6 Ways to Fix “Can’t Take Screenshot Due to Security Policy”

When it comes to capturing your screen, screenshots are without a doubt extremely helpful. However, some apps restrict users from taking snips due to security reasons and show errors like “can’t take screenshot due to security policy“.

That is why in this article we have gathered up a few workarounds around this issue to help you bypass screenshot restrictions and capture anything on your screen. We will also look at how you can capture screenshots in private browsing sessions along with a few methods to turn off screenshot restrictions on your device. So let’s dive in!

Why Do Apps Have Screenshot Restrictions?

As annoying as it is, screenshot restrictions aren’t set without a reason, and these are only implemented for privacy and security concerns. A few common apps with such restrictions enabled are banking apps and content streaming apps like Netflix.

With banking apps such measures are used to prevent users from accidentally sharing credential details about their accounts including passwords, security questions, usernames, and more. Netflix also has similar reasons for not capturing screenshots such as to protect user privacy and important information.

However, if you know what you are doing and want to capture screenshots for your own purposes there are many ways that can help you take screenshots anywhere you want.

READ MORE: How to Take A Screenshot on iPhone 7 in 2023 [Easy Ways] ➜

Reasons For Can’t Take Screenshot Due to Security Policy

Before jumping onto the solutions, it’s important to understand a few common reasons why your device is blocked from capturing specific screens.

• Browser-Based Issues: If you are using a private tab on your browser there’s a chance that the screenshotting feature may not be enabled.
• Device-Based Issues: Your device might have restrictions over capturing screenshots toggled on.
• App-Based Issues: As discussed earlier, some apps have restrictions over capturing specific parts such as the login page or account details tab.

Can’t Take Screenshot Due to Security Policy — Browser Issues

While Google Chrome allows its users to capture screenshots quite easily whenever you are normally using the browser, the Incognito Mode makes things a bit difficult. The purpose of Incognito Mode is to keep sessions private to safeguard confidential information which also restricts features like taking screenshots.

But don’t worry, you can enable screenshotting on Incognito Mode using Chrome Flags which are experimental features that aren’t available on the browser by default. Chrome Flags give you access to certain unreleased features allowing you to customize as much as you want. One such Chrome flag is Incognito Screenshot which allows users to capture snips even in private sessions.

Here’s how to fix can’t take screenshot due to security policy on Incognito Mode:

1. Launch the Chrome Browser on your device.
   

   

2. Next, type in “chrome://flags” in the address bar and hit go.
   

   

3. This will open the Chrome Flags page where you’ll need to tap on the search bar.
   

   

4. Here, type in “Incognito Screenshot” and tap on the Default button on the first available experiment.
   

   

5. From the menu, select the Enabled option.
   

   

6. Finally, relaunch your Chrome browser for the changes to take effect.
   

   

Apart from Google Chrome, Firefox also its users to toggle on Incognito screenshotting through the app’s settings. For this, you simply need to open up the browser on your device, head to settings, and select the Private browsing option. This will open a settings page where you’ll need to toggle on the “Allow screenshots in private browsing” option.

READ MORE: How to Use Chrome Flags? Enable New Features! ➜

Can’t Take Screenshot Due to Security Policy — Device Restrictions

If your device is still unable to capture screenshots even after fixing browser-based issues then it’s either because your device has an Admin that has enforced screenshot restrictions, or some background apps are causing all the mess. Let’s look at how to fix both of them individually.

1. Remove Device Admin

Device Admins are system administrators that enforce specific policies that block users from accessing certain content. If your device belongs to a school or company, then they may have enabled screenshotting restrictions for some apps due to security reasons.

Here’s how to remove a device admin for any third-party app:

1. Open up your phone’s Settings and head to the Security tab.
   

   

2. From here, scroll down and tap on the Device admin apps option.
   

   

3. This will open the Device admin apps page where you can toggle off different apps that don’t allow screenshotting.
   

   

4. And you are good to go! Try capturing a screenshot now to see if the issue is fixed.

READ MORE: Solarwinds NCM: A Must Have Tool for Network Administrators ➜

2. Close Certain Background Apps

If you are trying to capture a screenshot and you have an app with screenshot restrictions running in the background, there’s a chance it might interfere with your tasks. Hence, to fix this we recommend clearing all background running apps to fix screenshot issues.

