How to turn off full-screen screenshot previews on an iPhone
2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 4 October 2026
Open Settings, tap General, then Screen Capture, and switch off Full-Screen Previews. A screenshot then shows as a small thumbnail in the lower-left corner again, as on earlier versions, and no longer opens across the whole screen.
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 26.5 (iPhone 17)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › General › Screen Capture
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
On iOS 26 a screenshot opens in full view straight after you take it, with the editing tools ready. If you take several in a row, that gets in the way. The setting that controls it is new and sits under General.
The screenshots show iOS 26.5 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows have the same names, with a slightly different look.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap General
General is at the top of the first group in the main Settings list.
Tap Screen Capture
It is in the first group of the General page, below About.
Switch off Full-Screen Previews
The text under the switch describes it: screenshots are displayed in full view instead of a temporary thumbnail in the lower-left corner. In the picture it is on.
Decide about Automatic Visual Look Up
With this on, the iPhone identifies objects and places that appear in your screenshot by itself. It is off at first.
Good to know
How to take the screenshot in the first place: how to take a screenshot on an iPhone.
With the thumbnail, tap it if you want to crop or mark up the screenshot.
In short: Settings, General, Screen Capture, Full-Screen Previews off.
Links checked on 3 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.