Why Your iPhone Takes Screenshots by Itself
Your iPhone is taking screenshots by itself because of Back Tap, an accessibility feature that snaps a photo of your screen when you tap the back of the phone.
The quickest fix is to turn Back Tap off. Go to Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, tap Back Tap, and set both Double Tap and Triple Tap to None.
Here is why it happens and how to stop it for good.
Why is my iPhone taking screenshots by itself?
Back Tap lets you tap the back of your iPhone two or three times to run an action. One of the built in actions is Screenshot.
If Screenshot is set as your Back Tap action, then setting the phone on a table, dropping it in a pocket, or bumping the back can fire off a screenshot.
A thick case makes this worse, because it can knock against the back panel as you move.
How to turn off Back Tap screenshots
This takes about thirty seconds.
- Open the Settings app (the gray gear icon).
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Touch.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Back Tap.
- Tap Double Tap. If it is set to Screenshot, tap None.
- Go back one screen and tap Triple Tap. If it is set to Screenshot, tap None.
Both should now read None. Your phone will stop taking screenshots when you touch the back.
On iOS 26 you may also see a small “Back Tap Detected” banner when the feature fires. Turning both taps to None stops that too.
What else could be causing it?
Back Tap is the cause about nine times out of ten. If yours is already off, check these.
A Shortcuts automation
Open the Shortcuts app, tap Automation, and look for any automation that takes a screenshot. Delete it if you did not set it up on purpose.
AssistiveTouch
The floating AssistiveTouch button can be set to screenshot with a tap. Go to Settings, Accessibility, Touch, AssistiveTouch, and check its custom actions.
A wet or damaged screen
Water on the screen or a cracked digitizer can register fake touches. If your screen also jumps or types on its own, that points to a hardware issue, not a setting.
You can learn more in our guide on an iPhone that jumps from screen to screen, which covers this ghost touch problem.
What if the screenshots keep coming?
Restart the phone first. Press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
If it still happens after a restart and after turning Back Tap off, back up your phone and contact Apple Support. A screen that fires touches on its own may need a repair.
FAQ
Where do all these screenshots go?
They land in the Photos app, in your library and in the Screenshots album. You can select and delete them there in a batch. If you meant to capture your screen on purpose, here is how to record your screen on an iPhone.
Does turning off Back Tap remove any other features?
No. Back Tap only controls the tap on the back of the phone. Every other button and gesture keeps working as normal.
Can a case cause fake screenshots?
Yes. A loose or heavy case can tap the back panel as you move, which triggers Back Tap. Turning Back Tap off solves it even with the case on.
Is my screen broken if it also moves on its own?
Maybe. A screen that scrolls or opens apps without you is a sign of a hardware fault. Our guide on an iPhone screen that moves by itself walks through the next steps.