There are multiple ways to take a screenshot of your Samsung Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra. The most common one is using the volume/side keys to take screenshots. However, some people say screenshots are not working, or they cannot take screenshots on their Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra mobile phones.
If you are here for the same problem, you are at the right place. In this guide, we will show you what could possibly cause screenshots not to work and how you can fix it by following some simple working solutions.
Also, at the end of this guide, we will show you some alternative methods to take screenshots on your Samsung S21/S22 Ultra without running into problems. So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why you cannot take screenshots on your Samsung S21/S22 Ultra?
There are a couple of reasons why you cannot take screenshots on your Galaxy S21/S22. First, there is one this you should know about.
Unlike on older Android operating systems, you cannot take screenshots of a couple of scenarios.
- If you are in incognito mode.
- If you are on social media apps like Facebook, you cannot take screenshots on locked/private profiles. The same goes for Telegram’s private channels as well.
If you encounter errors while going to take screenshots on such occasions, then there is nothing wrong with your device. It is just the new operating systems are designed to maximize the privacy of private profiles and actions.
Apart from that, temporary glitches within the Android system and missing file permissions are the most common software-related issues that can cause screenshots not working issue.
On the other hand, if the keys that you use to take screenshots are jammed, or the back cover prevents you from pressing the key down (if you use keys to take screenshots), it will also be a reason why you cannot take screenshots on your device.
How to fix Samsung Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra screenshots not working issue
There are six (6) solutions that we present to you here. When you do a solution, check if you can take screenshots on your Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra. If it doesn’t, then you can move on to the next solution.
Let’s start with fixing potential temporary system glitches.
Fix 01 – Restart the device
A lot of problems on any android device occur due to temporary system glitches. Most of the time, these glitches can be fixed by restarting your device.
There is no special way that you should restart your Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra. Restart it as you normally would. Then try to take a screenshot on your home screen (as it is the best way to test if screenshots work other than trying it on social media).
If you cannot take screenshots, simply move on to the next solution.
Fix 02 – Allow permissions to take screenshots
The Samsung capture service is responsible for taking screenshots on your Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra. In order to work, it requires storage and special access to your device.
If the access is revoked by accident or because of a system glitch, it may not work properly, and you will also not be able to take screenshots, and it is most likely the reason you might see an error like this
To fix this, you have to grant permission for this app. Here is how you can do that;
- Open Settings
- Tap on Apps
- Tap on the three dots at the top right corner and select “Special access”
- On the next window, select “All files access”
- Scroll down and select Samsung capture
- If access is not allowed, then allow access. If it is not, remove the access and grant it again.
- Restart your device
Now you can see if your Galaxy S21/S22 Utlra takes screenshots without any issues.
Fix 03 – Check the keys
There are a few different ways you can take screenshots on your device. If you use the volume key + side key to taking screenshots, and if that method is not working for you, you can check if the keys are jammed by pressing them individually.
Another indication of jammed keys would be randomly increasing volume and power menu popups. But if the keys are okay, then you should try removing the back cover of the device to see if that is the problem.
Some third-party back covers are not designed perfectly for Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra. If you found the back cover as the issue here, check these covers that are perfectly designed for your device.
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Fix 04 – Make sure you are using the right method to take screenshots
Are you sure you are trying to take screenshots in the right way?
If you use the keys, you should press both volumes up/down + side key to take screenshots. But do not press and hold the keys. Just press them together, then release. That way, you will be able to take the screenshot successfully.
If you are using the palm gesture to take screenshots, make sure you make your hand’s edge contact with the screen while you move it to the other edge of the screen. Also, your screen must be clear and should not have any liquid on it while performing this.
Fix 05 – Update your device software
Samsung suggests updating the device software to its latest version to fix bugs on the Android system that cause screenshots not working issue. If your device runs Android 12 or 13, it doesn’t matter, and you should check if there is any update available to install.
To install software updates, follow these steps;
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Software update
- Tap on “Download and install” to check for updates
- If there is any update, go ahead and tap on the install button
Fix 06 – Use an alternative way to take screenshots on your Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra
To end this guide, we thought of showing you some other ways that you can take screenshots on your Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra, just in case your usual method did not work.
01 – Using Palm Gesture
As shown in the image below, you can easily capture your screen by moving your palm from one edge to the other edge of your device’s screen (left-to-right or right-to-left, both sides work).
To do this, you have to enable this feature first. Follow the steps below;
- Go to Settings > Advanced features
- Tap on Motions and gestures
- Toggle on Palm swipe to capture
02 – Use S Pen (S22 Ultra only)
If you are using Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, you have an extra option to take screenshots. Another cool thing about this is since you are using the S Pen, you can easily select the area you want to capture.
Take out the S Pen, and the Air command popup will appear; select “Smart Select” and select the area where you want to capture.
Wrapping Up
Did this guide help you to fix the screenshots not working on your Samsung Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra? Then we are glad to help you out!
If you have any questions regarding this guide, leave a comment below.
Have a nice day!
More guides for your Samsung Galaxy S21/S22
- Samsung S21/S22 Photos Disappeared – How to Get Them Back
- How to Fix Samsung Galaxy S21/S22 No Notification Sound
- Samsung S21/22 Sleep Mode Not Working After Android 13 Update
- Samsung S21 and S22 Ultra Apps Not Updating – How to Fix
