Categories: Android

Taking screenshots on your Android phone

There are quite a few apps which let you take screenshots on your Android phone, the apps can be divided into two categories, one which required the phone to be rooted to work and the other where the app will work on an unrooted phone too. Here is a list of screenshot taking apps with their virtues & vices so that you can decide which one to use.

Screenshot It (Root required)

Screeshot It - Sreenshot taking app for Android

This app requires your phone to be rooted for it to work, you can take screenshots by shaking the phone, or you may set a delay timer. And, after taking the screenshot you may also choose to crop the screenshot which comes in handy at times.

Advantages:

Crop screenshots
Screen shot status bar button
Shake to screen shot
Delayed screenshot timer
“Share” menu integration
Custom save directory
Works on ALL rooted devices, including ones running Honeycomb!

Disadvantages:

Paid app (trial available)
Requires rooted device

No Root Screenshot It (No root required)

Finally there is an app which does not required the device to be rooted to take screenshots, but comes with a few catches, like it’ll not work on devices running Honeycomb & it requires you to install a desktop application on Windows/Mac for it to work.

Instructions as per app developer:
“This application will instruct you to download and install a free desktop application on your Windows or Mac. Once installed, you must run the desktop application with your phone attached to your computer. This will enable screenshots on your phone.

Once you’ve done this, you can disconnect your phone and take screenshots whenever you want. However, every time you restart your phone, you’ll have to connect it to your computer and run the desktop application again. If you restart your phone frequently, this app may not be for you, as it may prove to be too inconvenient.

Your phone will NOT be rooted or temp-rooted in any way. No system files on your phone will be altered.”

Advantages:

No rooting required
– Others same as “Screenshot It” –

Disadvantages:

Paid app
Requires desktop app
Desktop app not available for Linux
Lengthy procedure

Shoot Me (Root required)

Shoot Me too requires a rooted device, but is best of the lot with multiple ways to trigger a screen capture which are Shake, Audio (you can shout) & Light Sensor (you can block the ambient light sensor). You can select screenshot image format & quality, alternatively you can also switch to movie mode for screencasts. Unfortunately it is no longer available on the Android Market, the developer has removed it for some personal reasons, although you may download the latest version from here.

Advantages: