Capturing what's on your iPhone 17 screen is a daily task, whether you're saving a confirmation number, a hilarious meme, or a bug report. With iOS 26, you have more ways than ever to grab a screenshot, and knowing all your options makes the whole process feel seamless.
Use the Button Combo
The classic method is still the fastest for most people. On your iPhone 17, quickly press and release the Side button and the Volume Up button at the exact same time. You'll see a quick flash and hear a shutter sound if your ringer is on.
A small thumbnail preview will pop up in the bottom-left corner of your screen. You can tap it to immediately edit or mark up the image. If you just ignore it, the screenshot will save directly to your Photos app in the Screenshots album.
Use AssistiveTouch
If the physical buttons are tricky for you or you just prefer a software method, AssistiveTouch is a great alternative. First, you need to enable it by going to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch and toggling it on.
A small gray button will appear on your screen. Tap it, then navigate to Device > More > Screenshot. You can also customize this menu so a double-tap on the AssistiveTouch button takes a screenshot directly, which I've found to be the quickest setup.
Use Back Tap
This is one of the most convenient hidden features. Head to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. You can choose to assign the screenshot action to either a Double Tap or a Triple Tap on the back of your iPhone.
Once it's set, you can capture your screen just by tapping the back of the phone two or three times. It works reliably through most cases, though very thick or metal cases might interfere with the sensitivity.
Ask Siri
When your hands are occupied, just use your voice. Say "Hey Siri, take a screenshot." Your iPhone 17 will instantly capture whatever is displayed and save it to your Photos. This works even if Siri is set to only show text responses on screen, which is a handy detail.
Capture a Full-Page Screenshot
Web pages, long emails, and documents often require more than a single screen. To capture everything, first take a normal screenshot using any method. Then, immediately tap the preview thumbnail in the corner.
At the top of the editing screen, you'll see options for Screen and Full Page. Tap Full Page to capture the entire scrollable content. The iPhone saves this as a PDF file, which you can then mark up, share, or save directly to your Files app.
Edit and Share Immediately
The real power is in what you do right after the capture. That preview thumbnail is your gateway to quick edits. Tap it to open a toolbar where you can crop, draw with a pen or highlighter, add text, or even magnify a section.
From that same editing screen, tap the share icon to send your screenshot via AirDrop, Messages, or any other app without ever saving it to your library first. It's a fantastic workflow for quick shares.
Adjust Your Screenshot Preferences
To silence the shutter sound, simply flip the physical mute switch on the left side of your iPhone 17. In silent mode, screenshots are taken quietly. You can also manage where full-page screenshots are saved by default using the share sheet after capture.
For organization, all your screenshots live in the Photos app under the Screenshots album. With iOS 26, you can use the search function there to find screenshots by text content or app name, which is a huge time-saver.
