Get a better read
How to Take a Screenshot for the Block Blast Solver
The solver is only as good as the picture you give it. A clean screenshot gives a clean read. Here is exactly what to do, what to avoid, and how to fix things when it gets something wrong.
Short answer
Take a full-screen screenshot that shows the whole board and all three pieces. Don't crop it, zoom it, or take a photo of another screen. Then check what the solver read before you press solve.
Stuck on a board right now? Open the solver and get the best order for your three pieces.
What it needs to see
What Must Be in the Picture
- The whole 8x8 board, with no edge cut off.
- All three pieces in the tray at the bottom.
- The board clear of pop-ups, banners and overlays.
Keep the board clear so every cell is visible. The more of the board the solver can see, the better the reading and the answer.
On your phone
How to Take a Screenshot on Your Phone
- iPhone with Face ID: press the side button and volume up at the same time.
- iPhone with a Home button: press the side (or top) button and the Home button at the same time.
- Most Android phones: press the power button and volume down at the same time.
- A normal screenshot works best. HEIC photos can fail to read, so save them as JPG or PNG first.
Take it when the board is still, after the last clear has finished and no animation is playing.
From phone to solver
Getting Your Screenshot to the Solver
If you play and solve on the same phone, open the solver in your browser, tap Choose screenshot, and pick it from your photos. That's the fastest way.
If you want to solve on a computer, send the screenshot from your phone to the computer first:
- iPhone to Mac: use AirDrop.
- Android to Windows or Chromebook: use Quick Share, or open Google Photos on the computer.
- Any phone: email it to yourself, or send it to yourself in a chat app.
Then drag the file into the upload box, or copy it and paste it with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac).
Watch out for chat apps
Some chat apps shrink photos to save data. A smaller, blurry screenshot is harder to read. If the reading looks wrong after sending it through a chat app, send it again as a file or document instead of a photo, or use email.
What trips it up
Things That Make the Reading Harder
- A pop-up, banner or reward animation covering the board or the pieces.
- A cropped or zoomed screenshot. Send the full screen.
- A photo of your phone taken with another camera.
- A strong color filter or tint that changes the colors in the screenshot.
- A game look that is not the classic one. Our tests use the classic look, so check the board before solving.
If the reading still looks wrong, fix it with a tap, or enter the board by hand.
Before you upload
Quick Checklist Before You Upload
- The whole board is in the picture.
- All three pieces are in the picture.
- Nothing covers the board or the pieces.
- The board is still. No clear or reward animation is playing.
- It's a real screenshot, not cropped, not zoomed, and not a photo of the screen.
If all five are true, the reading is usually right the first time.
You are in control
How to Check and Adjust the Reading
The solver shows what it read before it solves. Check the board and the three pieces against your game, and tap any cell or piece that differs to fix it. One wrong cell can change the answer, so this check is worth ten seconds. Then press solve. See reading the answer, or use manual mode.
Keep reading
Read next
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the best reading from my screenshot?
Show the full board and all three pieces, keep pop-ups off the board, and take the screenshot when no animation is playing. You can also tap any cell to adjust it before solving.
Do I need to crop my screenshot?
No. A full-screen screenshot works. Just make sure the whole board and all three pieces are in it.
What file types can I upload?
JPG, PNG and WebP work. HEIC files from some iPhones may need to be saved as JPG or PNG first. The size limit is 10 MB.
How long does reading a screenshot take?
Usually just a couple of seconds, and solving after that is almost instant. If you need an answer right away, manual mode skips the reading step.
Can I use a photo of my screen?
You can, but a real screenshot is much cleaner. Glare and angles make it harder to read.
Got a clean screenshot?
Upload it and check what the solver reads before you solve.
Open the Solver