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Android phones have come a long way in terms of how secure they are, as security updates tend to add features and bug fixes that make phones and the overall Android ecosystem more resilient.

That said, some of these features tend to get in the way of the user experience. In this article, we’re talking about the “can’t take screenshots due to security policy” error, its causes and what you can do to fix the problem.

What causes this error?

This isn’t an error as much as a security feature that helps prevent people from taking sensitive screenshots such as their bank account and other payment information.

App developers may or may not decide to include this feature for certain screens or ‘activities’ in their apps to prevent users from taking screenshots. Streaming apps also use this feature to prevent screen recording and other piracy means.

Also read: What is DynamicLinkMediaServer taking up memory?

How to fix this?

There’s no said fix for the situation. If the app developer has forbidden screenshots on a particular activity or screen, you’ll either get this error message or a black screen.

However, if you believe this is happening because of a bug or glitch in a particular app, here are three fixes you can try out.

Check your on-device policies

If you’re using a device issued by your organisation, there’s a chance that some administrative rules are set on it to prevent users from taking certain actions. Consult your organisation’s IT department to find out if there are any such rules and if you can bypass them.

The app doesn’t have storage access

Another reason you’re seeing this error is that the app doesn’t access your phone’s storage. In this case, the app might be able to take the screenshot, but since it can’t access the phone storage, it can’t save the screenshot resulting in the error.

Here’s how you can check app permissions to ensure they have access.

This is an image of android storage permissions 1

Open your phone settings and tap Apps.
Tap Show all apps
Find the problematic app in the list and tap it to proceed.

This is an image of android storage permissions 2

Tap Permissions
Ensure that the app has the required permissions to access your phone storage.

Security rules implemented in the app

As mentioned before, there are security rules implemented in some apps that prevent users from taking screenshots. If you’re experiencing this issue in something like Netflix or your banking app, it’s a security measure, and you can’t really do anything about the problem.

Fixing the issue in browsers

Mobile browsers on Android also have this feature enabled in incognito mode, where they either don’t allow taking screenshots or screenshots on a black screen. Once again, this is a feature meant to protect your privacy but can be disabled by following the steps given below.

This is an image of chrome incognito screenshots

Open Chrome on your phone and type chrome://flags in the address bar. Once the page opens, search for incognito screenshots.
Change the flag status from Default to Enabled.

Chrome will ask you to relaunch the browser. Once you do, you’ll be able to take screenshots in Incognito mode without any problems.

Also read: What is com.android.server.telecom? Everything you need to know