6 Ways to Bypass Can’t Take Screenshot Due to Security Policy — App Issues

When it comes to capturing screenshots of apps with strict screenshot policies, there’s pretty much nothing you can do to get a proper snip of your screen. However, that doesn’t mean you can get something close to it. Below we have discussed 6 ways that can help you capture your screen and bypass can’t take screenshots due to security policy error.

1. Screenshot Using the Recent Apps Menu

A fun trick to bypass the screenshot restrictions is using the Recent Apps menu to quickly capture a snip. Although this might not work for every app as some have additional security measures that black out the screen even in the recent apps menu it still is an easy way to get screenshots where possible.

For this to work, you’ll need to close the app and open your recent apps tray. This will show a small preview of the app’s recent session which you can use to capture a screenshot. Once you have the screenshot, you can also crop it to just the size of the app to make it look like a normal snip.

READ MORE: How to Delete Hidden Apps on Any iPhone [4 Easy Methods] ➜

2. Screen Recording

While some apps have strict restrictions over taking screenshots, they often don’t implement the same level of protection for recording your screen. This means that you can use your phone’s built-in screen recorder to capture short clips which can then be used to easily take out any screenshots you want.

READ MORE: Top 5 BEST Screen Recording Apps for Android ➜

3. Google Assistant

When capturing a screenshot, the go-to choice for a lot of users is the button combo which is what most apps have restrictions over. That is where Google Assistant comes which allows you to take a screenshot without having to press the power and volume buttons combination.

Here’s how to capture a screenshot using Google Assistant:

1. Open the app you want to take a screenshot of.
2. Activate Google Assistant by either saying Hey Google or holding the home key.
   

   

3. Now, say or type Take a Screenshot to make Google Assistant capture a snip.
   

   

READ MORE: 9 Easy Fixes for When Google Assistant is Not Working ➜

4. Use ScreenCast

If you have tried all the methods above and things still aren’t looking good, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Most phones come with an in-built screencast feature such as Samsung’s Dex or Xiaomi’s Miracast. This screen mirroring technology allows users to share their phone’s screen with other devices. which can easily be used to take snips.

Here’s how to use screencast on a Xiaomi device:

1. Head over to your phone’s Settings and tap on the Connection and Sharing option. 
   

   

2. Once that opens up, tap on the Cast option.
   

   

3. Now, toggle on the button next to the Cast screen content to an external monitor.
   

   

4. Make sure both of your devices are on the same network or Wi-Fi to cast your screen smoothly.

↪ Screen Mirror on iPhone

Similar to a Xiaomi device, iPhone users also have the option to enable screen mirroring by using an Apple TV or AirPlay 2. Once you have your iPhone and Smart TV connected to the same network, here’s how to toggle on screencast on an iPhone:

1. Navigate to the Contol Center and tap on the Screen Mirroring option. 
   

   

2. From the menu, select your Apple TV. 
   

   

Once your device is screen mirrored, you can now take as many screenshots as you want without having to worry about any issues. If you don’t have a built-in screencasting app on your device, you can use a third-party alternative such as Scrcypy as a workaround.

READ MORE: Airplay Not Working on Roku? Try these fixes ➜

5. Third-Party Screenshotting Apps

Another way to bypass screenshot restrictions is by using third-party apps that allow you to capture screenshots. However, it’s important to remember that these apps simply act as an alternative to taking normal screenshots and there’s a chance most of these might not work as a way to bypass screenshotting restrictions. Here are some of our recommendations:

1. Lightshot: User-friendly, offers quick area selection for screenshots. Multi-platform.
2. Snagit: Advanced features for image editing and screen recording. Suitable for professional use.
3. Greenshot: Lightweight, straightforward screen capture and editing. Ideal for basic needs.
4. ShareX: Open-source, highly customizable with screen capture, sharing, and productivity tools.
5. TinyTake: Simple interface for screen capture and basic video recording, with quick sharing options.

6. Use Another Phone

If none of the above methods worked for you, the last resort is to simply use another phone to capture a portion of your screen using the secondary phone’s camera. Once you get the screenshot, you can crop it and make a few adjustments to make it look authentic and share it with your device.

READ MORE: The Best Games to Play with Friends on Phone – Android & iOS ➜

Conclusion

Screenshot restrictions are set up for your safety and help you censor sensitive information from being shared across the internet. However, if you simply want to keep the screenshots in your phone gallery you can give the above-mentioned methods a try. If you are using Incognito Mode, you can simply enable the feature from Chrome Flags or tweak a few settings on your device.

You can also use several other methods such as Google Assistant or screen recording to bypass any issues when capturing restricted screens.