WhatsApp new Feature

 WhatsApp won't allow you to click screenshot of profile pictures

WhatsApp introduces a new update that restricts users from taking screenshots of profile pictures, enhancing privacy features. The update has not been officially announced yet and is seen as a server-side push from WhatsApp. Following are the important points:-

 Meta is rolling out screenshot blocking for profile pictures on WhatsApp to enhance user privacy.

 Screenshot blocking for display pictures seems to be enabled by default, making scammers' lives difficult.

 The feature is yet to go official and is rolling out as a server-side update.

WhatsApp has taken several steps in recent years to bolster the security of its platform and deliver a safer and more secure chat experience. With view-once media, you can use WhatsApp to share private photos and videos with your friends or family without worrying about them forwarding the content to others. They cannot even take screenshots of the view-once media. To further boost user privacy on its platform, Meta is now rolling out screenshot blocking for profile pictures on WhatsApp.

A message can be pinned on WhatsApp for a maximum of 30 days. In another privacy-focused update, WhatsApp will no longer allow users to take screenshots of other users' profile pictures on the instant messaging app. The latest update is part of an increased push by WhatsApp to add more privacy-centric features to the app. Notably, users already have the ability to share their personal data on WhatsApp via one-off video or photo views, which also can't be screenshotted by the receiver.

WhatsApp was spotted working on screenshot blocking for profile pictures in February 2024. While Meta has yet to announce the feature's rollout officially, it appears to be testing it widely with a server-side push. Now you won't be able to take a screenshot of the display picture of  WhatsApp contacts on the latest stable build of the app. WhatsApp shows an error saying it can't take a screenshot due to app restrictions. The profile picture screenshot block appears to be a server-side push from WhatsApp, rather than being limited by app versions.

The report notes that on some devices, attempting to take a screenshot of a user's profile picture now results in the message "Can't take a screenshot due to app restrictions". Meanwhile, on other devices, it is possible to take a screenshot, but the display image appears blank. On my Pixel 8 Pro running WhatsApp beta for Android v2.24.6.15, I can take a screenshot, but the user's display picture appears blank. This has nothing to do with the other user being on the latest WhatsApp release or whether they are using an iPhone or Android.

We tried to take a screenshot of WhatsApp profile pictures on several devices using both the beta and stable versions of the app, but the screenshot wasn't captured for the same reason of "app restrictions". However, we were still able to capture screenshots via the mini pop-up window that appears when you click on a contact's profile picture. Screenshot blocking for display pictures seems to be enabled by default; so far, there is no option to toggle it off. This could presumably change when WhatsApp rolls out the feature publicly. Do note that you can take a screenshot of the mini pop-up which appears when you tap on a contact's display photo from the chat list.

You can obviously click a picture of the profile photo from another phone's camera. Or you can use WhatsApp Web or the desktop app to take a screenshot of the person's display picture from your PC. Still, this privacy feature from WhatsApp should make the lives of scammers and stalkers difficult. For utmost privacy, you can hide your profile picture on WhatsApp from everyone by navigating to Settings > Privacy > Profile Photo. Once Meta officially rolls out screenshot blocking for profile pictures, it will have an edge over Signal. While the latter is a more privacy-focused communication platform, it does not prevent users from taking screenshots of display pictures. Even Telegram lacks an option to prevent profile picture screenshot blocking.

While users may still be able to find a workaround to the screenshot restrictions by capturing the image using another phone's camera or simply opening the WhatsApp application on their desktop, it is still a welcome new upgrade from the Meta-led instant messaging platform. Given the rise of scammers on WhatsApp, screenshot blocking for profile pictures is a welcome change. And since it will apparently be enabled by default, it should immediately benefit a majority of users on the platform. The new profile picture blocking feature gives WhatsApp an edge over competitors like Signal or Telegram, which claim to be more privacy-focused (Signal) but still lack the ability to block profile picture screenshots