Do screenshots change how we remember?

Investigators assessed whether screenshot-related memory impairment was accompanied by benefits on other memory and cognitive measures.

By
Kathryn Wighton
August 25, 2026
3 min

MDSpire News

Overview

A study published in Memory & Cognition found that memory performance was significantly lower for screenshotted material compared to viewed material across seven experiments involving 892 undergraduate students.

Background

Understanding how digital tools like screenshots affect memory is crucial, especially in an age where information is frequently captured digitally. This study examines the memory performance associated with screenshotting.

Data Highlights

Experiment	Recognition Accuracy (Screenshotted)	Recognition Accuracy (Viewed)
2	70%	78%
3	61%	88%
7	68%	75%

Key Findings

Memory performance was lower for screenshotted material compared to viewed material across all experiments.
In Experiment 2, recognition accuracy was 70% for screenshotted images versus 78% for viewed images.
In Experiment 3, recognition accuracy was 61% for screenshotted images compared to 88% for viewed images.
No significant differences were found in cognitive tasks between screenshot and viewing conditions.
Participants' expectations about memory tests did not significantly affect recognition memory differences related to screenshotting.

Clinical Implications

The findings highlight the differences in memory performance between screenshotting and viewing, which may be relevant for understanding memory retention.