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“Can’t take screenshot due to security policy” Message in Android

“Can’t take screenshot due to security policy” Message in Android

Posted on May 24, 2019 by Mitch Bartlett 43 Comments

I was attempting to capture a photo of the screen using my Samsung Galaxy Note8 Android phone this morning and was greeted with a message that told me “Can’t take screenshot due to security policy“. What could be causing this issue?

Reason 1 – Chrome Incognito Mode

The Android OS now prevents screenshots from being taken while in Incognito Mode in the Chrome browser. There is currently no way to disable this “feature”. You can install Firefox and take a screenshot in Incognito mode there, but if you are taking a screenshot in Google Chrome, you must not be using Incognito Mode to do it.


Reason 2 – Policy set on Phone

If your Android device was issued to you by a school or company, they may have enforced policies that prevent screenshots. The policy can also be enforced if you have added a company account to your phone.

You will either need to talk to the IT department, or remove the account associated with the policy from “Accounts” in “Settings“.


Reason 3 – Policy set in App

Some apps have a policy that prevents screenshots from being taken. Financial apps such as investing and banking commonly have screenshots disabled for security purposes. It prevents malicious code from being able to run in the background of your device and send a copy of your screen to a hacker.

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Filed Under: Android Tagged With: Android Pie, Oreo

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Toni V says

    April 20, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    I suddenly can’t take any screenshots of websites and can’t forward a website .WTF!

  2. Chris says

    November 29, 2020 at 1:44 am

    This is retarded, at best. ANYONE can grab another phone and take a photo. So why is it that ANDROID (or should I just say GOOGLE) decided that they know what’s best for us, and shut down this ability? It’s not going to stop anyone? There’s a program that I need that records my blood pressure. My doctor requests screenshots, but I guess I have to take blurry photos with another camera, then transfer to my computer, etc., etc., etc. George Orwell’s 1984 has finally struck, and Big Brother is not only listening, but he’s blocking screenshots now. Idiocy.

  3. Matt George says

    November 21, 2020 at 10:50 am

    Hey Everyone! For all those facing such problems I highly recommend the ‘Touchshot’ app on the Google Play Store. Trust me it’s user friendly and easy to use!!

  4. James White says

    August 1, 2020 at 12:09 am

    I’ve been trying to enable screenshots of people trying to hack into my yahoo account. Yahoo sends me messages when someone is trying to log into my yahoo email. The message has the ip address and location of the hacker. I used to be able to take the screen shot but now my samsung 8 wont let me due to the security policy. I wish there were an easy work around for this so I do t have to write an ip address down every single time.

  5. Don says

    April 15, 2020 at 12:23 am

    This really all started in february/March of 2019 with and update on my Samsung Note 8… I eventually changed to a Samsung Note 9 and the phone had already been preset so that I cant take screenshots…. this includes but is not limited to banking apps, netflix series/shows/movies, and some others… Easy Dpi changer on the play store is supposed to be able to fix this… but it also says at our own risk… has anyone tried it ? And does it work ??

  6. Mohammed Anwar Hussain says

    February 13, 2020 at 1:14 am

    Can not capture screenshot personal information page

  7. jackco11 says

    December 9, 2019 at 10:06 am

    How to fix Android Screenshot Not Working

    Here are the steps that worked for me:

    >Settings
    >Application
    >Application Manager
    >More
    >Show System Apps
    >Media Storage
    > Enable

  8. Nahom says

    November 11, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    I’m not sure if anyone of you is aware about teamviewer mobile app. You need to involve two cell phones if you need the screenshot so badly.
    Follow the steps:
    1. Install Teamviewer in both phones (android or apple alike)
    2. Connect the two phones using the teamviewer’s username and unique password, or in some phones, just click “allow” in the phone you’re giving access to.
    3. Now you will be able to see the other person’s screen and activities just as if you were on your own phone.
    4. Then go to one of the phones and access the information you needed to take a screenshot of.
    5. At this point you, you will be seeing the same activities in both the phones.
    6. Take the screenshot on the 2nd phone that is remotely accessing the host phone.

    You should have no problem taking any screenshot of any kind because the app that may be restricting the acreenshot feature is not in your phone but in the host phone.

    I hope this helps. Please ask if you have any further question.

    Thanks!
    NARAYA

  9. offzero says

    October 15, 2019 at 7:51 pm

    you can do whatever you want with your phone and screenshot anything. all u gotta do is hack or root or jailbreak your phone and download DPI then reset the feature from the software who made it with security is now removable. remember u live in a world of the law so if u want to break the law. go ahead at your own risk.

  10. Mahmood says

    September 24, 2019 at 2:58 am

    Google Assistant takes a black screen

  11. Gary says

    September 21, 2019 at 11:27 pm

    Maybe I disable the media storage go to setting and try to enable it again

  12. Ben says

    September 6, 2019 at 7:37 am

    This:
    Jay says:July 16, 2019 at 10:51 am
    If you use Google Assistant, you can hold the home key until Assistant pops up and use the “share a screenshot” option. This will get around any screenshot blocking I’ve found.

  13. Jon says

    August 28, 2019 at 4:12 am

    Go to your settings and click apps. In the options view disabled and see if media or media storage or anything like that is disabled. If it is then enable it.

