Taking a screenshot on your Fairphone 5 is a fundamental skill you'll use all the time, whether you're saving a warranty confirmation for one of its modular parts or capturing a bug report to share with the community. The phone runs a clean version of Android 14, which gives you several straightforward ways to capture your screen.
Press the Button Combination
The classic method works perfectly on the Fairphone 5. Simply press the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time. Hold them for just a second and then release. You'll see the screen flash briefly, hear a camera shutter sound, and a small preview thumbnail will pop up in the lower-left corner.
You can tap that preview to edit or share the screenshot right away. If you ignore it, the image will save automatically to your phone's gallery.
Use the Quick Settings Tile
This is often the fastest method once you've set it up. Swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the full Quick Settings panel. Look for a tile labeled Screenshot. If you don't see it, tap the pencil icon to edit your tiles.
You can then drag the Screenshot tile into your active panel. After that, a single tap on that tile will instantly capture whatever is on your display, which is great if the button combo feels awkward.
Ask Google Assistant
When your hands are busy, you can use your voice. Just say, "Hey Google, take a screenshot." Your Fairphone 5 will capture the screen immediately. You can also activate Google Assistant by holding the power button or swiping from a corner, then type the command.
This method is particularly useful if you're following a repair guide for the phone's modular components and need to capture a step without touching the screen.
Take a Scrolling Screenshot
Need to capture a long webpage or an entire conversation? After taking a regular screenshot using any method, look at the preview panel that appears at the bottom. You should see an option for Capture more or Scroll.
Tap that button, and the phone will automatically extend the screenshot downward. You can usually tap it multiple times to capture a very long page, stitching it all into a single, tall image file.
Edit and Annotate Immediately
Right after taking a screenshot, tap the preview thumbnail. This opens a simple but powerful editor. You can crop the image, draw on it with different colors, add text boxes, or use a highlighter.
When you're done, tap the share button in the top right to send it directly through any app like Signal or WhatsApp. This quick workflow is perfect for providing visual feedback or asking for help in the Fairphone forums.
Locate Your Saved Screenshots
All your screenshots are saved automatically. The easiest place to find them is in the Google Photos app. Open it, go to the Library tab at the bottom, and select the Screenshots album.
You can also find the raw image files using a file manager app. Navigate to Internal storage > Pictures > Screenshots. Given Fairphone's focus on longevity and repairability, keeping your screenshots organized can be helpful for documenting any issues over the phone's promised 8+ year lifespan.
If Screenshots Aren't Working
If the button combo or other methods stop responding, a simple restart often clears up the glitch. Press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds until the device restarts. For a more thorough reset, you can power the phone off completely and remove the back cover.
Then, gently pop out the user-replaceable battery and wait 30 seconds before reinserting it and powering the phone back on. This battery-removal method is a unique troubleshooting advantage of the Fairphone 5's modular design.
