back to iPhone, but I wish I had gotten the S6.. not the edge.

    Reply

  22. Karen says

    It NEVER works when I swipe to get a screenshot on my s6… and using the home screen and side button takes about 100 tryst to get it to work… really TICKS ME OFF. SAMSUNG. YOU NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

    Reply

  24. Sajid says

    Palm swipe to capture doesn’t work all the time even if it’s activated on the Settings. It’s so frustrating.

    Reply

  26. Joseph Rapoza says

    I cannot get the palm swipe on my S6 to work anymore. It used to work just fine but then today it just stopped. I have went to my settings and made sure that Palm Swipe to Capture is on but still no results?
    Like i said before, palm swipe used to work fine for me. I have always used palm swipe so it’s not that I’m doing it incorrectly.

    Reply

Leave a Reply