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Anyone else noticed that you can't take screenshots on Android when using Chrome Incognito mode? "Can't take screenshot due to security policy". I don't underst

Anyone else noticed that you can't take screenshots on Android when using Chrome Incognito mode? "Can't take screenshot due to security policy". I don't understand the rationale behind it. Why can't I take a screenshot of my own phone?

maxerickson 6y ago
Maybe "Incognito mode doesn't persist any information" vs "Incognito mode doesn't silently persist any information"? The latter has more opportunity for confusion. Just a guess, I don't know what the rationale is.
zozbot234 6y ago
Both Chrome and Firefox disable screenshots in private mode. I assume that this helps defend against 3rd-party programs running in the background that might save screenshots unbeknowst of the user.
- jkcxn 6y ago
  Are third party programs allowed to save screenshots unbeknown to the user in the first place??
  - vorticalbox 6y ago
    If the user gave it the permission too when they installed it yes.
  - jakub_g 6y ago
    In older Androids it was too easy for the app to get the permission to capture/record the screen without clear user consent. In newer Androids you need to ask permission at runtime.
    - phendrenad2 6y ago
      So Chrome and Firefox should check if they're on a new or old Android.
      - jakub_g 6y ago
        It's only a part of the issue. The other part is that a "launcher" app shows miniatures of apps when you scroll through open apps, and this behavior is controlled by the same screen capturing permission. When you enable screenshots, you also enable previews in the launcher app when switching between apps, in some cases it might be not desirable. There's probably some more nuances that I'm not aware of.
jakub_g 6y ago
Relevant crbug: https://crbug.com/985245 https://crbug.com/985245 If you use Chrome Canary you can now enable a feature flag under this URL: chrome://flags#incognito-screenshot Firefox has a setting in settings > privacy to enable incognito screenshots.
dredmorbius 6y ago
I've long noted this. Seems to affect both Incognito and standard mode. The screenshot disabling is an absolutely massive strike against Android and Google.
- Dahoon 6y ago
  It works just fine in standard mode.
  - dredmorbius 6y ago
    My experience says otherwise, but thanks.
jtvjan 6y ago
It's to stop a preview from showing up in the recents screen. Try loading a page in incognito mode and then pressing the overview button. Notice that you just see a grey square instead of the page you loaded.
- phendrenad2 6y ago
  Why would app preview be conflated with whether the user can take a screenshot? Can't those be two separate options?
  - Farbklex 6y ago
    They should be but on android, it's bot handled by the same setting. So as an app developer I can either set the `FLAG_SECURE` to hide both or I need to create own workarounds like navigating to the root view element and setting it to invisible whenever the app is paused just to hide it from the recent apps.
ffpip 6y ago
To prevent accidental screenshots of you watching porn?
- dalu 6y ago
  Since when does Google allow you to watch porn? They do everything to fight it. You can't even install legit porn apps without manually downloading the apk. And then it only works on your phone and tablet, not the TV where it would actually be desired to work. Also what right does Google have to tell me what I can and can't watch on my TV/device?
  - phendrenad2 6y ago
    iOS too. Porn apps are expressly forbidden.
  - ffpip 6y ago
    > Since when does Google allow you to watch porn? Porn is not allowed in the app store. They cannot regulate porn videos (child porn might slip through) and the headline next day would be ''Google allows child porn apps on the play store''
    - zrobotics 6y ago
      Huhh? I mean, I wouldn't trust any porn site with app permissions, but how does that logic even make sense? The inevitable conclusion would be that Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available.
      - ffpip 6y ago
        > Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available. Do you know the difference between a open browser and a app store meant to distribute apps? Chrome is not responsible for the website's content. But the app store will be help responsible for an app's content.
matsemann 6y ago
I can understand the rationale somewhat, but annoying since I often use it for testing during work and it makes it hard to screenshot bugs. Another pet-peeve is banking apps doing the same. I understand they don't want stuff to show up in the app switcher and stuff, but it's annoying when I have to screenshot some expense or numbers to send to others.
unethical_ban 6y ago
That is what is so nuts about this comment thread. People assume this is some illogical or nefarious decision by Google. Usually, these things are privacy related, or to prevent nefarious apps from capturing data without your permission. Perhaps "Screen capture" should be in the permissions API instead of blocking it... But for all the people complaining here, is there a legitimate app with this function that you use on a daily basis?
- Spivak 6y ago
  Signal and most banking apps have it. The feature isn’t literally supposed to prevent you from recording the screen, but it’s enough of an annoyance/deterrent that people don’t. The goal is to prevent people from having sensitive information sitting in their camera roll by accident and send a unambiguous signal to the user that you shouldn’t be screenshoting it. It’s the same feature Gmail enterprise offers that “blocks downloading and forwarding.” Like of course literally it doesn’t and can’t possibly prevent someone motivated but it drastically reduces the chance of someone leaking confidential information when they have to go through a bunch of kludgy steps.
darksaints 6y ago
Personally I appreciate it, because for some odd reason my phone manufacturer placed the screenshot button combo in a weird location that I naturally grab when switching from vertical to horizontal, and so I'm always taking accidental screenshots. And if I'm doing something worth being in incognito for, I don't want any accidental screenshots, especially being backed up on Google photos. Though it would probably be nice if it asked you to confirm with a thumbprint, thereby allowing you to bypass the security.
Polylactic_acid 6y ago
Because we are in the age of treating the user as the untrusted party. I have noticed some instant messaging apps (telegram) use this feature.

