Smartphone screen recording tech has enabled users to easily capture and save content from apps and other digital sources. This includes the ability to record someone else’s Story on Instagram. But does the person whose Story you’re recording have any way of knowing?
Instagram doesn’t notify someone if you screen record or screenshot their content, Story, posts, or reels. However, Instagram does let the person know when you record or capture a screenshot of disappearing photos and videos in the direct messenger — or messages shared in Vanish Mode.
Let’s get into the details and find out how to bypass Instagram notifications when screen recording anonymously.
Does Instagram Notify a User if You Screen Record Their Story?
If you’ve screen-recorded or taken a screenshot of an Instagram Story, the user won’t know about it. The person can only see the full list of Story viewers.
Instagram experimented with a feature back in 2018 to allow users to know when someone captured their story. That’s why most people today still think the app sends a notification when you screen record a story.
However, the feature was scrapped shortly afterward, meaning you can easily watch stories on a loop and screen-record them whenever you want. So, if you’re looking to screen record someone’s story stealthy, you can rest assured that Instagram won’t alert them.
That’s good news for those who prefer to be secretive — but it also means you can’t be sure your Stories aren’t being recorded without your knowledge.
When Does Instagram Send a Notification?
While Instagram doesn’t alert someone when you capture their Instagram Story, it does notify them if you take a screenshot of direct messages (DMs) shared in Vanish Mode or disappearing photos shared via the app’s messenger.
When chatting on so-called “Vanish Mode,” Instagram erases DMs after the recipient sees them, and it notifies the other user if you’ve screen recorded or screenshot any of their messages. They’ll see a sun-shaped icon next to the message you’ve captured. There will also be a notification in the conversation summary on the main message page with the note “Screenshot.”
So be careful when recording or taking screenshots of messages if you don’t want the user to know about it.
How to Screen Record a Message Without Triggering a Notification
It can be embarrassing if someone catches you screen-recording a message without their consent. If you’re buddies and they won’t mind, it shouldn’t be an issue. But if you don’t know each other well, it might make you or the other person uncomfortable.
Luckily, there are several ways to get away with secretly capturing the fast-disappearing messages in DMs. They include:
Turn On Airplane Mode
Putting your phone in airplane mode is one of the best ways to avoid Instagram notifying the other party when you screen-record disappearing messages. Airplane mode blocks cellular signals, stopping Instagram from sending a notification to your chat buddy.
Open the conversation, go to the specific photo or video you want to capture, and then wait for it to load completely. Activate airplane mode and start recording. You’ll have to turn airplane mode on quickly while the disappearing photo or video is still open.
Use Another Device
You can take videos or photos of the DM anonymously using another smartphone. It’s an easy way to save something you want to rewatch in your gallery without the other party finding out. However, keep in mind that the picture quality will diminish as a result.
Open Instagram in a Web Browser
Instagram has a fully functional website that allows users to access to the platform on a desktop. You can also use the website on your smartphone even if you have the Instagram app.
The website works the same way as the app, allowing you to view and send DMs on a laptop. The major difference is that when using the web version, you can screen-record messages without triggering a notification.
Here’s how:
- Go to the Instagram website on your web browser and log into your account.
- Navigate to the DMs section and open the disappearing video or picture you want to screen record.
- Capture and save it in your gallery.
Turn Off Your Internet Connection
You can screenshot the disappearing image or video without triggering a notification when the internet is disconnected. When you receive the disappearing message, give it a few seconds to finish loading, then turn off your phone’s internet. Screen record it and save it in your gallery.
Once you’ve captured the screen recording on your device, go back to your profile and sign out of Instagram. Tap on the three-lined icon at the top-right corner of the page to sign out. On the next page, choose the “Settings” option, then select “Log Out” from the list. Ta-da!