Some apps don't allow screenshots so how can I still take a screenshot? It is my phone and I should be able to do whatever I want with it so why is there even a feature to disallow screenshots? Android 5.0.1

##### Rationale I want to capture a window-specific screenshot of com.android.settings.Settings$DevelopmentSettingsDashboardActivity > "SIM Status (sim slot $n)" (in order to augment my answer at [revisions/260314/3](https://android.stackexchange.com/revisions/260314/3#:~:text=18-,Method,-If%20using%20com.google.android.dialer%2C)) . ##### Problem However, not even using adb permits me, since [adb exec-out screencap -p > file.png](https://stackoverflow.com/revisions/31401447/5#:~:text=adb%20exec%2Dout%20screencap%20%2Dp%20%3E%20test.png) creates an empty file when on that activity due to it having LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE set (per file): ~~~YAML $HOME/file.png: empty ~~~ To confirm that that flag is the culprit, a filled file is created when focused on an activity without LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE set (per file): ~~~YAML $HOME/file.png: PNG image data, 1224 x 2700, 8-bit/color RGBA, non-interlaced ~~~ Consequently, how can I bypass this restriction? I don't care how low-level I have to go, insofar as I'm not forced to solder to a UART connector... ##### Tangential I'm not the sole person to want this, per [reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/1fynmkc](https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/1fynmkc/how_to_force_a_screenshot_even_in_an_app_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1#:~:text=melbournesummer-,How%20to%20force%20a%20screenshot%20even%20in%20an%20app%20that%20won 't%20allow%20it?,-Looking%20For%20Suggestions): > How to force a screenshot even in an app that won't allow it?

Seems that in Chrome for Android [version 65](https://blog.chromium.org/2018/02/chrome-65-beta-css-paint-api-and.html) , a "feature" was introduced which doesn't allow you to take a screenshot in Incognito mode. When attempting to take a screenshot, Android will now show an alert saying "Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app or your organization." /** * Sets the attributes flags to secure if there is an incognito tab visible. */ @VisibleForTesting void updateIncognitoState() { WindowManager.LayoutParams attributes = mWindow.getAttributes(); boolean currentSecureState = (attributes.flags & WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE) == WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE; boolean expectedSecureState = isShowingIncognito(); if (currentSecureState == expectedSecureState) return; if (expectedSecureState) { mWindow.addFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE); } else { mWindow.clearFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SECURE); } } Source: [chrome/android/java/src/org/chromium/chrome/browser/incognito/IncognitoTabSnapshotController.java](https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/8e084f697e8acfe1d1752dee702d8d73eb9655b0/chrome/android/java/src/org/chromium/chrome/browser/incognito/IncognitoTabSnapshotController.java) This is imposing rules you can expect to have in a enterprise environment on a personal phone. > The operation system UI should make clear when and how other apps are recording the screen. As an app developer, I should not be bothered with avoiding screen captures. Breaking this functionality breaks the lowest common denominator of data sharing: Taking a screenshot. One of the reason to make a screenshot is just because an application misses a proper data export functionality. Source: [HN Discussion](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16572761) > Is there any way to disable or prevent this behavior?

As [revisions/251957/9](https://android.stackexchange.com/revisions/251957/9#:~:text=via%20com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.android.permissioncontroller.role.ui.DefaultAppListActivity 's%20GUI:-,Screenshot,-Undermentioned%20is%20a) demonstrates, when I take a screenshot in (for example) com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.android.permissioncontroller.role.ui.DefaultAppListActivity, [the OS's screenshot mechanism](https://stackoverflow.com/q/2661536/9731176) doesn't merely capture com.google.settings's GUI – it *also* captures com.android.shell's navigation and status bars at least: However, this can also include overlays with TYPE_ACCESSIBILITY_OVERLAY set as the type in their WindowManager.LayoutParams. On that note, this matters more with ["Enable freeform windows" enabled](https://github.com/nikp123/scrcpy-desktop/blob/b287fe649a8845018a631bef9144ded7e6117208/startscreen.sh#L12C2-L13C57:~:text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global,settings%20put%20global%20force_allow_on_external%201) , [\[1\]] because when I screenshot something, I don't want to always have to manually crop that screenshot to what I actually want saved (rather than all windows' visible content). As an example, KDE [Spectacle](https://invent.kde.org/graphics/spectacle/-/blob/4b49eb961c67d900e4b6c7d80633791eb61eab2a/README.md#spectacle---the-kde-screenshot-utility:~:text=Spectacle%20is%20a%20screenshot%20taking%20utility%20for%20the%20KDE%20desktop.) 6.3.2.1 – a desktop screenshotting application – provides a brilliant option to remediate this: However, it isn't available for AOSP. Consequently, what're the alternatives? [\[1\]]: https://xdaforums.com/t/force-enable-desktop-mode-without-external-display-connected.4285777/#post-89997088:~:text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global%20force_desktop_mode_on_external_displays%201&text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global%20force_allow_on_external%201

There is no screenshot by area on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, running Android 3.1. Is there any other way to take a screenshot of only a portion of my screen rather than the whole area?

TCT (also called TCL) Alcatel 3T 10 (model 8088Q) Android 9 tablet makes a loud unpleasant sound when taking screenshots. On top of that, turning the DND or silent mode on doesn't mute the screenshot sound at all. Moreover, there are no settings available to change the sound of the screenshot or simply turn off or mute the screenshot sound. I contacted the brand, but they provided zero support. Just FYI, after a long time, I have been able to find the app [Mute Mode](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mggm.shiiitmode) in Google Play Store. This app has capability to mute all sounds of the tablet. It can also mute sounds of selected apps which is very helpful. So this app can successfully mute this unpleasant screenshot sound but only if I mute everything. There is no option to mute just the screenshot sound. So that's one drawback of this app. There is risk factor as well with this app. Suppose if I forget to turn off this app, then it will mute all alarms and notifications which is risky and impractical for daily stress-free usage. How to mute or change the screenshot sound?

