A scrolling screenshot captures everything from where you are down to the end of the page, in one tall image. Most Android phones can do it. iPhones can, in one specific place only.
On Android
Take a normal screenshot first: press power and volume down together. A small preview appears at the bottom of the screen with buttons next to it.
Look for a button called Scroll, Capture more, Scroll capture, or an icon with two downward arrows. Tap it and the phone scrolls and keeps capturing. Tap it again each time to go further, then tap the image to stop and crop.
The button is only there when there is something below to scroll to. If you are already at the bottom of a chat, it will not appear.
By brand:
- Samsung: the scroll capture icon in the toolbar after a screenshot. If you do not see the toolbar, turn on Settings, Advanced features, Screenshots and screen recorder, then Screenshot toolbar.
- Tecno, Infinix and itel: three-finger swipe down usually takes a screenshot, and the preview offers a long screenshot option. Some models have Smart Panel with a long screenshot button.
- Xiaomi and Redmi: Scroll appears under the screenshot preview.
- Stock Android and Pixel: Capture more.
On an iPhone
Apple only supports this in Safari, and it saves a PDF rather than an image.
- In Safari, take a screenshot: side button and volume up together.
- Tap the preview in the corner.
- At the top, switch from Screen to Full Page.
- Tap Done, then Save PDF to Files.
It does not work in WhatsApp, Instagram or most other apps. For those, take several ordinary screenshots.
When your phone cannot do it
Take several overlapping screenshots and join them. Overlap each one by a few lines so nothing is missed and it is obvious how they fit together. Then combine them into a single PDF, which is usually what you needed anyway if you are sending it to somebody.
Before you send it
A long screenshot of a chat or a bank statement contains more than you think: phone numbers, balances, other people's messages above and below the part you care about.
Crop it down to what is needed, and blur anything else. A card number or an account number left visible in a screenshot sent to a stranger is a genuine risk, not a theoretical one.
Tools that help with this
Free, and they work inside your browser without uploading anything.