2 Cool Ways To Take Screenshots on a Rooted Android Phone

Taking screenshots on an Android phone can sometimes be a pain. The most referenced way of doing this is using the DDMS or Dalvik Debug Monitor Server. This requires the installation of Android SDK on your computer which consequently requires the installation of Java Development Kit. While the method is intended for developers, it also works quite well for casual users.

With a rooted phone, I find 2 cool and easy (and best of all, free) ways to take screenshots. The first one makes use of a browser on your computer, and the second one is done on the phone itself.

1. PicMe from Johan Cloetens

PicMe makes the phone act as a server that sends live screenshots to a web browser. Aside from taking screenshots, it also acts as a VNC to your phone on live mode. This way, you can control your phone via the browser, albeit, with a slow refresh rate.

Once the app is opened, PicMe will establish a server. The address indicated on screen can now be accessed on your computer's browser.

Once accessed on a browser there are 3 modes to choose from, Static, Live, and Live (Standalone). On Static mode, a single screenshot from the phone is displayed, this can be saved by the browser. You need to refresh the browser every time you want to take another screenshot. On Live mode, the display is synced with the phone's display, you also have the ability to control your phone via the browser.

Here are sample screenshots taken from the browser:

Unfortunately, PicMe is no longer available from Market. Though, you can still download PicMe 0.7.6 from here or here or you may simply scan this QR Code

2. screenshot from Kastor Soft

sccreenshot is a simple app to take screenshots from the phone itself. After opening the app, you are presented with two ways to take the screenshot, first, take the screenshot after a time delay, or second, take a screenshot when you shake your phone, I usually use the latter. Screenshots are saved on screenshots folder on the SD card.

Here are sample screenshots:

A message appears when a screenshot is made.

This app is great for the times that you need to take a screenshot of your phone away from a computer like, for example, when you are recording Network Information such as RSSI on your Roof Deck, or surveying WiFi signal strength and interference at odd places of your home.

screenshot can be downloaded from Market or you may simply scan the QR code below.