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Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

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Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#31

Post by grishka »

I had a similar problem when I updated to Android 10 and the MediaStore content provider decided to get stuck in an infinite loop trying to upgrade its database. I couldn't take screenshots, use the camera, or use any functionality in any apps that would rely on the photo gallery. Now, that's me, a long time Android app developer, and it took me an hour to figure out what the hell happened (wiping the data for said content provider fixed everything, obviously). Imagine what would a regular user do if they encountered this issue? I had a fully-stock installation too, didn't even unlock the bootloader.

I don't understand why modern software has to suck so much. If you can't perform some operation for some reason, for the love of god, at least show a sensible error message so people who haven't spent ridiculous amounts of time reading the source code of your product as part of their job can troubleshoot their systems. Not "something failed, go read logcat, maybe it helps, good luck".

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#32

Post by gen_greyface »

_odey wrote: post #27

You can use scrcpy ( https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy ) to bypass the policy if you really need to have a screenshot. All you need is to have a Linux laptop at hand, debug mode enabled, and a USB cable plugged in. Super simple stuff right? (this is satire!) Now, I'm as frustrated as anybody else here that I'm forbidden to use whatever feature I want from MY phone, for which I paid, with MY MOENY (and nobody else'…

scrcpy works with mac os too, iirc

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#33

Post by _Microft »

db48x wrote: post #25
JosephRedfern wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd think that a user-initiated screenshot should be distinguishable from a API initiated one, though. In my experience, it mainly seems to be banking and messaging apps that monitor or block screenshot events.

It's a weird problem. Some application running on the device must accept some user event, such as a key press, mouse click or touch event and turn that in to a request for a screenshot. This is true regardless of operating system. I agree that it should always be possible for a physically present user to take a screenshot and save it, but how can the OS really know if its really the user initiating the action and not…

This exists on the web.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Event/isTru...

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#34

Post by JosephRedfern »

db48x wrote: post #25
JosephRedfern wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd think that a user-initiated screenshot should be distinguishable from a API initiated one, though. In my experience, it mainly seems to be banking and messaging apps that monitor or block screenshot events.

It's a weird problem. Some application running on the device must accept some user event, such as a key press, mouse click or touch event and turn that in to a request for a screenshot. This is true regardless of operating system. I agree that it should always be possible for a physically present user to take a screenshot and save it, but how can the OS really know if its really the user initiating the action and not…

The malicious application would have to be able to spoof user input, which would be an issue in itself.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#35

Post by grishka »

_odey wrote: post #27

You can use scrcpy ( https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy ) to bypass the policy if you really need to have a screenshot. All you need is to have a Linux laptop at hand, debug mode enabled, and a USB cable plugged in. Super simple stuff right? (this is satire!) Now, I'm as frustrated as anybody else here that I'm forbidden to use whatever feature I want from MY phone, for which I paid, with MY MOENY (and nobody else'…

> But then again, what choice do I have?

Unlock the bootloader, install Xposed and this module: https://repo.xposed.info/module/fi.veetipaananen.android.dis...

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#36

Post by rbecker »

jcelerier wrote: post #21
badjeans wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can it prevent the user from taking a photo of the phone screen with a different device?

if you let people like the user above you have their way without offering strong condemnation and resistance, it will eventually happen, yes

https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-patent-could-remotely-di...

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/10/apple-removes-police-trackin...

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#37

Post by foxhop »

_odey wrote: post #27

You can use scrcpy ( https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy ) to bypass the policy if you really need to have a screenshot. All you need is to have a Linux laptop at hand, debug mode enabled, and a USB cable plugged in. Super simple stuff right? (this is satire!) Now, I'm as frustrated as anybody else here that I'm forbidden to use whatever feature I want from MY phone, for which I paid, with MY MOENY (and nobody else'…

I wanted to screenshot my Charles schwab app the other day and got blocked... was so mad but never found a way to do it. Samsung Note 20 Ultra.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#38

Post by _odey »

grishka wrote: post #35
_odey wrote: post #27

You can use scrcpy ( https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy ) to bypass the policy if you really need to have a screenshot. All you need is to have a Linux laptop at hand, debug mode enabled, and a USB cable plugged in. Super simple stuff right? (this is satire!) Now, I'm as frustrated as anybody else here that I'm forbidden to use whatever feature I want from MY phone, for which I paid, with MY MOENY (and nobody else'…

> But then again, what choice do I have? Unlock the bootloader, install Xposed and this module: https://repo.xposed.info/module/fi.veetipaananen.android.dis...

Won't unlocking the bootloader make banking apps not work anymore? Had this issue when I tried LineageOS on my old phone, and I really like the convenience of those apps as opposed to using the website, which is extremely bad.

Also, how do I do all you said above? (I need a step by step tutorial). Also is it reversible? Are there any other security implications?

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#39

Post by vorticalbox »

jkcxn wrote: post #28
zozbot234 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both Chrome and Firefox disable screenshots in private mode. I assume that this helps defend against 3rd-party programs running in the background that might save screenshots unbeknowst of the user.

Are third party programs allowed to save screenshots unbeknown to the user in the first place??

If the user gave it the permission too when they installed it yes.

Re: Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app after upgrading to Android 11

#40

Post by jakub_g »

jkcxn wrote: post #28
zozbot234 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both Chrome and Firefox disable screenshots in private mode. I assume that this helps defend against 3rd-party programs running in the background that might save screenshots unbeknowst of the user.

Are third party programs allowed to save screenshots unbeknown to the user in the first place??

In older Androids it was too easy for the app to get the permission to capture/record the screen without clear user consent. In newer Androids you need to ask permission at runtime.
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