Taking a screenshot of someone’s WhatsApp status update allows you to save and view that status update indefinitely, even after it expires on WhatsApp. There are a few different ways to take a screenshot of a WhatsApp status on both iPhone and Android devices.
Why do people take screenshots of WhatsApp statuses?
There are several reasons why someone may want to take a screenshot of a WhatsApp status update:
- To save something they want to view again later – WhatsApp statuses expire after 24 hours, so taking a screenshot allows you to view it again whenever you want.
- To show or send it to someone else – You may want to show a funny status update to a friend who doesn’t have that person added on WhatsApp.
- To preserve evidence – People sometimes post inappropriate things as WhatsApp statuses. Taking a screenshot can preserve evidence of this.
- Out of habit – Some people screenshot things reflexively without necessarily having a specific reason.
How to screenshot a WhatsApp status on iPhone
There are a few different ways to take a screenshot of a WhatsApp status update on an iPhone:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the status update you want to screenshot to view it.
- While viewing the status, press the Side button and Volume Up button at the same time. This will capture a screenshot.
- You can also swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up Control Center while viewing a status. Tap on the Screen Recording icon, then tap Start Recording. Let it record for a few seconds, then tap Stop. You can go back and screenshot a frame from the video.
- Another option is to connect your iPhone to a Mac computer. Open QuickTime Player and click File > New Movie Recording. Point the camera at your iPhone screen and start recording. Then open the WhatsApp status you want to screenshot. Stop recording after capturing it, then screenshot the video frame on your Mac.
The screenshot will be automatically saved to your Photos app where you can view and share it later.
How to screenshot a WhatsApp status on Android
Taking a screenshot on Android requires using a combination of physical buttons:
- Open WhatsApp and view the status update you want to capture.
- Press the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time. You should hear a shutter sound effect.
- Some Android devices may require pressing Volume Down and Power and holding them. The screenshot will be captured when you release.
- On Samsung Galaxy and other devices with Bixby, you may need to press Volume Up + Power or Volume Down + Power based on your device settings.
The screenshot will automatically be saved to your device’s Photos/Gallery app for viewing later.
Third party apps to screenshot WhatsApp statuses
There are also several third party apps you can download to easily capture WhatsApp status screenshots:
- WAStatusSaver – Android app that auto-saves statuses and allows you to screenshot them.
- Status Saver – Android app to screenshot, save, and share statuses.
- WhatsApp Status Saver – Android app to save images, videos from statuses.
- Status Downloader for WhatsApp – Android app for downloading statuses.
- StorySavebox – iOS app to save and repost statuses.
The advantage of using these apps is you can discreetly screenshot statuses in the background without the other person knowing. They also include features like the ability to download videos and images from statuses.
WhatsApp status screenshot notification
When someone takes a screenshot of your WhatsApp status, you will receive a notification informing you:
- On Android devices, you will get a notification saying “[Contact name] took a screenshot of your status update.”
- On iPhones, you will get a notification saying “[Contact name] took a screenshot of your status.”
This allows you to see if someone has captured your status. However, there are a few caveats:
- If someone uses a third party app or the QuickTime method to screenshot your status, you will not get any notification.
- You only get notified if you have an existing chat history with that person. If a stranger you’ve never chatted with screenshots your status, you won’t know.
- If someone screenshots your status updates frequently, WhatsApp will stop sending notifications after a while.
How to turn off WhatsApp status screenshot notifications
If you don’t want to get notifications every time someone screenshots your status, you can disable the notifications:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Go to Account > Privacy.
- Turn off ‘Read Receipts’ to stop getting screenshot notifications.
However, this will also disable all other read receipts for your WhatsApp chats. An alternative is to mute notifications from specific contacts who screenshot your status often.
View WhatsApp status without being detected
If you don’t want the other person to know when you’ve viewed their WhatsApp status update, you have a few options:
- Turn off your Read Receipts in WhatsApp settings so nobody gets notifications when you view their statuses.
- View the status via WhatsApp Web on your computer instead of your phone app.
- Use a third party app like Status Saver or FlyStatus to view statuses anonymously.
- Activate Aeroplane Mode on your device before viewing the status. Then deactivate it afterwards.
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to remove your Read Receipts history. Statuses you view after doing this won’t be marked as seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is taking a screenshot of someone’s WhatsApp status illegal?
Generally no, taking a screenshot of a WhatsApp status is not illegal. However, there are some cases where it could get into a legally grey area:
- If the status content is copyrighted material, taking a screenshot could infringe copyrights.
- If the status contains personal photos or videos meant only for certain people, sharing screenshots without consent could violate privacy laws.
- If used to harass, stalk, intimidate or threaten someone, it may breach cyberbullying laws.
So while screenshots are usually harmless, make sure to use good judgment when capturing and sharing them.
Can someone tell if you screenshot their WhatsApp status?
Normally yes, WhatsApp sends a notification when someone screenshots your status. But there are ways to capture statuses without the person knowing using third party apps or tricks to disable read receipts.
Why can I not screenshot someone’s WhatsApp status?
There are a couple reasons you may be unable to take a screenshot of a WhatsApp status:
- The status poster has blocked you, or changed their privacy settings to disallow non-contacts from viewing their status.
- Your phone is restricting screenshots being taken from within WhatsApp due to security settings.
- Your phone’s OS is preventing third-party apps from capturing screenshots.
- Your phone manufacturer has disabled the ability to take screenshots altogether.
Check your device settings and the status poster’s privacy settings to troubleshoot further.
Can you recover a WhatsApp status if you forgot to screenshot it?
Unfortunately no. Since WhatsApp statuses delete automatically after 24 hours, there is no way to recover an expired status if you did not save it beforehand. The content is permanently deleted from WhatsApp’s servers once the 24 hours passes.
Your only chance is if someone else happened to screenshot the status while it was live and is willing to share it with you again.
Is it safe to use third party apps to save WhatsApp statuses?
Using most reputable third party apps should be reasonably safe. However, be cautious granting unnecessary permissions that could compromise your privacy or data security. Stick to apps that have good reviews and narrowly scoped permissions.
Also be aware some apps have been banned from app stores for violating WhatsApp’s terms by enabling bulk collection of user data. So do some research before downloading.
Conclusion
Taking screenshots of WhatsApp statuses can be useful to save important moments or funny updates from friends and family. Just be mindful of security and privacy when capturing and sharing screenshots.
Enable security settings like blocking screenshot previews if you want to protect sensitive information. And respect other users’ privacy by not capturing or distributing screenshots without consent.
With some basic precautions, responsibly utilizing WhatsApp’s status screenshot feature can let you cherish memories longer and bring a little more fun and connection to the messaging experience.