WhatsApp Bans Screenshots: What You Need to Know About the New Restrictions

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that restricts users from taking screenshots in certain areas of the app. This update is part of the company's ongoing efforts to enhance privacy and security for its users. If you rely on screenshots to save or share content, here's what you need to know about these changes.

What's Changing?

WhatsApp's latest update restricts the ability to take screenshots in specific parts of the app, most notably in areas where privacy is paramount. This includes:

1. View Once Messages: With this feature, photos and videos disappear after being viewed once, and WhatsApp now prevents screenshots of these items to further safeguarding user privacy.

2. Profile Pictures: A significant new restriction is the inability to screenshot profile pictures on certain devices, particularly on iPhones. While users were previously able to capture profile images with a simple key combination, this is no longer possible. Instead, an attempt to screenshot a profile picture now results in a message that reads, "Screenshot blocked - To protect the privacy of all persons on WhatsApp, this screenshot has been blocked."

Not every WhatsApp update is announced or accompanied by a required download. Many updates are rolled out gradually and often reach different users at different times. As a result, users may be surprised to find certain features either added or removed without prior notice. The recent restriction on screenshotting profile pictures, for instance, has been available on Android devices for some time and has now been extended to iPhones.

The rollout timing is unclear, and users may find the feature unexpectedly activated on their devices. For those who attempt to save someone else's profile picture, WhatsApp will still save an image to the gallery, but the screenshot will display only a warning message instead of the desired content.

Interestingly, WhatsApp's screenshot block isn't foolproof. For example, if you navigate to a contact's profile page and click on "Contact details," you can still take a screenshot of the profile picture without encountering any block. However, this loophole is likely temporary, as WhatsApp will likely refine this feature to close such gaps.

Furthermore, while WhatsApp prevents direct screenshotting, some users have attempted to bypass this restriction by recording their screen and later extracting the image from the video. However, this method is also thwarted by WhatsApp, as the app displays the same warning message when the profile picture appears in full resolution.

The exact reason behind WhatsApp's decision to block screenshots of profile pictures is unclear. However, it's evident that the company is taking steps to bolster privacy across its platform. Despite these efforts, there are still some ways to save profile pictures. For instance, using WhatsApp on a desktop or through a web browser allows users to save profile images in high resolution without encountering the screenshot block. This is likely because implementing such a block on these platforms would be technically challenging.