I was on a video call with my mom, trying to explain how to take a screenshot on her Android phone so she could show me an error message. “Press the power button and the volume down button at the same time,” I said. She pressed them one at a time. We went back and forth for five minutes. She eventually held up her phone to the webcam so I could read the error off her screen like it was 2005.

After that call, I learned every screenshot method for every device. Because “Google how to screenshot on your specific model” only works if you can describe the problem, which you can’t, because you can’t take a screenshot. Here is the universal reference.

Windows: three ways, ranked

Print Screen (PrtScn) — copies the entire screen to your clipboard. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V. Win + Shift + S — opens the Snipping Tool, lets you drag a rectangle around what you want to capture. This is the one I use fifteen times a day. Win + Print Screen — saves a full-screen capture directly to Pictures > Screenshots as a file. No pasting needed.

Mac: two combos to memorize

Cmd + Shift + 4 — crosshair cursor, drag to select an area, saves to desktop. This is the Mac equivalent of Snipping Tool. Cmd + Shift + 3 — captures the entire screen, saves to desktop. Add the Control key to either combo (Cmd+Shift+Ctrl+4) and it copies to clipboard instead of saving a file.

iPhone: it depends on the model

iPhone with Face ID (no home button): Press the right-side button and the volume up button at the same time. Quick press, not hold. You’ll see a flash and hear a shutter sound. iPhone with Touch ID (home button): Press the home button and the side/top button at the same time.

On any iPhone, you can also say “Hey Siri, take a screenshot.” Works perfectly and requires zero button coordination.

Android: the button dance

Most Android phones: Power button + volume down, pressed simultaneously for about one second. Samsung: Same combo, or swipe the edge of your palm across the screen (Palm Swipe to Capture — it’s in Settings > Advanced Features). Pixel: Power + volume down, or swipe up from the bottom and tap “Screenshot” in the app overview.

On most Android phones running recent versions, you can also say “Hey Google, take a screenshot.” Button-free and mom-proof.

The universal method: voice assistant

Siri, Google Assistant, Bixby, Alexa (on Fire tablets) — basically every device with a voice assistant can take a screenshot on command. This is the method I tell my mom now. No buttons. No timing. Just talk to the phone.

• Windows: Win+Shift+S (snipping tool) or PrtScn (full screen)
• Mac: Cmd+Shift+4 (select area) or Cmd+Shift+3 (full screen)
• iPhone: Side + Volume Up (Face ID) or Home + Side (Touch ID)
• Android: Power + Volume Down (most models)
• Universal: “Hey Siri/Google, take a screenshot” — zero button coordination