When using Instagram, you may come across content that you want to forward to your friends, which invariably means that you need to screenshot that Story, post, or DM.
But does Instagram notify people when you do that? Can you screenshot Instagram DMs? This article covers everything you need to know about Instagram screenshot notifications.
Instagram Screenshot Notifications: When Does the App Notify People About Screenshots?
Instagram only notifies people when you take screenshots of the following items via Direct Message (DM):
- Messages sent using Vanish Mode on Instagram.
- Disappearing photos.
- Disappearing videos.
When you screenshot a message sent in Vanish Mode, Instagram will show the sender the line "[Your name] took a screenshot" in the chat. And when you screenshot disappearing photos and videos, Instagram adds a small circle icon next to the message in the sender's chat. The circle won't appear on your end.
Instagram notifies senders in the same way when you screen-record the content listed above too, so that's not an option. Other than that, Instagram won't snitch on you when you take screenshots on the platform.
Can You Screenshot Instagram DMs?
You can screenshot an Instagram chat the same way you would typically take a screenshot of anything else, without the other user knowing you've taken a screenshot of your conversation with them.
Just ensure you don't take screenshots of disappearing photos or videos and Vanish Mode conversations, as mentioned earlier. A word of caution: be sure to respect other users' privacy by not taking screenshots of sensitive or confidential content.
Can You Take an Instagram Video Call Screenshot?
You can take screenshots during video calls on Instagram and only you will know. Instagram will not notify the person you are video calling that you've taken a screenshot. Just ensure that you don't share the screenshot without their knowledge if their face appears in it, for legal reasons.
Remember, once you distribute content on the internet, there's no way of controlling how many times it is shared.
Does Instagram Notify People When You Screenshot a Post?
Instagram doesn't notify users when you take a screenshot of their post. Posts are, essentially, all the photos and videos you see on Instagram's Home feed or in the Explore tab. Instagram also doesn't send an alert when you screen-grab a post right from someone's profile page.
It's worth noting that Instagram has a Save feature for posts if you don't want to download media locally. It lets you save pictures and videos in an easy-to-access tab, so you don't have to screenshot everything.
Plus, you can group your saved Instagram posts into separate collections. So, for example, you can create one for recipes and another for your favorite posts about dogs. You can save a post by tapping the Save button present in the bottom right corner of any image or clip.
To view your saved posts, head to the Profile tab in the bottom-right corner of the screen on the Instagram app and touch the three-bar icon in the top-right corner. Select the Saved item. Here, you can also build new collections by tapping the Plus button.
Does Instagram Notify Users When You Screenshot a Story?
At the time of writing, other people can't see when you screenshot their Story. However, in 2018, Instagram experimented with notifying users when anyone took a screenshot of their Story. Instagram dropped the feature shortly after.
But you should keep an eye on the Instagram app's changelog in case the functionality returns in the future. Alternatively, there are other ways to screenshot Instagram Stories without getting caught.
Instagram, by default, retains a copy of all your Stories in the Archive. To browse or delete them, open the Instagram app and go to your profile page. Tap the three-bar icon in the top-right and enter the Archive.
It is important to remember that Instagram does show users who viewed their Story while it is live. So while they won't be able to tell if you screenshot it, they will know that you viewed their Story. Keep this in mind, especially if you don't follow their account. When they view their own Story, they can swipe up to view a list of everyone who looked at it. The list is in no particular order.
Does Instagram Notify People When You Screen Record?
Instagram doesn't notify users when you screen-record videos of posts and Stories.
And what about private messages—can you screen-record Instagram DMs? Yes. However, Instagram will tell the sender if you screen-record disappearing photos the same way it does when you screenshot them.
This applies to DMs sent in Vanish Mode as well. In the past, a loophole allowed you to secretly capture personal stories on Instagram this way, but it seems Instagram has since caught on and fixed it.
Can You See If Someone Screenshots Your Instagram Story?
Instagram doesn't offer any setting that you can switch on to get notified when someone takes a screenshot of your Story.
If you're worried about strangers misusing your photos and videos, you can protect your account by switching to a private profile.
To turn your Instagram profile private, tap the three bars icon on your profile screen and tap Settings and Privacy. Scroll down to Account privacy and switch on the Private Account option. Your existing followers won't be affected by this, which is why it's best to check your Followers list to ensure only the people you know have access to your gallery.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of Instagram's Close Friends feature. This lets you share your Stories with a specific set of users while keeping your profile publicly visible.
You can configure the list by tapping the Close Friends option located in your profile's Settings and Privacy. On the Close friends page, you can add or remove your close friends.
When you're done, you will have a new green option before publishing a new story. Enable it to share the Story only with users in your Close Friends list.
How to Prevent Instagram From Notifying Someone When You Take a Screenshot
Instagram only notifies recipients when you screenshot a message sent in Vanish Mode and disappearing photos and videos. So, what can you do if you want your screenshots to go undetected?
Try using another phone's camera. This should go without saying, but it's the safest way to take get a copy of the content you want to save. You can then send the picture to your phone. You can use different phones, too.
Be careful with this though, as this defeats the purpose of using Vanish Mode and takes advantage of the sender's trust. You probably shouldn't use this method unless you are doing it to protect someone else's safety.
You could also previously use Instagram Desktop as Instagram previously didn't detect screenshots taken on the desktop platform. Instagram's desktop and mobile platforms have some differences. This particular loophole made a case for using the web platform. However, Instagram no longer shows disappearing media on Instagram Desktop—it tells you to open the message on the mobile app instead.
Taking a Photo Is a Discreet Way to Save Content From Instagram
Instagram is rich with various types of content. Unfortunately, taking a photo of a disappearing photo or video using another phone is the only way to save that specific content without Instagram sending a notification.
It's important to have an understanding of how Instagram handles screenshot notifications. Thankfully, Instagram does not notify people when you screenshot a story, post, or DM, so you can do so discreetly.