Life is elusive. Transient. Instinct prompts us to capture the fleeting moments. How can you do that on your iPad?
Okay, maybe your goals aren’t so metaphysical. But you do want to know how to capture a photograph of what you’re seeing on the screen of your iPad. It’s simple.
Press the Home button and the Power button simultaneously. The Home button is the one centered below your screen. The Power button, sometimes called the Sleep/Wake button, is on the top edge of your iPad, on the right-hand side. It’s okay if you press one button slightly before the other. Just hold the first one down momentarily while you get the other one pressed as well.
The screen will flash, letting you know you’ve successfully taken a picture of everything exactly as it appears on the screen of your iPad. You may now continue your activities on your iPad. Your screenshot has been saved for you to view at your convenience.
If you’re having trouble with the buttons, there is an alternative way to take a screenshot. First, click on the Settings icon. In the menu, choose General, Accessibility, and AssistiveTouch. Next, toggle AssistiveTouch to the “on” position. Notice the floating button that appears on the screen. This button will remain on the screen of your iPad until AssistiveTouch is toggled off again.
Now, whenever you wish to take a screenshot, simply tap on the floating AssistiveTouch button to enter a menu. Choose Device, then More to find the Screenshot option. Tap it, and the screen will flash. You’ve captured your screenshot.
Access your picture in the Photo App by selecting the Photos icon on your Home screen. When you’ve entered Photos, click on the Camera Roll icon or the one for Screenshots. Your picture will be waiting for you.
Decide how to use your screenshot. A screenshot can be edited or shared in the same way as your other photographs through the menus that appear when you tap the picture.
Have fun. Taking a screenshot is surprisingly gratifying. Maybe it’s the satisfying sound of the camera shutter. Experiment. Try taking screenshots as a quick way to enlarge, crop, and duplicate your existing photographs by “taking a picture of a picture.”
A screenshot can even be used as wallpaper. If you don’t mind the inherent potential for confusion, that is.