maxerickson 6y ago

Maybe "Incognito mode doesn't persist any information" vs "Incognito mode doesn't silently persist any information"? The latter has more opportunity for confusion. Just a guess, I don't know what the rationale is.

zozbot234 6y ago

Both Chrome and Firefox disable screenshots in private mode. I assume that this helps defend against 3rd-party programs running in the background that might save screenshots unbeknowst of the user.

jkcxn 6y ago
Are third party programs allowed to save screenshots unbeknown to the user in the first place??
- vorticalbox 6y ago
  If the user gave it the permission too when they installed it yes.
- jakub_g 6y ago
  In older Androids it was too easy for the app to get the permission to capture/record the screen without clear user consent. In newer Androids you need to ask permission at runtime.
  - phendrenad2 6y ago
    So Chrome and Firefox should check if they're on a new or old Android.
    - jakub_g 6y ago
      It's only a part of the issue. The other part is that a "launcher" app shows miniatures of apps when you scroll through open apps, and this behavior is controlled by the same screen capturing permission. When you enable screenshots, you also enable previews in the launcher app when switching between apps, in some cases it might be not desirable. There's probably some more nuances that I'm not aware of.

jakub_g 6y ago

Relevant crbug: https://crbug.com/985245 https://crbug.com/985245 If you use Chrome Canary you can now enable a feature flag under this URL: chrome://flags#incognito-screenshot Firefox has a setting in settings > privacy to enable incognito screenshots.

dredmorbius 6y ago

I've long noted this. Seems to affect both Incognito and standard mode. The screenshot disabling is an absolutely massive strike against Android and Google.

Dahoon 6y ago
It works just fine in standard mode.
- dredmorbius 6y ago
  My experience says otherwise, but thanks.

jtvjan 6y ago

It's to stop a preview from showing up in the recents screen. Try loading a page in incognito mode and then pressing the overview button. Notice that you just see a grey square instead of the page you loaded.

phendrenad2 6y ago
Why would app preview be conflated with whether the user can take a screenshot? Can't those be two separate options?
- Farbklex 6y ago
  They should be but on android, it's bot handled by the same setting. So as an app developer I can either set the `FLAG_SECURE` to hide both or I need to create own workarounds like navigating to the root view element and setting it to invisible whenever the app is paused just to hide it from the recent apps.

ffpip 6y ago

To prevent accidental screenshots of you watching porn?

dalu 6y ago
Since when does Google allow you to watch porn? They do everything to fight it. You can't even install legit porn apps without manually downloading the apk. And then it only works on your phone and tablet, not the TV where it would actually be desired to work. Also what right does Google have to tell me what I can and can't watch on my TV/device?
- phendrenad2 6y ago
  iOS too. Porn apps are expressly forbidden.
- ffpip 6y ago
  > Since when does Google allow you to watch porn? Porn is not allowed in the app store. They cannot regulate porn videos (child porn might slip through) and the headline next day would be ''Google allows child porn apps on the play store''
  - zrobotics 6y ago
    Huhh? I mean, I wouldn't trust any porn site with app permissions, but how does that logic even make sense? The inevitable conclusion would be that Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available.
    - ffpip 6y ago
      > Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available. Do you know the difference between a open browser and a app store meant to distribute apps? Chrome is not responsible for the website's content. But the app store will be help responsible for an app's content.

matsemann 6y ago

I can understand the rationale somewhat, but annoying since I often use it for testing during work and it makes it hard to screenshot bugs. Another pet-peeve is banking apps doing the same. I understand they don't want stuff to show up in the app switcher and stuff, but it's annoying when I have to screenshot some expense or numbers to send to others.

unethical_ban 6y ago

That is what is so nuts about this comment thread. People assume this is some illogical or nefarious decision by Google. Usually, these things are privacy related, or to prevent nefarious apps from capturing data without your permission. Perhaps "Screen capture" should be in the permissions API instead of blocking it... But for all the people complaining here, is there a legitimate app with this function that you use on a daily basis?

Spivak 6y ago
Signal and most banking apps have it. The feature isn’t literally supposed to prevent you from recording the screen, but it’s enough of an annoyance/deterrent that people don’t. The goal is to prevent people from having sensitive information sitting in their camera roll by accident and send a unambiguous signal to the user that you shouldn’t be screenshoting it. It’s the same feature Gmail enterprise offers that “blocks downloading and forwarding.” Like of course literally it doesn’t and can’t possibly prevent someone motivated but it drastically reduces the chance of someone leaking confidential information when they have to go through a bunch of kludgy steps.

darksaints 6y ago

Personally I appreciate it, because for some odd reason my phone manufacturer placed the screenshot button combo in a weird location that I naturally grab when switching from vertical to horizontal, and so I'm always taking accidental screenshots. And if I'm doing something worth being in incognito for, I don't want any accidental screenshots, especially being backed up on Google photos. Though it would probably be nice if it asked you to confirm with a thumbprint, thereby allowing you to bypass the security.

Polylactic_acid 6y ago

Because we are in the age of treating the user as the untrusted party. I have noticed some instant messaging apps (telegram) use this feature.