Jimmy Westenberg/Android Authority

Sometimes Google can quickly adopt new features for Android that first appear on other OEM's devices, but that's not common. Samsung pioneered split-screen (aka multi-window) apps on Android years ago, and it took Google until version 7.0 Nougat to add it to Android proper. Support for scrolling screenshots – another feature available on Samsung devices, Huawei and OnePlus – is another sought-after feature that took Google far too long to bring to Android.

Have you ever wanted to capture an entire webpage or app, but your phone only lets you capture what's currently on your screen? Scrolling screenshots let you capture as much of a webpage or app as you want. you want. You start by taking a screenshot as you normally would, then press a button to capture more content.

However, not all scrolling screenshot functionality is created equal. Google's implementation in Android 12 only lets you take screenshots of scrolling apps, not websites. accessible through Chrome – which, coincidentally, is what most people would want to use scrolling screenshots for in the first place. Chrome is the default browser on Pixel phones, after all.

In its announcement of the feature, Google said scrolling screenshots would only work if your app uses a standard "view-based UI," which Chrome doesn't. The company said it continues to iterate on the scrolling screenshots and would release updates to the feature in beta 4 and other future versions of Android. We'll be sure to update this article once Google rolls out a better support for more apps. For now, though, let's see how they work.

How to Take a Scrolling Screenshot on Android 12

It's easier than ever to take a scrolling screenshot on Android 12. Here's how.

First, make sure your compatible Pixel phone is running Android 12 beta 3. Go here to find out how to install it on your Pixel smartphone or here to find out if your device is compatible. Take a screenshot in pressing the power + volume down buttons simultaneously. You will see a new "capture more" option on the screenshot pop-up window. Press this button and your phone will show a new screen that allows you to capture as much content you want. A small magnifying glass should appear to help you crop more precisely. share it with another app, or tap the little pencil icon to edit the screenshot and add text or notes.

For our purposes, this is what the finished product should look like:

Jimmy Westenberg/Android Authority

Android 12 beta 3 brings other useful new features to Pixel phones, such as improved auto-rotate functionality and a revamped Styles and Wallpapers app. Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of Android 12 then as we deepen the new version.