One of the main advantages of Android is the freedom it offers. However, there are limits to what you can do. For example, some applications limit the ability to take screenshots. While this can be annoying, there are ways to get around these limitations.
Use Google Assistant
Some Android apps only block screenshots when you use the phone's standard button combination. This means you can bypass this restriction if you use any method other than pressing the power and volume buttons to take a screenshot.
Google Assistant is a built-in application in most Android phones. The standout feature of this app is the voice command, which allows you to take screenshots without using button combinations.
- Open the app you want to take a screenshot of.
- Activate Google Assistant. You can do this by speaking Hey Google! or hold down the key Home depending on your settings.
- Speak or type Take a screenshot. Google Assistant will now take screenshots.
Unfortunately, this simple method has a low success rate. Apps with strict screenshot restrictions, like Chrome's Incognito mode or secure banking apps, often produce blank or black screens. If this method doesn't work, try one of the advanced techniques below.
Record the screen and then extract screenshots from it
If traditional screenshot capture methods don't work, you can record your screen and then extract the screenshot from the video. Most Android phones have a built-in screen recording feature. Here's how:
- Enable the screen recording tool on your phone (you'll usually find this feature in the Quick Settings menu).
- Start recording your screen while using the app you want to capture.
- Once recording is complete, play back the video and pause at the desired frame.
- Take a screenshot of the paused frame using the button combination on your phone or any screenshot tool.
This method can sometimes work, but like Google Assistant, it's not perfect. Some apps block screen recording, so you'll have a better chance if you start recording on your home screen. The app may still show up as blank in the recording.
Take screenshots using scrcpy
This is the optimal method as it can bypass almost any type of screenshot restriction in Android apps. scrcpy is a lightweight screen projection program that allows you to view and control your Android phone screen on your PC. After projecting your Android phone screen to your computer, you just need to use print screen or a tool like Windows' Snipping Tool to take a screenshot.
scrcpy is available on Windows, macOS and Linux. You can install scrcpy using Homebrew on macOS. Check out the scrcpy GitHub page for complete instructions on how to install scrcpy on Mac and Linux.
For this article, we will install scrcpy on Windows using Windows Package Manager. You need to run some code commands, but it's actually easier than you think.
Step 1: Install scrcpy
You can install scrcpy using Windows Package Manager in Command Prompt. Open Command Prompt by searching cmd in the Start menu. Once in Command Prompt, run the following command:
winget install Genymobile.scrcpy
This command will call Windows Package Manager to install scrcpy. This process may take a while depending on your connection speed.

scrcpy works through Android Device Bridge (ADB), a command-line package that allows you to communicate with your Android phone. You won't have to use ADB for this task, but it is a prerequisite for scrcpy to work. If you don't have ADB installed, scrcpy will ask you for permission to install during the installation process. Enter Y and press Enter to allow.
Step 2: Connect the phone
After installing scrcpy, the next stage is to prepare your phone. For scrcpy to be able to access your phone's screen, you need to enable USB Debugging on your Android. This requires you to enable Developer mode on your phone.
- Enter Settings on Android phones.
- Scroll to the bottom and select System.
- Find and select Developer options.
- Tap the switch next to it USB Debugging to change to On.
Now both your phone and computer are ready. Connect your phone to your computer's USB and enter the command below into Command Prompt:
scrcpy
After you press Entera window will appear and you will be able to see your phone screen. You can even use your computer's mouse and keyboard to navigate your phone and type easily. Now, when the phone screen is projected onto the computer, you can freely take screenshots using print screen or other screen capture methods.

Some Android apps restrict screenshots for privacy or security reasons, but with persistence, you can bypass these restrictions. If the app just blocks the phone's screenshot button combination, alternative methods like asking Google Assistant may work, although with limited success.
For a more reliable option, scrcpy allows you to stream your phone's screen to your computer, where you can take screenshots at your leisure.