How to Take a Screenshot on iPad and Annotate It
Taking a screenshot on your iPad varies by model — some use button combos, others use a gesture. Learn how to capture and mark up any screen.
At a Glance
Identify your iPad model
~20sTake the screenshot
~27sQuick Tip
Press and release both buttons at exactly the same time — if you hold one too long before pressing the other, you may trigger Siri or a volume change instead.
Open the screenshot thumbnail to annotate
~17sAnnotate with drawings and text
~27sQuick Tip
Tap the colored circle to change the color of your drawing tool. You can use red to circle important areas or add arrows pointing to something specific.
Save or share the annotated screenshot
~17sYou Did It!
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A screenshot is a photo of whatever is currently on your iPad's screen. It's useful for saving directions, capturing a recipe, documenting a problem to show someone, or sending someone what you're looking at without retyping everything.
The button combination for taking a screenshot depends on which iPad model you have:
iPad with a Home button (the round button at the bottom):
Press the Top button (on the top edge of the iPad) and the Home button at the same time, then release both quickly. You'll hear a camera shutter sound (if your sound is on) and the screen will briefly flash white.
iPad without a Home button (newer models):
Press the Top button and the Volume Up button at the same time, then release both quickly. You'll get the same shutter sound and white flash.
After you take a screenshot, a small preview thumbnail appears in the bottom left corner of the screen for a few seconds. You can: - **Tap it** to open the screenshot and annotate it before saving or sharing - **Swipe it away** to dismiss without opening it (it saves automatically to your Photos app) - **Ignore it**. It will disappear on its own and save to your Photos app in the Screenshots album
If you tap the thumbnail, the screenshot opens in the Markup editor. Here you can: - Draw on the image with your finger (or Apple Pencil) using the pen, highlighter, or pencil tools - Add text boxes by tapping the plus icon - Draw straight lines or shapes - Crop the screenshot to show only the relevant part
When done annotating, tap "Done" to save it, or tap the Share icon to send it directly to someone via Messages, email, or another app.
Screenshots are saved to your Photos app in an album called "Screenshots." You can find them anytime by opening Photos and tapping Albums, then scrolling down to find Screenshots. From there you can share them with family, email them to a technician for help, or keep them as a reference.
One common use case: if you're having trouble with an app or website, take a screenshot showing the error message and send it to someone who can help. This removes the guesswork of trying to describe a problem in words.
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