Fixing the Error "You Can't Take a Screenshot Due to Security Policy"

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An easy-to-follow guide to get rid of the error that says you can't take a screenshot because of the security policy

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: March 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Enabling Screenshots in Incognito Mode

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Checking Device Admin Apps

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Granting App Access (Samsung Only)

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Tips

Are you getting a "Can't take a screenshot due to the security policy" error whenever you try to open the camera on your phone? Although the problem mostly shows up on Android devices, this can happen to iPhones, too. This wikiHow article lists some ways to fix the camera app whenever you see the "Can't take a screenshot due to security policy" error message.

Why Apps Prevent You From Taking Screenshots

An error message like this usually means that the app or your device has sensitive information that shouldn't be shared, which protects you from potentially leaking anything, like your bank account information or copyrighted material.

Section 1 of 3:

Enabling Screenshots in Incognito Mode

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Chrome and Firefox have policies in place so you can't take screenshots. However, you can easily turn this feature off. Use this method if you're trying to take a screenshot from an Incognito window in a mobile web browser and not a mobile app.
- For Chrome, go to chrome://flags, and search for incognito screenshot. In the search result that pops up, select the drop-down menu and tap Enabled. Tap Relaunch to reload your browser and apply the changes you've made.
- For Firefox, tap the three-dot menu icon in the lower right corner, tap Settings > Private Browsing, and tap the toggle next to "Allow screenshots in private browsing" to enable it. Relaunch Firefox to apply your changes.

Section 2 of 3:

Checking Device Admin Apps

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1
Open Settings. Tap the gear icon in the Quick Settings panel or tap the app icon that features a gear.
- Some apps prevent you from taking screenshots for security reasons. Employers and organizations often use "Device Admin Apps" to protect work-related data. You may or may not be able to remove these.
This might also be called "Biometrics and security" for some Android phones.
It's the last option on the page.
You'll see a list of all the apps installed on your phone with access as device admin apps.
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Tap an enabled app and then tap Deactivate. When you tap an app with a blue switch, you can see what features it has, like setting password rules, or monitoring screen unlock attempts, or preventing using the Camera app.
- Tap Deactivate for an app that's preventing you from using the camera to see if that fixes your error.
- If you can't tap Deactivate, you need to refer to the IT department of your work, school, or organization.

Section 3 of 3:

Granting App Access (Samsung Only)

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1
Open Settings. Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the gear icon or tap the app that has a gear on it.
- If you have a new phone, or if you recently updated, and noticed the error, the app(s) you're using may not have screenshot permission.
It's next to a 2x2 icon on a blue background.
You'll see this three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of your screen.
It's the middle option.
You'll see this at the top of the menu.
The list will include both system and non-system apps that have access to the files on your device.
If the toggle is already on, tap to turn it off and then back on. You want the toggle to be blue, which means the feature is enabled.^{[1]
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Tips

For apps that don't let you disable the security flag, you can use another phone to take a picture of your Android or iPhone's screen, or you can take a picture with your webcam. This is the only way you can take a screenshot without it resulting in a black screen.

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You can try taking a screen recording instead of taking a screenshot. Simply open the Quick Panel or Control Center and tap the screen recording icon, then open the app that you need a screenshot of. Stay there for about 1 second, then return to your home screen and stop the recording. You can then screenshot the video to get a still image.

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If your camera won't work for security reasons, try the steps listed in Security Policy Prevents Use of Camera: 7 Easy Fixes.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

It's hacky but I usually just take a photo of my computer screen with my cell phone camera. Unless I need a good quality photo for some reason, it's good enough and easy.
If a website has a security wall up, try screen recording the page. Then just play back the recording and pause on the spot you want to get a screenshot of.

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