Sept. 19 is a special day for iPhone users. The much anticipated iOS 11 release is set to be rolled out that day, and it's already promising not to disappoint. In fact, there's one new iPhone iOS 11 feature is going to change your life, seriously. If you'e like most compulsive scrollers (guilty right here), your camera roll is full of random screenshots that include everything from cute Instagram dog photos to that WTF text you have to share with your bestie ASAP. Currently, there are a lot of steps involved in snapping, editing, and sharing a screenshot. Well, it's time to get excited because all of that is about to change.
"The first thing you'll probably notice after updating your iPhone to iOS 11 is what happens after you take a screenshot," Justin Meyers reported for iOS Gadget Hacks. "Instead of just a flash of light, and maybe a noise, you'll also be greeted with a thumbnail image of what you just captured — and that tiny thumbnail image holds a lot of superpowers."
Instead of leaving the screen you're on, whether it be Twitter, Tinder, or iMessage, you can click the thumbnail of the screenshot you just snapped and edit it without going to your camera roll. "It's faster, more intuitive, and easier than ever to doodle up your screenshots," Meyers explained.
iOS 11 Screenshot Feature Will Blow Your Mind
One thing I keep thinking as I research all of the amazing new features of the iPhone iOS 11 updates is: Why are we just getting these now? Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited to have all of this ease in the palm of my hand, but things like the new iOS 11 screenshot feature, Indoor Maps, and Do Not Disturb While Driving seem so intuitive, and make so much freaking sense, that I can't believe we've lived without them all of this time. First world problems right here.
If you want to simplify your screenshot game ASAP, Meyers published '18 Tips for iOS 11's New Screenshot Tool on Your iPhone'. I'm going to give you the Cliff Notes. Basically, you just take a screenshot the same way you always have. But, once you update your iPhone to iOS 11 you'll see a preview thumbnail in the bottom left corner of your screen. It will hover there for about five seconds, and then disappear if you don't interact with it. Just being able to access your screenshot immediately — without changing screens — is pretty effing great.
Once you select the thumbnail you can edit, doodle, and share your screenshot instantly without leaving your current screen.
iOS 11 Instant Doodling & Screenshot Sharing
When you tap the screenshot it will open up the edit window, which allows you to draw and doodle before you share your snap.
"On the edit screen, you can select from a pen (the default), highlighter, or pencil in the formatting toolbar at the bottom," Meyers explained. "After you select one, you can tap on the color dot to change the color from black to white, blue, green, yellow, or red."
In addition to doodling you can erase if you make a mistake, crop, zoom, add fonts, create your own signature to add to all of your screenshots, and add customizable shapes.
Now, are you ready for the best part? Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, right? "The best thing about this new screenshot tool is that you can take multiple screenshots in a row and edit them all at the same time," Meyers explained. "The thumbnail images are not visible in subsequent screenshots, so you don't have to worry about that either," Meyers wrote. "Once you've taken enough screenshots, tap on the thumbnail group to open up the Markup screen and edit them all in the same sitting. Just swipe left and right to view the different screenshots."
But, That's Not All For iOS 11 Screenshots
Yep, there's more. Think of it like Christmas morning for your iPhone. Ready? You can also drag and drop doodles and shapes onto multiple screenshots. Mind blown again. Seriously. I can't take it.
If you want a step-by-step walkthrough, this video about how to use the iOS 11 screenshot feature like a pro from 9to5 Mac will have you snapping, doodling, and sharing in minutes.
The new iOS 11 screenshot feature is kind of like having a mini Photoshop on your phone, and I think it's safe to say it's going to up your meme-making game considerably.
