Does Instagram notify when you screenshot a story? We tested it

Are you ever wondering what happens to your Instagram story after posting it, and if anyone screenshots it? We tested it to figure out what happens if someone decides to save your Story post.

Stories is one of the most popular ways to post on Instagram, as users can share snapshots of their day-to-day lives via videos and photos outside their typical feed.

If you want to immortalize the Instagram story of another user, so it doesn’t disappear within a day, you can always screenshot it. However, you likely won’t want to let the other user know that you’ve saved a copy of another user’s post.

So, will Instagram let users know if someone takes a screenshot of their Stories? We put it to the test to see just what happens when a user takes a screenshot of an Instagram Story post.

Does Instagram notify when you screenshot a story?

Instagram will not notify you if a user has screenshotted your story or post. This means that if you screenshot another user’s post, they won’t be notified.

This rule also applies to any ‘close friends’ on the Instagram app. Anyone part of your cultivated close friends list will also not be notified if you, or another user, screenshot their story post.

However, it is worth noting that certain features on Instagram have different rules. For example, if you try to screenshot something sent over Vanish Mode, the other person will be notified, so it’s best to be careful with what you choose to screenshot on the app.

Although Instagram has previously briefly tested a feature that allowed people to see who screenshotted their story back in 2018, it’s not clear whether they have any plans to add it back in the future.

Instagram story screenshot tested

Even though Instagram claims not to notify people when you screenshot a story post, it can still be nervewracking to test out if you don’t want the creator to know you’ve taken a screenshot.

So to try it out, we had one of our writers upload a photo to their Instagram Story to see if the platform really hides when someone takes a screenshot. Here’s what we found.

1. One of our writers posted a photo on their Instagram Story.
2. Another writer went to watch the Instagram story and took a screenshot.
3. We then analyzed the first writer’s Instagram page to see if there was any indication that someone had screenshotted their story.
4. When looking at the stats for the specific story, there was no way to indicate that anyone had taken a screenshot. Only the amount of people who had seen the story was visible.
5. When going into the DMs between the two users, there was no indication that a screenshot had been taken.

So there you have it! There is no way to notice if someone has taken a screenshot of your Instagram story.

How to know if someone screenshots your Instagram story

The only way to know if someone screenshots your Instagram story is if they tell you they have or show you the screenshot.

While this means that you put a lot of trust into the hands of your followers and the users watching your story if you don’t want the story to be shared outside of your Story, it can also be useful information to have as it might make you think twice before posting something personal.

Does Instagram show screenshots?

As it stands, however, Instagram only notifies users of screenshots over DMs. If someone sends you a disappearing video or photo in your DMs and you screenshot it, the sender will be notified, and a circle symbol will appear next to the hidden video or photo.

This only works with disappearing messages and videos set only to be viewed once. If you send a normal photo, video, or message, you won’t be notified if someone takes a screenshot.

Can you see who screenshots your Instagram story?

While you can’t see who screenshots your Instagram Story, you can use the insights Instagram gives you to figure it out. 

While a personal Instagram account only gives you how many people viewed your Instagram Story, if you have a business account, you can see how many people replied to or shared your Story with other users.

While it might not be as effective as knowing who screenshotted your content, it can still be useful to get an idea of what people are doing with your content after you post it.

If you want to know more about how to use Instagram, you can check out our other guides, including how to re-share a post to your Story on Instagram and how to watch an Instagram Story anonymously.