  14. Star says

    August 16, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    This was happening to me on my Android when I tried to capture an image on the Bing app. Today I went to the Bing app., then to settings, and shut off the Screen Recording Protection. Now I can screenshot on Bing.

  15. Jay says

    July 16, 2019 at 10:51 am

    If you use Google Assistant, you can hold the home key until Assistant pops up and use the “share a screenshot” option. This will get around any screenshot blocking I’ve found.

  16. Bala says

    July 11, 2019 at 3:38 am

    Hi,

    I have configured in MobileIron my app should not allow to take screen shots from any android device. After the configuration i have installed my app through MobileIron in Samsung, Pixel and One plus devices. Now am not able to take the screen shot from app in Samsung and Pixel devices. But in One plus devices am able to take the screen shots from my App.
    If there is mistake in configuration of Mobile Iron then its should allow take screen shot from all the devices. But its not working only in One plus devices. Kindly give suggestion on this.

  17. Dan Brian says

    June 28, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    Take a photo of your phone with another phone. the analog hole!

  18. Mitch Bartlett says

    June 17, 2019 at 10:07 am

    There appears to be a few social apps that have implemented the blocking of screenshots. I haven’t posted a solution because there really is no solution. If the app developer has placed this block in the software, there is no way to undo it.

  19. Steve Ma says

    June 17, 2019 at 12:23 am

    This is absurd. I was trying to take a screenshot of a conversation in a Facebook group. So I copied the link to the conversation and pasted it in my browser, then displayed the same page, and took a screenshot there.

  20. Brenda says

    June 15, 2019 at 7:59 pm

    Currently having the same problem. One minute I can take a screen shot off of fact next I can’t I get that message.. But at the same time I can take screen shots of other pictures on other apps etc. How do I get thelis to stop?

  21. T says

    June 15, 2019 at 8:06 am

    I wonder if this is part of a recent update to our phones?? I just had this pop up in FB and it looks like all these comments are recent.

  22. Lily says

    June 15, 2019 at 8:06 am

    The same thing is happening to me.
    Galaxy S7.
    Exclusively on Facebook.
    None of the offered solutions helped.

  23. Penny Filler says

    June 14, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    My friends all think I’m crazy, mine started on my Note 9 after an update earlier this week. Some things i can, some I can’t, but only in Facebook.

  24. Miracle says

    June 14, 2019 at 2:32 pm

    The security policy thing came up on my FB app using my S8. However, when I went to the original poster’s page, I was able to take the screenshot.

  25. Vickie says

    June 13, 2019 at 7:38 am

    Same for me too! Is there a way around it, or a simple fix for it? I take screenshots of a ton of things on FB daily. I’m lost without it!

  26. Orion6661 says

    June 13, 2019 at 3:45 am

    I thought I was going crazy but I see there are others with this issue. Specifically in the Facebook app. Works for a while after closing the app and then comes back up again.

    Can’t find any information backing it up anywhere.

  27. Jennifer says

    June 13, 2019 at 12:57 am

    I’ve been having the same issue…only on Facebook. I have an S8. Super frustrating!!

  28. Jonathan says

    June 12, 2019 at 7:59 pm

    Mine was due to Instagram running. I closed it out and can take screenshots of anything in Facebook now

  29. Ayden says

    June 12, 2019 at 9:30 am

    Same for me on fb for my s10. Works briefly after restarting my phone then back to not allowed after a few minutes.

  30. john says

    June 12, 2019 at 3:47 am

    is there a way around this ?

  31. Courtney Frost says

    June 11, 2019 at 9:36 am

    Just happened to me too. Just trying to take a picture of a list of ingredients and got that message too.

  32. Tanise says

    June 11, 2019 at 9:18 am

    This started happening to me yesterday. I don’t think I’m in incognito mode? Frustrating.

  33. Valerie says

    June 11, 2019 at 6:18 am

    Ive just changed my handset to a galaxy s10+ and having this issue but dont have it when using my note 8

  34. L says

    June 10, 2019 at 10:36 pm

    I’m having the same issue with FB. It’s not allowing me to take screenshots ?

  35. Renee says

    June 10, 2019 at 9:19 pm

    Can’t screenshot fb suddenly either

  36. Michellbabiee says

    June 10, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    Im having the same issue

  37. Austin says

    June 10, 2019 at 8:36 pm

    This just started happening on my S7. I can’t take screenshots of Facebook, but i can on everything else.

  38. Jacqueline Graham says

    June 10, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    The new GDPR is most likely responsible for this, it’s a higher level of the data protection rules and regulations

  39. kat says

    June 10, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    Same issue

  40. Stefani says

    June 10, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    Same here. Just started.

  41. Holly says

    June 10, 2019 at 3:58 pm

    I was having the same issue. I rebooted my phone and it works again.

  42. John says

    June 10, 2019 at 6:41 am

    I’m having the same issue

  43. Brandi says

    June 7, 2019 at 12:07 pm

    This is happening with my S8+ on fb. I can’t take screenshots in fb anymore, not even of my own post. Is this something they are controlling? Nothing has changed about my phone settings.

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Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

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