Android 16 will soon automatically delete the original screenshot as soon as the user takes a scrolling screenshot.
A screenshot is the simplest way to share the content that is currently visible on the screen, and if the content is longer than one page, several versions of Android already offer the option of making “scrolling” screenshots. This feature was introduced with Android 12, but Google has hardly changed it until now. Now comes a small but very useful improvement.
The new change removes unnecessary duplicates and frees up memory
Although the name suggests that the phone “scrolls” the screen to compose a long portrait image, Android does not actually do this. The system asks the application to provide data for parts of the content that are not visible on the screen, which gives a much cleaner result than the “scroll and stitch” method used by some manufacturers. However, this approach has limitations: the function only works in applications based on system UI frameworks (Views, WebView), so it is not yet supported in some applications.
Google does not change the way the “scrolling” screenshot is made, but what happens after it is saved. Currently, Android automatically saves both the original and expanded screenshots, which over time creates a bunch of duplicates in the gallery. In the latest Android Canary 2512 release, an automatic option to delete the original screenshot was introduced the moment the user saves the “scrolling” version. This applies to both the “Save” and “Share” options, while pressing “Cancel” leaves the original saved.
Although small on paper, this change will be very useful for anyone who frequently takes screenshots. Since Canary is used by a small number of users, it is necessary to wait for the feature to arrive in the Beta and Stable channels. The earliest can be expected in the upcoming Android 16 QPR3 beta release, which should be released soon before the stable version scheduled for March, reports Android Authority.