How to take a screenshot of a video
To screenshot a video, pause it on the frame you want, hide the player controls and take a normal screenshot. For a sharper result from a video file you have, open it in a frame grabber such as NeoReader's video screenshot tool or VLC, which save the frame at the video's full resolution instead of your screen's.
29 August 2026
Pause and screenshot
This works for almost any video that is not copy protected, in any app or browser.
The result depends on your screen, not the video. A 4K video screenshotted on a 1080p laptop gives you a 1080p image, and a video paused mid-movement will show motion blur. Pick a moment where the subject is still, and if you need print quality, use a frame grabber on the original file instead.
- Play the video and pause just before the moment you want.
- Go full screen so the frame fills the display.
- Move the mouse off the video, or wait, until the controls and title fade.
- Take a screenshot: Windows + Shift + S on Windows, Cmd + Shift + 4 on a Mac, Power and Volume down on Android, Side and Volume up on iPhone.
- Crop away any black bars or leftover controls.
Get the exact frame
- YouTube: pause, then press the comma key to go back one frame and the full stop key to go forward one frame.
- VLC: press E to step forward one frame at a time while paused.
- Most other players only jump several seconds, so pause slightly early and use frame stepping where it exists.
Grab a full-resolution frame from your own video
A screenshot is limited to your screen's resolution and includes whatever the player draws on top. A frame grabber reads the video itself. NeoReader's video screenshot tool opens a video file from your device, such as MP4, WebM or MOV where your browser supports it. You can play, pause, step frame by frame or by a tenth of a second, and save the current frame as PNG or JPG at the video's full resolution. Grab several frames and download them together. The video stays on your device.
- Open the video screenshot page and choose your video file.
- Play or scrub to the moment you want.
- Step frame by frame until the frame is sharp, with no motion blur.
- Click to grab the frame as PNG or JPG, and repeat for more frames.
- Download the frames.
- It works with files on your device only. It does not download videos from YouTube or streaming sites.
VLC snapshots
VLC is a free video player for Windows, Mac and Linux. Pause on your frame and choose Video, then Take Snapshot. The shortcut is Shift + S on Windows and Linux, and Cmd + Alt + S on a Mac. VLC saves the frame at the video's resolution to the snapshot folder set in its preferences, and you can change the folder and the format (PNG or JPG) there.
Screenshot a video on Android, Samsung and iPhone
- Android: pause, wait for the controls to fade and press Power and Volume down. In Google Photos you can also open a video, tap Edit and use Export frame.
- Samsung Galaxy: pause and press Side key and Volume down, or palm swipe if you have it turned on.
- iPhone: pause and press Side and Volume up, or Side and Home on models with a Home button. Crop the result in the preview.
Video screenshot extensions and screen recorders
Chrome extensions for video screenshots come in two kinds. Some add a button to a video player, including YouTube, that saves the current frame. Others, such as Nimbus Screenshot and Screen Video Recorder, Awesome Screenshot and Scrnli, capture the visible tab and can also record the screen as a video. Check each extension's permissions and current plans before you install.
If you want a video of your screen rather than a still, you do not need an extension. Windows 11's Snipping Tool has a Record mode, the Xbox Game Bar records apps with Windows + Alt + R, a Mac records with Cmd + Shift + 5, iPhone has Screen Recording in Control Centre, and Android and Samsung phones have a Screen recorder tile in Quick Settings.
Choosing PNG or JPG for video frames
- PNG keeps every pixel and suits frames with text, slides, code or user interfaces. Files are larger.
- JPG is much smaller and fine for natural scenes and people, especially for sharing online.
- If you are going to edit the frame further, save PNG first and export a JPG at the end.
- To turn a set of frames into one document, such as a step-by-step guide from a tutorial video, use Screenshot to PDF.
Why some videos come out black
Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and other streaming services protect video with DRM. Screenshot tools, extensions and screen recorders get a black frame, sometimes with the subtitles still visible. That is intentional, and no legitimate tool, including ours, captures it. For stills from films and shows, use official press images. Our guide to the security policy message explains more.
