Currently, Android doesn't put any restrictions as to where the phone makers decide to save their screenshots. However, with the release of Android 12, that might change. The phone manufacturers might have to save screenshots only in a specific folder.

Smartphones Won't Be Allowed to Save Screenshots in Any Folder

According to a document obtained by XDA Developers, Google might require devices running Android 12 to save phone screenshots only in a specific folder. These phones won't be allowed to save screenshots in any other folder.

The obtained document reads:

If device implementation have screenshot or screen recording functionality, including by way of hardware shortcut or software button, they:

MUST save the image or video file generated in a directory called “Screenshots” which is automatically generated under “Pictures” on onboard memory or a SD card in a reliable port. It is accessible by using DIRECTORY_SCREENSHOTS.

MUST NOT save screenshots and screen recordings in DCIM, Pictures, Videos, or a custom directory.

Phones from companies like Samsung save their screenshots in the DCIM folder, and this has actually created many issues. These issues will be resolved when the above update takes place.

How This Android 12 Update Fixes an Issue on Samsung Phones

If you own a Samsung phone, you probably know that your screenshots are saved in the DCIM folder. This folder is actually only meant to store the photos and videos that you capture with your phone's camera; it's not designed to store any screenshots.

Since photo management apps like Google Photos pull your photos from the DCIM folder, they end up pulling your screenshots as well. This means, in addition to uploading your own photos, you're uploading your screenshots as well to these photo hosting sites.

Related: Ways to Sync and Upload Photos to Cloud Storage on Android

This issue occurs when you use other cloud storage apps as well, like Dropbox. All these apps think DCIM only has your own personal photos, but with phones from companies like Samsung, that is not the case.

When the above update takes place, phone makers will be forced to save their screenshots only in the Screenshots folder. This means your DCIM folder won't be cluttered with any unwanted images. This will fix the issue where your screenshots were being unnecessarily uploaded to the cloud.

Android 12 Helps Avoid Syncing Screenshots With the Cloud

With screenshots getting their own dedicated folder in Android 12, your main photo library will remain free from any screen captures and you'll have just the photos you want in your cloud-based photo services.