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How to Take a Screenshot on the Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P

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This quick guide will explain how to take a screenshot on Google’s Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P smartphones. Now that both phones have been available for more than a few months, we’re getting a lot of questions from new owners. We constantly get asked how to take a screenshot, so below we’ll explain how to do this simple little trick.

Back at the end of September of last year Google announced both phones, which were then released in early November to a lot of excited users. One extremely basic feature that everyone should know about, is how to take a screenshot.

Read: Nexus 5X Setup Guide: 10 Steps to Get Started

Sometimes the easiest way to share a funny picture, save a text message, or show someone something on your phone is to take a screenshot, or capture what is being shown on the display, and send it in a text or email. It’s extremely useful, and very easy to do once you know how. It’s been the same on most Android devices for years, but new Nexus owners or first-time Android buyers will need to know how.

Nexus 5X-back

With every new Android smartphone this question comes up, but it’s the same process for almost every device that isn’t made by Samsung. If you’ve owned other Android devices, you already know how. However, the stunning Nexus 6P has many iPhone and Samsung users trying Google’s Nexus, so they’ll need to know how. Below are the few simple steps you’ll need to take in order to capture and save a screenshot.

For those confused. A screenshot (or screengrab) is our smartphones capturing and saving what’s on the screen. Which can then be edited, saved, shared and more. This is a very handy feature everyone should know.

Instructions

It’s actually quite simple, and just like most Android phones it’s the same easy step on the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P. Just tap a few buttons.

All owners need to do is push and hold both the power button and the volume down key at the same time. Push both at exactly the same time, hold for a moment, and let go. This can be tough because they’re both on the same side, but it’s easy after you master the timing. Owners will hear a camera shutter-type sound and see a visual screen capture animation. Then you’ll see the phone save the screenshot, which can be accessed from the notification tray.

Nexus 6P-camera1

With both the power and volume buttons being on the same side you’ll likely need two hands to perform this task. That, or simply use one hand and turn the phone sideways to get a good angle to quickly long-press both buttons. Sometimes it takes a few tries to perfect the timing for beginners, but it’s really easy. Once users figure it out, it comes natural. Those with a case on the Nexus 6P may have trouble and see the volume change rather than a screenshot, because the buttons are too close. Try pushing as far to the bottom of the volume down as possible, so your case doesn’t accidentally hit another button.

From here you’ll see the screen capture has been saved. It is now accessible in the notification pulldown bar to view, share, or even edit, and you can also head into Google Photos to find it for more sharing options, or to make changes, edit, or share to social sites or in a message.

If you try and it doesn’t work, try again. It’s all about hitting the power and volume down buttons at the same time with a brief pause, then letting go. Timing is everything.

Read: 5 Best Photo Editing Apps for Android

That’s it, you’re all done. It’s that easy. This same method works on almost all Android smartphones and tablets that aren’t made by Samsung. Devices with a home button usually use Power+Home instead of volume down. Give it a try and start sharing those funny memes or Facebook posts with friends or family.

The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P are stock Android devices with hardly any apps out of the box, so users may need to download some photo editing apps (detailed in the link above) to edit and get the most of their new screenshots. Enjoy.

While you’re here, check out some official Nexus accessories and cases below. Sold directly from and by Google.

13 Official Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P Accessories

Nexus 6P Folio Case

Nexus 6P Folio Case

Google doesn't have the best track record when it comes to cases or accessories, but they're working hard to change that with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Tons of cases are available now, or will be coming soon.

The Nexus 6P Folio Case comes in a beautiful refined leather design in brown or black color options. This is one of the few that is listed as coming soon, and arguable one of the best. It features cutouts for the front speakers, fingerprint scanner, all the ports, and has a magnet on the flip out cover to instantly wake the screen. It's an elegant case, but will be expensive.

Coming Soon for $49.99

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Jason

    02/07/2016 at 6:15 am

    Thanks for the “quick guide.” In which you tell us who, why, and what before telling us how.

    And it doesn’t work for my phone. Works for my Nexus 6 but not 6P. Weird.

  2. Johan

    02/09/2016 at 1:38 am

    Congrats on the traffic you are generating with your bullsh1t stories

  3. Alexander Ewering

    02/14/2016 at 9:04 am

    Why do you write such a huge bunch of useless crap around the two sentences that actually matter, do you think everybody has as much time as you do?

  4. Mari (@xomarianneox)

    02/22/2016 at 8:53 am

    There has GOT to be a better way without putting stress on the power button…

  5. Geoffrey Spier

    03/04/2016 at 8:25 am

    OK so I have been able to get it to work on rare occasions, and I find it is easier when an app doesn’t use sound is presently loaded… But it still very difficult to get that sequence to work especially once the volume control is up and now we have to wait for it to go away, not good if the moment was right then, oops missed that moment :( Now one thing I am sure most people forget about, is your case, it has an affect on how you put an additional option on the power button, configurable of course, to allow a snap shot of the previous second at the time the power button was pressed. Add with it, the lock and shut off options, naturally if user does not select, screenshot, lock, or shut down, system locks…perhaps time is configurable as well.

  6. IceDragon

    03/09/2016 at 3:50 am

    …when you have to write an entire article to tell us the screenshot key combination (which, as mentioned earlier, doesn’t seem to work well on Nexus 6P)…

  7. wnymathguy

    03/30/2016 at 11:34 am

    I had the red Nexus 5 connecting with T-Mobile and now have the Nexus 6p connecting with Google Fi. It was never hard to do a screenshot on the 5, but I struggled so much on the 6p I thought I was doing it wrong. I’d done it easy in some apps so thought it was blocked in the OS menus where I could not get it to happen. Today I couldn’t get the browser to give a screenshot so I Googled my troubles. I think the reason is on the 5 sloppy timing was virtually impossible because of Newton’s Laws and the operations opposing forces. With both fingers on one side and a lightning fast processor a fractional miss in timing activates the volume, or the power-off/lock. I think I’m going to suggest through the phone’s interface that Google changes how quick the volume reacts. That would solve the problem of non-Motzartian timing.

  8. Karl Senior

    04/02/2016 at 7:15 pm

    Yes there’s too much filler in the article. And unlike others I’ve had no problem with my Nexus 6P

  9. Sarahdbrown

    04/16/2016 at 8:52 am

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  10. Travis Halky

    07/06/2016 at 8:24 pm

    Doesn’t work. F You

  11. Weat Township

    08/18/2016 at 6:01 am

    Why can’t they do like the Samsung S7, by swiping your hand across the screen

  12. [email protected]

    09/22/2016 at 3:36 am

    Does not work with Nexus 5X and Nougat (if it has ever worked on it with Android earlier on the Nexus 5X).

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