Alex Ruben
How To Unlock the iPhone Screenshot Hack and Access the Missing Magnifier Markup Tool
So, apparently, the built-in screenshot markup editor on iPhone used to have a magnifier tool that made highlighting bits of your screenshots way easier. But now? It’s kinda gone, or at least hidden behind some weird workaround. If you’ve been scratching your head trying to get that zoomy bit back, here’s a method that *might* work. Honestly, it’s a bit of a hack, and on some setups, it’s hit or miss, but it’s worth a shot.
Step 1: Snap a screenshot
This is the first universal step. Just press Side Button + Volume Up at the same time, then let go quickly. A thumbnail pops up in the bottom left — that’s your cue to tap on it if you wanna start messing around right away. Otherwise, find the screenshot later in Photos > Screenshots.
Step 2: Share to the Books app
This sounds weird, but sharing your screenshot to the Books app is kinda how you get to the magnifier again. Tap the Share Button (bottom left), then scroll and hit the Three Dots menu. From there, pick Drag to select the Apple Books. This step unlocks the markup options that include the magnifier — at least sometimes.
Step 3: Use the markup & magnifier
Once the screenshot opens in Books, tap on the Markup Tool (the pen icon). You should see a Plus Button. Tap that, and the magnifier might appear as an option. Drag it around, resize it with the blue dot, and set zoom levels with the green dot. It’s kinda flaky — sometimes this shows right away, sometimes not — but it’s the closest thing to the original magnifier tool that’s been around.
Step 4: Save & share back
Happy with your annotations? Hit the Back Arrow or the three dots menu, then tap Share again to save, copy, or send that annotated screenshot elsewhere. If you wanna tidy things up, you can delete it from Books later.
Extra tips & troubleshooting
- Make sure your iPhone is running the latest iOS. Some of these tricks only work on recent updates.
- If the Books app isn’t installed, grab it from the App Store.
- On some iPhones, after sharing to Books once, the magnifier actually shows up in the markup tools. On others, not so much. Experiment with re-sharing or restarting the device.
Honestly, why Apple still makes these features so convoluted — no one really knows. But hey, if that magnifier’s a game changer, sometimes this workaround is the only way to get it back.
Summary
- Take a screenshot with Side Button + Volume Up
- Share the screenshot and find the option to open it in Books
- Use the markup tools inside Books to access the magnifier (if it appears)
- Move, resize, and zoom as needed to highlight details
- Share or save the final version wherever needed
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Because honestly, iOS and their hidden features are kind of a mess — but where there’s a will, there’s a way.