What it’s worthwhile to know
- Screenshot blocking for profile photos on WhatsApp is being rolled out.
- The function hasn’t been formally confirmed by WhatsApp, but it surely seems on the steady model of the app for some customers.
- Customers impacted by this replace are receiving both a black display or an error message as an alternative of a picture.
Again in February 2024, we reported on WhatsApp testing a brand new privateness function to assist shield profile pictures. And it now seems that this function is beginning to roll out to customers on the steady model of the favored messaging app.
As we beforehand wrote, the brand new function prevents customers from taking screenshots of profile photos. This can present customers with higher safety and extra management over who can entry their content material. Within the Beta take a look at, makes an attempt to seize a screenshot resulted in a black display or the error message “can’t take a screenshot as a result of app restrictions.” Now, it seems that some customers of the steady model of WhatsApp are receiving the identical message.
As noticed by Android Police, some customers of the steady construct are actually being blocked from capturing profile image screenshots. This has been corroborated by The Instances of India, and now we have discovered comparable throughout our personal checks. When making an attempt to seize a screenshot of a profile image, we had been offered with a black display fairly than the picture we had been making an attempt to seize.
Curiously, this doesn’t look like the case for all customers, with some nonetheless with the ability to seize screenshots. We additionally famous that whereas we couldn’t take screenshots of particular person profile photos, we had been nonetheless capable of seize profile photos in group chats.
Whereas this function is rolling out, there presently seems to be no option to disable it ought to somebody wish to enable others to screenshot their profile picture. It’s unclear whether or not it can finally change into an elective function.
That is in no way the primary function to assist shield your privateness on WhatsApp, with choices similar to altering your profile picture privateness settings, view-once media, and standing privateness settings. It’s, although, one other step ahead in serving to to offer customers with a safer messaging app, and the chances are an increasing number of customers will begin to discover this function on their units within the coming weeks.