Does Instagram Tell Someone When You Screenshot Their Story?

If you’re here, you might already be feeling like you’re in too deep. Maybe your crush finally soft-launched you on their Instagram story, and you immediately screenshotted it to send to your group chat. Better yet, perhaps your ex just posted a potential soft launch that you’re trying to investigate with pals. Whatever possessed you to screenshot an Instagram story as it flashed across your screen, you may have just as quickly panicked wondering, “Does Instagram notify people if you screenshot their story?”

With new updates arriving to the app every day, it makes sense that you’d wonder whether one of its countless new features includes screenshot notifications. Before you frantically DM someone to explain how your screenshot was a total accident, take a breather. Here’s a run-down of what you need to know.

Does Instagram Notify If You Screenshot A Story?

Instagram does notify users about who viewed their story, and those with their insights turned on can also see how users interact with their story. (For example, if you send someone’s story to someone else, a user with a professional profile can see that their story was messaged to someone, but won’t see who sent it.) However, Business Insider reports that users cannot see who has screenshotted their Instagram story. Feel free to take a snap of that candid photo your friend posted of you to add to your photo dump, or screenshot that extremely distant acquaintance’s story for outfit inspo. You are free to swipe and snap through stories as you please, notification free.

Likewise, there might come a time when you want to screen record a story. (Say, for instance, if someone posts a hilarious video story of you and your BFF that you want to save for an embarrassing birthday post.) Luckily, users will not be notified if you screen record a story, either.

Remember that if you're worried about someone taking a screenshot of your Instagram stories without you knowing, you do have the option to hide your Story from certain people. To do so, all you need to do is click on your story, then tap the three horizontal dots in the bottom right corner. Tap “Story settings” from the menu, then click the first option, “Hide story from.” From here, you can search and select any username from whom you’d like to hide your story.

Can People See If You Screenshot On Instagram?

If you’re wondering whether people can see if you screenshot on Instagram in general, then it’s a bit of a different story. (Pun intended.) Instagram introduced vanish mode in 2020, which allows users to send disappearing messages, photos, and videos. (Think, Snapchat-style.) Given the private nature of this feature, users who turn on vanish mode are notified if their vanishing content is screenshotted.

You’ll know someone has turned on vanish mode if your chat window has a dashed circle the top that says “[User’s name] turned on vanish mode.” You can turn it on yourself by swipe up on a DM conversation until “shush” emojis rain down your screen — signaling the start of vanish mode. If someone you’re DMing enables vanish mode and you don’t want the encounter to disappear, simply swipe up to disable this feature.

Does Instagram Notify If You Screenshot A Post?

Sometimes a double tap just isn’t enough, and you may finding yourself wanting to screenshot a post to cherish in your camera roll forever. Maybe your stylish friend posted a cute pic of you that you know might be deleted from their grid soon if it doesn’t match their next thumbnail ~aesthetic~. Or, you found your crush’s “This is them” picture to send to your friends, but don’t want them to know you’re parading them around as your new suitor. Luckily, according to LifeWire, you are currently safe to screenshot a post without the user being notified.

Of course, there may be a day when Instagram expands its notification to include screenshots of posts and stories, so be sure to keep up on the details of Instagram updates if you’re wary of getting caught red-handed.