I'm looking for a screenshot, which I can see in Google Photos under *Device folders* -> *Screeshots*. But when I browse it from my PC (Windows 10), in *DCIM* folder I can only see *Camera* one (I read it should be *Screenshots* next to it). Why is that? Is it possible that I don't have permissions to see it?

How can I allow an app to automatically take screenshot? I'm not talking about apps disabling screenshots on them, I can take screenshot of the thing manually, but I'd like to automate it. I use the app Automate, which has a screenshot action, but when I run it, a dialog appears asking me if I want to allow the app to see everything what is on screen, and that happens every time. I basically want to autoapprove this dialog. Is there a way to do that? Thanks

When being invited to join a Zoom meeting on an Android phone, is it possible to take a screenshot or audio/video recording of the meeting, using any other applications installed on the phone?

Suppose I have a long-scrolling screenshot that I took with a phone, and when I convert it using those apps, it looks like the screenshot is just put on the regular-size white background page as you can see below. > I know there are lots of Android apps that are able to convert images to PDF, but the problem is all of them, mostly, include a white background. I've tried the online version as well, but still the same. I know this is possible because I used an app called Xodo, it only converts the first image without background, but the page from 2 to the end has a white background around it. Do you know if there's an app that could do that or another way, so it's just the screenshot being the page, with no white background included?

If an app requests the DETECT_SCREEN_CAPTURE permission (new to Android 14 ), how can I deny it that permission? I don't want the app to get a SecurityException or anything like that; I just want to make the screen capture callback never fire. Solutions that need ADB or root are acceptable.

I have used Android for years and for most Android phones, pressing power + Volume Down together takes a screenshot. I have used my Google Pixel 6 for 2 years now, and the screenshot function has always worked perfectly fine. Recently, an automatic update added the Google Assistant function to my phone. Now, when I press power + Volume Down, it no longer takes a screenshot but instead, the Google Assistant panel appears. Google Assistant is not available in my country, so unfortunately this panel cannot help me take a screenshot. I tried turning off Google Assistant, and changing the default Digital Assistant app, but all the combinations of options I tried do not bring back the screenshot function. Here are the settings that I tried: | Default digital assistant app | Google Assistant | What Happens when I press Power + Vol Down | |------------------------------------------------|------------------------|--------| | None | Off | Nothing | | Google Assistant | On | Google Assistant launches, but Google Assistant is not available in my country so nothing happens | Google Assistant | Off | A panel pops up that says Google Assistant is ready, and an Activate button | How do I get back the screenshot functionality?

When I used to take a screenshot on a cell phone (Honor 8, not rooted, Android 8.0.0), I push the power button and the volume button together. But now the power button on a cell phone has stopped working (see https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/253364/how-to-fix-the-problem-of-power-button-stuck-a-bit-inside-and-not-working) . Is there a way of taking a screenshot without using the power button? Is there something similar to accessibility tools on an operating system (such as virtual keyboard in Ubuntu)? Thanks.

I want to mod an APK so that its FLAG_SECURE can be disabled. Can anyone please guide me in doing that? I have used apktool to decompile the app, but I don't know which specific file to find in smali to disable this.

I noticed an icon (seen on the attached image) on the Edit screen that appears after taking a screenshot on my Honor Android phone. Image resized. Click for full size I'm unsure of its functionality and couldn't find any information in the user manual or online resources. Is this icon a feature of Android in general, or is it specific to Honor devices? Any insights would be helpful.

How to take a selected-area screenshot, so that it's copied to the clipboard automatically once it's selected? (exactly like Win+Shift+S on Windows, but I need it for Android) This will enable me to quickly —*saving tremendous time & pain (when I need to reuse this a lot)*— paste it within any note-taking application (like Squid ). **Motive** I use *Squid* a lot in split-screen-view with a book reader app (like ezPDF ) and many times, I need to take selected-area-screenshot of a part from a book to drop it in my note paper in Squid where I'm taking notes. One way to do this is to use Samsung's Smart Select , then share the selected-area screenshot to Squid. This unfortunately forces opening Squid in full screen (which destroys the split-screen view, so I need to waste time again to set the split-screen view of the two apps). Also, in Squid, it forces creating a new separate useless note (not the one I'm working with, so I need to waste time again re-navigating to my original note after copying my captured selected-area screenshot to the clipboard and then deleting the useless note). This wastes a lot of time.

I find using Power + Vol - extremely cumbersome. Is it possible to change this to holding Power Button? I'm on Android 10.

When I download my pictures from my Samsung Galaxy S3 onto my desktop, hundreds of screen shot pics download. These are those annoying pop ups that come up trying to get you to select the app to purchase. They are not in any picture folder in my phone - I only see them when I download all pictures. How can I find them in my phone and delete them?

To my knowledge there's no such setting in AOSP, having combed through the system options in several major LineageOS (19 at the time) and CyanogenMod releases. The only method I know is to delete the related file (I've also wiped the entire folder contents) in /system/product/media/audio/ui/ using root or alternative using the 'do not disturb mode' at all times. The stock camera app (e.g. com.android.camera2) may or may not have an option to turn off the shutter sound.

I've already followed the steps here (although modified a bit, since I think that example wasn't using Android 11) to disable screenshot sound notifications: But the setting seemed to have no effect. There is still a sound whenever I take a screenshot by holding the power button and the Volume Down button. How can I disable the sound?