Does Facebook Notify Screenshots? Screenshot Notifications Explained

Does Facebook notify screenshots on messages, posts and stories? Is there any way to see if someone took a screenshot of your Facebook content? As of 2023, the answer is no. 

Facebook does not have a screenshot notifications option, although the situation is a bit different on Facebook Messenger. This guide explains how screenshot notifications work on Facebook and Messenger and how you can turn them on. 

Does Facebook Notify Screenshots?

If you took a screenshot on Facebook and you’re worried it will notify another user, rest assured Facebook does not send screenshot notifications. As of 2023, the answer to the common question, “does Facebook notify screenshots?” is a resounding no. 

The Facebook app and website do not send other users a notification if you screenshot their posts or stories. In fact, on laptops and PCs it’s almost impossible for Facebook to detect screenshot attempts. 

This also means that you won’t get a notification if someone else screenshots your posts, profile, activity, story or other Facebook content. As of 2023, there is no option to activate any kind of screenshot notifications on Facebook. 

Does Messenger Have Screenshot Notifications?

The Facebook website, mobile website and app do not have screenshot notifications. What about Facebook Messenger, though? Facebook’s messaging app has some important differences when it comes to screenshots. 

So, does Facebook notify screenshots on Messenger? Yes, sometimes. The feature is not turned on by default but certain types of chats on Messenger do have screenshot notifications. If you are on a chat with encrypted messaging or disappearing messages active, Facebook will automatically send a screenshot notification to both parties if it detects you taking a screenshot. 

This feature is virtually identical to the screenshot notifications on Snapchat, which has disappearing messages turned on by default. On Messenger’s secure chats, you can use screenshot notifications to make sure no one is taking a screenshot of content you don’t want saved, such as pictures or private messages. 

How to Turn On Screenshot Notifications On Messenger

How do you activate screenshot notifications in Facebook Messenger? The process requires a bit of sifting around in Messenger’s settings. You may even need to start a new chat to turn on screenshot notifications. 

In an existing chat, tap on the other user’s name or icon at the top of the chat to open your settings for that conversation. Scroll down to the option “Go to secret conversation.” Tap it to turn on Messenger’s secret mode, which activates end-to-end encryption for everyone in the conversation. This ensures all of your messages are private. 

When you turn on a secret conversation, you should also get an option to set a timer for disappearing messages. This timer will make all messages in the conversation automatically disappear after a certain amount of time, similar to how messages disappear on Snapchat. Activating disappearing messages can give you an extra layer of privacy. 

Regardless of whether you turn on disappearing messages, any secret conversation in Facebook Messenger will have screenshot notifications.

When you start a brand new chat on Messenger, you can switch on encrypted messaging right away. When you start an encrypted chat on Messenger, everyone in the conversation may receive a “key”, a special password that ensures you always have access to the encrypted chat (and that anyone without the key cannot access it). Keep the key somewhere private and safe. 

It’s worth noting that secret conversations are only available through the Messenger app, not the web version of Facebook. If you start a secret conversation, you need to do so on the app. 

Is It Okay to Take Screenshots On Facebook?

If you’re wondering, “does Facebook notify screenshots” or looking for screenshot settings on Messenger, it may be because you’re concerned about your privacy on Facebook. Likewise, you may have intentionally or accidentally taken a screenshot of someone else’s content. In either case, it’s important to understand when it is or isn’t okay to take screenshots on Facebook. 

Taking screenshots of anything on social media is not illegal. Remember, anything you post online is no longer private. So, if you don’t want the whole world to potentially see something, don’t put it online. Even if you get notified about others screenshotting your content, they will still have the screenshots. 

While you can’t control others’ actions, you can ensure you respect other people’s privacy online. As a general rule, anything that’s set to disappear like disappearing Snapchat messages should not be screenshotted. The disappearing feature is designed to allow worry-free, private messaging. Screenshots compromise that privacy. So, don’t screenshot disappearing messages, images or stories unless you have the other person’s permission. 

You should also avoid screenshotting any info that could be personal, sensitive or damaging. Screenshots take this information out of context and may even pose security risks if it involves data like financial information or personal details. 

Even if no sensitive information is involved, everyone should think carefully before taking a screenshot. There are some ethical issues with screenshots, even if they seem harmless at first. Imagine if you learned someone was recording a private conversation you had in real life. That is effectively what screenshots are in the virtual world. 

Whenever possible, you can use screenshot notifications to increase transparency and prevent people from taking screenshots of your content without your knowledge. Facebook does not notify screenshots but Facebook Messenger does have optional screenshot notifications. 

Safety and Privacy On Facebook

Does Facebook notify screenshots or screenshot attempts? As of 2023, the answer is no. However, Facebook Messenger does have optional screenshot notifications users can activate by turning on encrypted messaging. With this feature, everyone in a secret conversation on Messenger will see a notification if anyone takes a screenshot of the chat.