How to Drag and Drop Screenshots in iOS 15

You can drag and drop screenshots and other files on your iPhone

By
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Writer
  • Shoreline Community College
Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .
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Updated on March 28, 2022
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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iPhone & iOS

What to Know

  • You can drag and drop screenshots and other files on your iPhone in iOS 15.
  • You can drag screenshots immediately after taking them and drop them into a folder or any compatible app.
  • Screenshots and other files can also be dragged and dropped between albums and folders or dropped in a compatible app.

This article explains how to drag and drop screenshots on an iPhone in iOS 15, including instructions on dragging and dropping files on iPhone.

How Do You Drag a Screenshot on an iPhone?

Drag-and-drop functionality allows you to drag screenshots in iOS 15. You can drag a screenshot immediately after taking it and drop it into an album or folder or any compatible app that you like. The process relies on the multi-touch functionality of your iPhone, but it works a lot like dragging and dropping on a Mac.

Here’s how to drag and drop a screenshot right after you take it:

  1. Take a screenshot on your iPhone.

  2. Press and hold the screenshot thumbnail in the lower left corner of the screen.

  3. Wait until the white frame around the screenshot thumbnail disappears, and you're able to move the screenshot.

  4. While still holding down the screenshot thumbnail, use a different finger to tap the app where you want to drag your screenshot.

    iOS 15 home screen with screenshot highlighted, followed by highlighted screenshot being moved to Photos app

    In our example, we drag two screenshots at once. This is a side effect of taking screenshots on an iPhone while simultaneously dragging a screenshot.

  5. Navigate to the location, folder, or album within the app where you want to drop your screenshot.

    In this example, we will drop the screenshots in a Photos album titled Screenshots.

  6. When you reach the screen, folder, or album where you want to drop your screenshot, lift your finger from the screenshot.

  7. The screenshot will drop in the location you chose.

    iOS 15 with screenshot folder highlighted, screenshots being dragged into screenshot folder, and screenshots in Screenshot folder

     If you try dragging a screenshot into an app that can’t accept screenshots, it will disappear, and you’ll be able to find it in your camera roll.

Can You Drag and Drop Files on iPhone?

In addition to dragging and dropping screenshots right after taking them, you can also drag and drop screenshots and other files on your iPhone. The process is similar in that you tap and hold the file you want to drag and keep your finger on it until you reach the app or folder where you want to drop it.

In this example, we will drag a screenshot from the album where it’s stored into an art app, but you can also drag other files.

Here’s how to drag and drop a file on iPhone:

  1. Navigate to the location of your file.

  2. Press and hold the file.

  3. Using another finger, navigate to the app or folder where you want to drop the file. (In this example, we're dragging it to the MediBang folder.)

    Screenshots highlighted, shown being dragged, and placed in MediBang folder

  4. When the correct app or folder is open, release your finger.

  5. The file will drop into the app or folder as long as it’s compatible.

    Screenshot of iOS home screen dragged into image-editing app
FAQ
  • How do I take a screenshot on an iPhone?

    To take a screenshot on your iPhone, if you have an iPhone X series, 11, or 12, press the side button and Volume Up button simultaneously. On older iPhones, press the Home button and Sleep/Wake button at the same time.

  • How do you screenshot video on an iPhone?

    Go to Settings > Control Center, and then tap the plus sign (+) next to Screen Recording. Next, open the Control Center and tap the screen record button; you'll have three seconds before it starts recording. Tap the screen to leave the Control Center, then record the video and/or audio of what you're trying to capture.

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