Can You Tell if Someone Screenshots Your Facebook Messenger Conversation

Cassandra McBride April 13, 2023

Screenshot notifications are vital to your sense of privacy. With so many apps and social media sites implementing software to ensure you know someone captured content, it’s only natural to wonder if Facebook’s Messenger service does too.

Can You Tell if Someone Screenshots Your Facebook Messenger Conversation

Over the years, we’ve tested multiple ways to get screenshot notifications on Messenger. From third-party apps to workarounds, we’ve finally discovered how to get screenshot notifications on Facebook Messenger. Of course, even with screenshot notifications, you can’t do anything once a message is captured. So, we’ll also cover a few ways to protect yourself from privacy breaches.

How to Enable Screenshot Notifications on Facebook Messenger

The Meta developers have finally answered the call for screenshot notifications on the popular Messaging app. ~~However, it only works if you put your messages in Vanish Mode.~~ Vanish mode is not supported anymore, but you can use the disappearing messages feature.

As soon as you launch end-to-end encryption chat/messaging, you can set the timer to delete it once all parties view the message. The drawback with this feature is that anyone in the group can reset the timer or switch it to regular chat. However, you get notified when someone takes a screenshot or records the screen as long as it remains in disappearing mode.

With the above information, if you still want to enable screenshot notifications in Messenger, perform the following steps:

Open the “Messenger app” and tap on the “pencil icon” in the top-right section of your screen. You CANNOT click a name in the list of current messages.
Type a name or group name in the “To:” line at the top or select “Create a new group chat.”
Toggle the “Padlock icon” on Android or the “Secret text” option on iOS in the screen’s top-right section to activate private conversation mode/disappearing chat mode.
Tap on the “timer icon” next to the “chat box” and select how long you want the message to remain available after being seen.
Type your group message and press the “Send icon.”
When someone in the group screen records and takes a screenshot, everyone will get notified.

Now that you know how to get screenshot notifications, let’s review some vital security tips to prevent private conversation leaks.

End-to-end encrypted, disappearing messages mean that only you and the recipients in the group chat can read the texts. Third parties cannot intercept or view your conversations. Of course, other users can still remove the disappearing feature or adjust the timer, so use it cautiously.

Preventing Screenshots

You should approach social media without putting anything on any network you wouldn’t want the world to see. Once it’s out there, it’s out there, and people can do whatever they like with it.

That means you must be mindful of what you say, how you say it, what kind of images you share, what videos you send, and what audio recordings you might upload online. THINK before you post anything!

Communicating with a trusted person through Messenger doesn’t mean you can always trust them with private content. There is never a guarantee that a screenshot of your chat will remain safe. Always assume the worst and protect yourself as much as possible. With social networks as massive and as open as they are, there’s always a risk. Your privacy is always at stake.

Facebook Messenger does notify you when someone takes a screenshot, but that is just a notification. Once the info is out there, it is vulnerable to prying or curious eyes. So, always be mindful of what you put in your group chat. With a digital world that’s wide open and capturable, you don’t want to be famous in the wrong way or have any personal details compromised.

Meta Messenger Disappearing Chat FAQs

Is there anything I can do to keep someone from screenshotting my messages?

The only line of defense you have against Messenger screenshots is to avoid sending the content in the first place. Unfortunately, even the most privacy-conscious platforms, like Snapchat, haven’t implemented an option to block screenshots.

If I block someone on Facebook, can they still see my messages?

Yes, any messages (including images) you’ve sent in the past will still appear in their chat. Fortunately, your name and profile picture will not be attached.

Can I delete a message after I’ve sent it?

Yes, you can undo a Meta/Facebook message within a short-lived, unspecified period. If you want to delete a Facebook message after sending it, long-press it and tap “Remove for Everyone.”