Does iMessage Notify Screenshots? Simplified Explanation

With over 1 billion iOS devices active worldwide, iMessage has become one of the most widely-used messaging platforms. Its integration with iPhone makes it easy to share messages, photos, and more between friends or colleagues. However, what about privacy? If you take a screenshot of an iMessage conversation, will the other person be notified automatically? Let’s take a closer look.

What is iMessage?

iMessage is an integrated platform to chat using WiFi or mobile data rather than relying solely on more expensive SMS/MMS plans from carriers. It allows iOS, iPadOS, and macOS users to send messages, images, videos, and more to other Apple device users. Launched in 2011, it has become the most popular messaging app amongst the over 1 billion active iPhone owners globally.

Does iMessage Notify Screenshots?

Given how commonly iMessage is used to share private conversations and media, a common concern around its security is — does iMessage notify the other person automatically if you take a screenshot?

The answer is no for conversations within the app. You can freely capture screenshots of iMessage text chats without triggering any alerts to the other user.

Therefore, when using iMessage, it’s important that you are aware of any part of the conversation that could be captured without notifying you. So you need to be mindful and discrete when sharing sensitive or private information through iMessage.

How to Screenshot on iMessage

Taking a screenshot on iMessage is relatively easy, here’s how you can do it:

Screenshot On Mac

First, open the iMessage conversation you want to take a screenshot of on your Mac. The simplest way to take a screenshot on a Mac is by using keyboard shortcuts. If you want to capture the entire screen, press Command + Shift + 3.

However, if you want to capture a selected portion of the screen, press Command + Shift + 4, this turns your cursor into a crosshair, which allows you to select the part of the screen you want to capture. By default, all your screenshots are saved on the desktop. 

Screenshot On iPhone

If you want to take a screenshot on your phone – the method varies a little depending on what iPhone model you have.

For iPhone 8 or earlier: Press the Home button and the power button simultaneously.

For iPhone X or later: Press the Side button (on the right side) and the Volume Up button simultaneously.

That’s it  – it’s as simple as that.

Screenshot On Apple Watch

Taking a screenshot on your Apple Watch is very simple as well – all you need to do is to hold the Side Button and then quickly press the Digital Crown. If done correctly, your screen will flash, indicating that a screenshot has been taken.

What you need to know is that the screenshot is automatically saved in the Photos app on your paired iPhone, not the Apple Watch itself. 

Can You Use Third-Party Apps To Find Out?

As of now, there are no known reliable third-party apps that can accurately notify you if someone takes a screenshot of your iMessage conversation. With that said, no legitimate third-party app can directly detect screenshots. Therefore, downloading these apps could pose significant security risks to your device – and they might fail to deliver on their promise.

You need to know that Apple’s App Store guidelines are strict about privacy. Apps that claim to detect screenshots in iMessage, would likely be in violation of these guidelines and thus not available on the App Store.