How do I disable screenshot on my Android phone?

Many Android users wish to disable screenshots on their phones for privacy and security reasons. Taking screenshots on phones can allow sensitive information to be captured, like private messages, photos, banking details, and more. Users may want to disable screenshots to protect their privacy, prevent others from snooping, or stop embarrassing or personal photos from being shared (NYTimes). With data security being a rising concern for smartphone users, blocking screenshots can give users greater control over their information (Deloitte). This article will explore the various methods available for disabling screenshots on Android phones.

Check Manufacturer Settings

Many Android phones have built-in settings to disable screenshots. Samsung, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi and other major brands allow you to toggle off screenshots in the display or security settings.

For example, on a Samsung Galaxy phone go to Settings > Advanced features > Screenshots and screen recorder to disable screenshots. You can also disable screenshot sounds and hide screenshot previews here.

According to How to screenshot on an android device, most Android phones allow screenshots by holding down the power and volume down buttons together. However manufacturer settings let you disable this function.

Before downloading any third party apps, it’s best to check if your Android model has a built-in setting to disable screenshots. This avoids needing extra software and ensures stability and compatibility.

Use a Third Party App

One way to disable screenshots on Android without root is by using a third party app like NoRoot ScreenshotDisable. This app allows you to block screenshots system-wide or for specific apps without needing root access.

NoRoot ScreenshotDisable works by creating a transparent overlay over apps which prevents taking screenshots. You can configure it to block screenshots in all apps or select apps. The app does not require any special permissions and runs in the background.

Other similar apps that can block screenshots without root include AppBlock, Screenshot Blocker, and Screenshot Guard. These apps take different approaches like monitoring screenshot events, showing an alert, or restricting the screenshot feature.

While most screenshot blocking apps require no root access, some may have limitations. For example, they may not work in certain apps, only block screenshots but not screen recording, or cause performance issues.

Before installing a third party screenshot blocking app, check reviews and test it out. Focus on apps that are lightweight, frequently updated, and do not bombard you with ads. A reputable app like NoRoot ScreenshotDisable can effectively block screenshots on non-rooted Androids.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/13azjam/how_to_bypass_cant_take_screenshot_policy_in_apps/

Block Notifications

One way to disable screenshot notifications on Android is to block the notifications entirely. This prevents the “Screenshot captured” popup from appearing after you take a screenshot.

To block screenshot notifications, open your phone’s Settings app and tap Notifications. Scroll down and select Screenshots. Here you can toggle off the “Show notifications” switch. This will disable any notifications from appearing when you capture a screenshot [1].

On Samsung devices, you can long press on a screenshot notification and select “Turn off notifications” to disable alerts for screenshots. You can also go into Settings > Apps and tap the three dot menu next to Screenshots. Select “Turn off notifications” to disable them [2].

Turning off notifications prevents the screenshot popup from appearing and cluttering your notification shade. This provides a cleaner experience when capturing screenshots on your Android device.

Use Developer Options

The Android developer options contain a setting called “Disable flags secure” that can prevent screenshots when enabled. To use this option:

1. Open Settings and scroll down to select System.

2. Tap on About phone and then tap Build number 7 times. This will enable Developer options.

3. Return to the main Settings menu and select Developer options.

4. Scroll down and enable the “Disable flags secure” option.

Enabling this setting will block screenshot capabilities for all apps. You won’t be able to take screenshots until you disable this option again. According to this guide, some apps may still find workarounds, but generally it will prevent screenshots across the system.

Block Overlays

Some Android phones have screenshot overlay apps pre-installed that display a thumbnail preview of screenshots after you take them. To stop these overlay apps from appearing, you can disable or uninstall them.

On Samsung devices, the Screenshot Toolbar app is responsible for the overlay. To disable it, go to Settings > Apps > Screenshot Toolbar and turn off Show screenshot toolbar. You can also uninstall updates to revert it to the factory version which doesn’t show previews.[1]

For other Android phones, check if you have any screenshot or overlay apps installed. Open Settings > Apps and look for suspicious apps related to screenshots or overlays. Tap on them and choose Uninstall or Disable depending on the options available.

Disabling or removing these apps will stop the screenshot preview from appearing automatically after you take a screenshot.

Use Accessibility Service

One way to block screenshots on Android is by using an accessibility service. Accessibility services allow apps to receive information about what’s happening on your device and act on your behalf. Some apps like BlockIt leverage accessibility services to detect when a screenshot is about to be taken and block it.

To use an app like this, first enable the accessibility service for the app in your phone’s settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility and enable the app. Once enabled, the app will run in the background and monitor your device for screenshot attempts, preventing you or other apps from taking screenshots.

The downside is that it requires giving broad access to an accessibility service, which can monitor everything happening on your device. So you have to trust the app and developer. But it can effectively block screenshots using Android’s baked-in accessibility features.

Disable Quick Settings Tile

One way to disable screenshots on Android is by removing the screenshot tile from your quick settings panel. The quick settings panel is the menu that appears when you swipe down from the top of your screen. Many Android devices have a screenshot button in this menu that allows you to quickly capture your screen.

To remove the screenshot tile from quick settings:

1. Open your Settings app.
2. Go to the Notifications section.
3. Tap Advanced.
4. Tap the Quick Settings option.
5. Here you will see all the quick setting tiles. Locate the Screenshot tile and tap the checkbox next to it to disable it.
6. The screenshot tile should now be removed from your quick settings panel.

This will prevent you from being able to quickly take screenshots by swiping down. However, it’s still possible to take screenshots using the volume down + power button method. For full screenshot blocking, you may need to use other methods like a third party app.

Use ADB Commands

For rooted Android devices, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands to disable screenshots. ADB allows controlling your device from a computer using simple commands. Here’s how to block screenshots with ADB on rooted devices:

1. First, enable USB debugging on your Android device and connect it to your computer via USB.
2. Install ADB on your computer if you don’t already have it.
3. Open a command prompt or terminal window and enter: adb shell to get a shell prompt for sending ADB commands.
4. To disable screenshots, enter: adb shell settings put global screenshot_enabled 0
5. To re-enable screenshots, use: adb shell settings put global screenshot_enabled 1

This will toggle the screenshot capability on and off. Note that some launcher apps may override this setting, so you may need to reboot into safe mode to fully disable screenshots via ADB.

Overall, using ADB commands provides a simple way to block screenshots on rooted Android phones. Just make sure to enable USB debugging first.

Conclusion

There are several methods you can use to disable screenshots on your Android phone, depending on your specific device and Android version. The easiest options are to check your device manufacturer settings for a built-in screenshot blocking feature, install a third party app, or toggle screenshot capabilities off in the Developer options.

To recap, some of the best ways to stop screenshots on Android phones include:

• Turning off screenshots in your device’s built-in settings app, if the manufacturer provides this option.
• Downloading a dedicated screenshot blocking app from the Play Store.
• Toggling off screenshot capabilities in Developer options.
• Using an accessibility service app to overlay your screen and block screenshots.
• Disabling the screenshot quick settings tile in Android 11+.

Overall, preventing screenshots on Android does require some technical know-how. But with the right method for your specific phone, you can disable screenshots for privacy, security, or other personal reasons.