Does Instagram Notify When You Screenshot a Story, Post, or DM?

It's your first day on Instagram, and you’re unsure whether to take a screenshot of that picture your crush just posted!

You’re probably wondering whether your crush will get to know about this screenshot - right?

Well…

No - Instagram does not notify you when you take a screenshot, but there are some exceptions to this feature.

Even though Instagram once used to do that, now, in 2023, you have complete freedom to screenshot any post or story on Instagram.

When Does Instagram Notify People About Screenshots?

• When you screenshot Direct Messages sent using Vanish Mode on Instagram

• When you screenshot disappearing videos and photos in Direct Messages

If you want to know more about when Instagram notifies and when it doesn’t, then continue reading.

Does Instagram Notify When You Screenshot an Instagram Post?

When you take a screenshot of someone’s post, Instagram does not notify anyone. However, instead of taking a screenshot, you can Save the post that someone has shared on Instagram.

When you save someone’s post, Instagram does not tell them who saved their post, but it will show how many people saved their post on Instagram in the post insights.

Here's how to Save posts on Instagram:

• Click on “Save” icon

• Your Instagram post have been saved!

When you Save posts on Instagram, you can also group them by categories in your account. It not only saves you the hassle of taking a screenshot but also saves you the storage in your device these screenshots would have consumed.

If you want to view your saved posts or collections on Instagram, you can:

• Go to your Profile and click on the three-bar icon

• Click on “Saved”

Does Instagram Notify When You Screenshot a DM?

In the case of general chats, Instagram doesn’t notify any of the users when a screenshot is taken.

Vanish Mode is an Instagram feature that, when turned on, can make your messages disappear once the recipient has read/seen them.

The feature was initially brought to protect the privacy of the users as users and to ensure no recipient can take advantage by screenshotting any sensitive shared information/assets.

But if you are using the Vanish Mode on Instagram DMs, then Instagram will notify the other user when you take a screenshot of the DM.

Here’s how you can access Vanish Mode on Instagram DMs:

1. Head to Instagram DMs

2. Find a chat

3. Choose a photo/video to share

4. Choose from the three options before sharing:

• Choose “View Once” if you want the recipient to view the photo/video once

• Choose “Allow Replay” if you want to allow the recipient to replay your video

• Choose “Keep in Chat” if you never want to delete the shared photo/video from the chat

5. Click "Send"

When you turn on Vanish Mode, the initial chats will not vanish or get deleted. The chats that will happen after choosing any of the first two options metioned above, will only vanish.

Does Instagram Notify When You Screenshot A Story?

Even though Instagram experimented with notifications whenever someone took a screenshot of an Instagram story back in 2018 - Instagram dropped the feature shortly.

Now, in 2023, Instagram does not notify anyone when you take a screenshot of someone’s Instagram story.

If you want to restrict someone from watching your Instagram Story, you can:

Method 1: Make Your Instagram Profile "Private"

Here's how you can do that:

• Step 1: Click on the three-bar icon of your Instagram profile. Click "Settings"

• Step 2: Click on "Privacy"

• Step 3: Click on "Private account"

• Step 4: Click on "Switch to Private account"

Your Instagram profile is now private!

Method 2: Share Instagram Stories with "Close Friends" only

Here's how you can do that:

• Step 1: Click on “Close Friends”

• Step 2: Select the friends you want to share with

Method 3: Remove them from your "Followers"

Here's how you can do that:

• Step 1: Go to your "Followers"

• Step 2: Select the friends you want to remove

4. Block them from your Instagram Profile

Here's how you can do that:

• Step 1: Go to the profile you want to block

• Step 2: Click on the three dots in the upper right corner

However, by default, Instagram keeps a tab of all your personal and shared stories in the Archive. If you ever want to revisit and see your stories again, you can

• Click on the three-bar icon of your profile
• Click on “Archive”
• Click the dropdown “Posts Archive”

To Screenshot or Not to Screenshot

So, after scrolling through this post, you've probably got a clear idea of when Instagram sends notifications for screenshots and when it doesn’t. It's always great to stay informed about these features! Also, remember to be respectful of others' privacy.

While the platform might not notify someone of a screenshot, always think about the impact of your actions, especially in a digital age where privacy is treasured. So, always be on the lookout for updates, and keep enjoying the app responsibly!