Taking a long screenshot on an iPhone is one of those small hidden features that feels almost magical once you know it—especially when you’re trying to save an entire webpage, article, or document without stitching multiple screenshots together.
Apple calls this feature “Full Page” screenshot, and instead of capturing only what’s visible on your screen, it lets you capture the entire scrollable content as a single file—usually saved as a PDF. It’s perfect for saving receipts, long chats (in some apps), guides, or web articles for offline reading.
Here’s how to do it properly and get the best results.
How to Take a Long Screenshot on iPhone
Step 1: Open Safari or a compatible app
Start by opening the content you want to capture in Safari (this works best and most reliably).
Long screenshots work best in apps that support Apple’s native screenshot system—like Safari, Mail, Notes, or Files. Some social media apps may not support the full-page option.
Step 2: Take a normal screenshot
Press the correct button combination for your iPhone model:
- Face ID iPhones: Side Button + Volume Up
- Home Button iPhones: Home Button + Power Button
Your screen will flash, and a small preview appears in the bottom-left corner.
Step 3: Tap the screenshot preview quickly
Tap that preview before it disappears.
This opens the editing screen where Apple gives you different screenshot options.
Step 4: Select “Full Page”
At the top of the screen, you’ll see two options:
- Screen
- Full Page
Tap Full Page.
Now instead of just a single image, your iPhone captures the entire scrollable content of the page. You’ll see a preview bar on the right showing the full length of the page.
Step 5: Review and adjust the capture
You can scroll through the full page preview on the right side.
If needed, you can:
- Crop unwanted sections
- Mark important parts using the pen/highlighter tools
- Adjust what portion of the page is saved
This is useful when you only want specific sections of a long article.
Step 6: Save it as a PDF
Tap Done, then choose:
- “Save PDF to Files”
Pick a folder (like Downloads or iCloud Drive), and your long screenshot is saved as a PDF.
Unlike normal screenshots, it will not go to Photos—it lives in the Files app for easier document handling.
What happens after you save it?
Once saved, your long screenshot becomes a scrollable PDF file. You can:
- Open it anytime in the Files app
- Share it via WhatsApp, email, or AirDrop
- Print it like a normal document
- Upload it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive
Tips to get better long screenshots
- Use Safari instead of third-party browsers for best compatibility
- Make sure the page is fully loaded before capturing
- Avoid pop-ups or banners—they may appear in your capture
- Organize saved PDFs into folders (very useful if you take many screenshots)
- Rename files immediately so you don’t lose track later
Common issues and fixes
“Full Page option is missing”
→ You’re likely not in a supported app. Try Safari.
Screenshot only shows one screen
→ You forgot to tap the preview quickly after capturing.
Can’t find the file after saving
→ Check the Files app, not Photos.
Final thought
Long screenshots on iPhone are basically a built-in document scanner for the web. Once you get used to it, you’ll probably stop taking multiple screenshots entirely.
Instead of juggling images, you’ll just save clean, scrollable PDFs in one tap—and that makes your iPhone feel a lot more like a productivity tool than just a phone.
