Tips on taking screenshots and screen recordings

It could be that a Buffer Customer Advoocate asks you to share a screenshot or recording to most effectively diagnose what's going on.

📝 It's best to screenshot the entire browser window, including the address bar. While certain parts of the screen may seem irrelevant, they can sometimes offer helpful context.

Which platform are you using?

Screenshots on Mac OSX

  1. Press Command ⌘+ Shift + 3 at the same time. This will capture a screenshot of your entire screen. If you'd rather select the region you'd like to capture, press Command ⌘+ Shift + 4 instead. A crosshairs icon will appear and you can drag across the region of the screen you'd like to capture.
  2. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop.

📝 If you prefer, you can open the Grab application on your Mac to take screenshots using the interface, rather than using the shortcut keys. There are also other tools you can install to capture screenshots on Mac. Some popular ones include Skitch, Snagit, Zight, and Snappy.

Screenshots on Windows

  1. Press the Windows key + Print Screen or PrtSc (usually near the top-right of a keyboard). If you'd rather select the region you'd like to capture, press the Windows key + Shift + S instead. A crosshairs icon will appear and you can drag across the region of the screen you'd like to capture.
  2. The screenshot will be saved to your Pictures > Screenshots folder.

Screen recordings on Mac OSX and Windows

There are a number of free tools you can use to grab screen recordings. Two that we typically recommend are Loom and QuickTime, which you'll find instructions for below.

Loom

  1. Create a Loom starter account and download the desktop app.
  2. Open the app and then click the Loom icon at the top of your screen.
  3. You can choose whether to record screen only, screen and camera, or camera only. Choose screen only (unless you want to say hi on camera, which is also very welcome!).
  4. Click Start recording.
  5. To finish your recording, click the red stop button on the left hand side of your screen, or press Command ⌘+ Shift + L.
  6. Your recording will open in a web browser. Click Copy Link and send it over to us!

📖 Need more help with Loom? Check out their starter guides here!

QuickTime

  1. QuickTime should be available as standard on your Mac, but you'll need to download it for Windows.
  2. Open QuickTime and click File > New Screen Recording.
  3. Choose the option best suited to what you'd like to record, e.g. Record Entire Screen, and then click Record.
  4. After a five second countdown, the recording will begin.
  5. To finish your recording, click the stop button at the top of your screen.
  6. You can then save the file wherever you'd like.

📖 Need more help with QuickTime? Check out this guide!

Screenshots and screen recordings on iPhone

Screenshots

  1. Press the Volume Up and Lock buttons at the same time and then quickly release both buttons.
  2. A thumbnail will appear temporarily in the bottom left hand corner of your screen. Tap the thumbnail to open it or swipe left to dismiss it.
  3. The screenshot will be saved in your camera roll.

📖 See instructions here for older iPhone models.

Screen recordings

  1. The first step is to add Screen Recording to your Control Center, if you haven't already. Head to Settings > Control Center > Customise Controls, then tap the + icon next to Screen Recording.
  2. Depending on your iPhone model, you'll either need to swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to open the Control Center, or swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen.
  3. Tap the record icon and the screen recording will start in three seconds. To complete your recording, tap the red bar at the top of your screen and then tap Stop.
  4. The screen recording will be saved to your camera roll.

Screenshots and screen recordings on Android

Screenshots

  1. Press and hold the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time for a few seconds. Alternatively, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds and then tap Screenshot.
  2. The screenshot will be saved in the Photos app under Library > Screenshots.

📖 See more guidance from Android here.

Screen recordings

Screen recording functionality is available on Android version 11 and later. If you're using an earlier version, you can download a free screen recording app from the Google Play Store (there are lots of options).

  1. Swipe down twice from the top of your screen.
  2. Tap Screen record. If this option isn't available, and your using Android version 11 or later, tap Edit and then drag Screen record to your Quick Settings.
  3. Move to the app you'd like to record and then tap Start. To complete your recording, swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the Screen recorder notification.
  4. The screen recording will be saved under Library > Movie.
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