How to take a screenshot on a Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Taking a screenshot on Android can come in handy for a multitude of reasons, and it’s extremely easy to do. You might be surprised to find out that you can take a screenshot on the Google Pixel 6 in a few different ways. Here’s how it works.

Taking a screenshot using Pixel 6’s physical buttons

Taking a screenshot with physical buttons on smartphones might be the most common way to go about it. It doesn’t vary much from device to device, so this should be pretty familiar. All you have to do is press the power and volume down buttons at the same time. Once these keys are pressed, a small window will appear at the bottom with a few options, but we’ll get to that.

Be sure that you’re not hitting the power and volume up keys, as that would bring up the power menu. The power menu can also come in handy, especially for emergencies, but it will not take a screenshot no matter how long you hold.

Ask Google to take a screenshot

Another interesting way to take a screenshot on Android with the Google Pixel 6 is to just ask Google. While Google Assistant isn’t normally associated with performing software tasks like taking a screenshot, it is absolutely capable of doing so. All you have to do is make sure always listening is on, or hit the little microphone icon in the Google app search bar, and say “take a screenshot.”

After that command, Google Assistant will do exactly that. Unlike taking a screenshot with the physical buttons, this method doesn’t bring up the screenshot window at the bottom after taking the screenshot. Rather, Google Assistant will send a push notification to your Pixel 6 to let you know it’s completed the task.

Taking a screenshot from Recents/multitasking menu

With the Pixel 6 in Android 12, navigation gestures are in full swing and make switching between apps or getting to the homescreen simple and fast. In addition to getting you back to the homescreen, using the navigation gestures to get to the Recents/multitasking menu can help you take a screenshot as well.

It’s as simple as swiping up from the bottom of the homescreen and holding for a second. This brings up the open app drawer. At the bottom, you’ll notice there are two options: “screenshot” and “select.” Go ahead and tap Screenshot. This will capture the screen of the app that is currently highlighted in the open app drawer.

How to share and edit screenshots on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Remember how we mentioned above that you’ll see a small window with your screenshot appear after taking it? Well, that happens when you use the physical buttons or the navigation menu to take a screenshot.

Next to that small window are two icons: share and edit. In order to share the screenshot as-is to friends or another application, hit the share icon. This will bring up app suggestions, or if you’d prefer to share somewhere else, swipe up to reveal other app options.

In order to edit, hit the pencil icon when the screenshot window appears. In the edit window, you can add text, highlight, draw, and crop images to dress them up however you want before you share them. Hit save to save your edit to photos or hit the share icon to share your edited screenshot.

You never know when you’d need to take a screenshot, so it’s good to know different ways to do so. Whether your hands are dirty from cooking while on a video call and you need to ask Google Assistant to take a screenshot, or you want to do it from the navigation menu, there are multiple ways to take a screenshot on Android with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to fit your needs.