iOS 26 Improves Screenshots in Three Ways

[MacRumors]

iOS 26 includes three small but meaningful changes for screenshots.

The upcoming software update adds a new Screen Capture menu to the Settings app, under General. In it, there are a few useful toggles.

First, there is now an option for HDR screenshots. When this format is selected, any HDR photos or videos in screenshots will actually appear in HDR with full dynamic range, when viewed on newer iPhone models and other supported devices.

Apple says HDR screenshots use the HEIF image format. There is still an option for SDR screenshots, which are saved as PNG files.

Second, CarPlay screenshots finally work on an opt-in basis. On iOS 18 and earlier, taking a screenshot on an iPhone connected to CarPlay generates both iPhone and CarPlay screenshots. Starting with iOS 26, however, only an iPhone screenshot is captured in this situation by default. CarPlay screenshot capture must be turned on manually.

Third, when you take a screenshot on an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, you can now identify content within the screenshot by using the Visual Intelligence feature.

Apple has redesigned the screenshot interface on iOS 26, with Visual Intelligence options now shown at the bottom of the screen. "Ask" lets you ask ChatGPT about content in a screenshot, while "Image Search" can show you similar images to those in a screenshot across Google Images, Etsy, and Pinterest. There is also a "Highlight to Search" option that lets you conduct an image search for a specific object in a screenshot.

If you would rather have screenshots appear as thumbnails in the bottom-left corner of the screen, as they do on iOS 18 and earlier versions, you can turn off full-screen previews in the new Screen Capture settings menu.

iOS 26 is currently in beta, and the update should be released in September.

Article Link: iOS 26 Improves Screenshots in Three Ways

 

[Mike MA]

Stopped counting how many screenshots I’ve taken by mistake while turning off the iPhone.

Wish that would be changed while using the physical buttons.

 

[Plutonius]

Yawn, it sounds like Apple marketing is really reaching.

I'll settle for Siri doing what they promised before the iPhone 16 becomes obsolete.

 

[emulajavi]

Let’s hope they’ve fixed the longtime random bug that store PDFs of Safari Screenshots on iCloud Drive download folder.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/safari-website-screenshot-creates-pdf-on-icloud-drive-downloads-folder.2349268/page-2

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Can we PLEASE disable that screenshot sound? Do I really have to alert everyone around every time I want to ask something to apple "intelligence" ?

 

[trip1ex]

where are the improvements? I just see more bloat lol.

not that that screenshot didn't work basically perfect. they could probably automatically throw screenshots into their own folder in Photos. (for all I know this is an option already lol.)

ONly other improvement I could see is having the ability to put the few basic editing/sending features I use most front and center and burying the rest.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Also why don't we get that screenshot analyzer on macOS? Seriously? It'd be easy to implement

 

[EM2013]

First, there is now an option for HDR screenshots. When this format is selected, any HDR photos or videos in screenshots will actually appear in HDR with full dynamic range

Can we get the toggle back for taking hdr photos?

 

[platinumaqua]

Stopped counting how many screenshots I’ve taken by mistake while turning off the iPhone.

Wish that would be changed while using the physical buttons.

That didn’t used to be a problem when iphones/ipads had a home button. Just saying.

 

[Boeingfan]

Searching for 'screen capture' in the settings app doesn't work. The screen capture setting is in the general tab, third 'block' down.

 

[maykiiii16]

It should have also been integrated with Type-to-Siri instead of requiring a screenshot to access those features.

 

[uacd]

Can we get the toggle back for taking hdr photos?

The thing is, they have hid it due to multiple reasons, one of which is that they now combine what HDR is: a weird dynamic range table that illuminates bright spots in photos and videos on supporting devices (in 95% cases it looks like someone is flashing light into your face, stroboscopic effect) + multiple exposure image blended into singe with their under-the-hood AI.

Though those are very different concepts. I would love to be able to disable illuminating HDR system-wide without having to turn on battery saving mode, it is very eye straining, especially impossible to view photos at night.

As for the regular multiple exposure HDR, there was burst mode hack, but I am unsure if it still works - in burst the HDR does not activate

 

[svish]

Good to know about the changes. Adding visual intelligence to identify items in screenshot is a much needed one. Nice to see that there is an option to turn off this full screen preview and take screenshot like in iOS 18 and earlier.

 

[TechRunner]

Interesting, but not "must have" improvements. I'll probably make use of the VI identification one on occasion, provided I remember it exists

 

[Wanted797]

macOS is where screenshots and snipping needs major work.

 

[rymc02]

why do you have to save a screenshot to photos or files before you can use character recognition? I don't understand why that's not an option right from the initial screenshot.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Can someone explain why we are almost 20 years in and the screenshot sound remains the same as the camera shutter? If you’re in a crowded, quiet space, it’s awkward to have the camera sound being paranoid people are thinking you’re sneaking pictures of them.

 

[aevan]

I see improvements have been met with positivity and enthusiasm, as is the norm for Macrumors Forums!

 

[Rob07003]

I want the ability to take screenshots of my TV screen in tvOS

 

[Populus]

Now screenshots have round corners… even on devices with square screen corners, such as the iPhone SE 2/3.

Hopefully they will fix that soon enough.

 

[jmantn]

Finally, it's an option on the Mac as well under command option 5 options.