# How to take good screenshots for TextPort

## Quick answer

In the chat app:

1. Open the chat. Scroll to the first message you need.
2. Show the times. In Messages, drag a bubble to the left.
3. Press the side button and volume up together.
4. Swipe up until the last message is at the top.
5. Take the next screenshot. Repeat to the end.

Then import them with **Import Screenshots** in TextPort.

## What you need

- Your iPhone
- The chat open in its app

## Steps

1. Open the chat

   Open the app the chat is in. Scroll to the first message you need.

   Tip: Close the keyboard first. It hides messages.

2. Show the times

   In Messages, drag any bubble to the left. In other apps, tap a message to show its time.

3. Take a screenshot

   Press the side button and the volume up button at the same time. Let go fast. On an iPhone with a Home button, press the side button and Home.

   Tip: On iOS 26 and later, turn off **Full-Screen Previews** in **Settings** › **General** › **Screen Capture**. It makes each shot faster.

4. Scroll to the next messages

   Swipe up slowly. Stop when the last message you saw is at the top.

5. Take the next screenshot

   Wait until the screen stops moving. Then take it.

6. Repeat to the end

   Scroll, then take a screenshot. Do it until you reach the end of the chat.

7. Check your screenshots

   Open **Photos**. Each one should be sharp and not cut off. Take any blurry ones again.

## Done

You have screenshots that overlap, show the times, and go in order. TextPort can read them.

## Problems

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| A screenshot is blurry. | Scroll to that part again. Wait until the screen is still. Take it again. |
| Two screenshots do not share a message. | Scroll back a little. Take one more screenshot between them. |
| The app shows no times. | Take the screenshots anyway. You can fix times later. See [Fix wrong text, times, or missing messages](https://textport.com/guides/fix-screenshot-problems.md). |
| The chat is very long. | Use Scroll Capture. It records your screen while you scroll. See [Import a chat with Scroll Capture](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-with-scroll-capture.md). |
| None of these match. | Email [support@textportapp.com](mailto:support@textportapp.com). Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day. |

## Questions

### Why should screenshots overlap?

Overlap shows TextPort where one screenshot ends and the next begins. TextPort removes the repeated messages.

### Does the order matter?

Not much. TextPort sorts them by the time each one was taken. If a screenshot has no time saved in it, TextPort uses the order you tapped them.

### Can I use screenshots someone sent me?

Yes. Save them to Photos first. Then import them like your own.

### Should I zoom in or crop them?

No. Keep the normal text size. Do not crop the screenshots.

## Next guides

- [How to import a chat from screenshots](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-from-screenshots.md): You will get a saved chat in TextPort, made from screenshots you already took.
- [How to import a chat with Scroll Capture](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-with-scroll-capture.md): You will get a chat from any app saved in TextPort, made from a screen recording of you scrolling.
- [How to fix wrong text, times, or missing messages](https://textport.com/guides/fix-screenshot-problems.md): Every message TextPort read wrong from a screenshot or recording will say the right thing.

TextPort guide for iPhone. Updated 2026-11-05. Web page: https://textport.com/guides/how-to-take-good-screenshots-for-textport