--- title: Capacitor Privacy Screen Plugin description: Capacitor plugin to hide sensitive app content in the app switcher, block screenshots, and detect when a screenshot is taken on Android and iOS. tags: - Android - iOS search: boost: 2 faq: true status: new github_repo: capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins npm_package: "@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen" --- # Capacitor Privacy Screen Plugin Capacitor plugin to hide sensitive app content in the app switcher, block screenshots, and detect when a screenshot is taken.
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## Features - 🖼️ **App switcher**: Hide sensitive app content in the app switcher. - 📸 **Screenshot prevention**: Block screenshots and screen recordings. - 🔔 **Screenshot detection**: Get notified when the user takes a screenshot. - 🤝 **Compatibility**: Works alongside the [Biometrics](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/biometrics/) and [Secure Preferences](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/secure-preferences/) plugins. - 📦 **CocoaPods & SPM**: Supports CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager for iOS. - 🔁 **Up-to-date**: Always supports the latest Capacitor version. Missing a feature? Just [open an issue](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/issues) and we'll take a look! ## Use Cases The Privacy Screen plugin is typically used in apps that display sensitive information, for example: - **Banking and finance apps**: Hide account balances and transactions in the app switcher and block screenshots. - **Password managers**: Prevent credentials from appearing in screenshots or screen recordings. - **Messaging and health apps**: Protect private conversations and medical data from being captured. - **Screenshot auditing**: Get notified via the `screenshotTaken` event when the user takes a screenshot, for example to log the event or warn the user. ## Compatibility | Plugin Version | Capacitor Version | Status | | -------------- | ----------------- | -------------- | | 0.x.x | >=8.x.x | Active support | ## Guides - [Capacitor Privacy Screen: Hide Sensitive App Content](https://capawesome.io/blog/capacitor-privacy-screen-hide-app-content/) ## Installation You can use our **AI-Assisted Setup** to install the plugin. Add the [Capawesome Skills](https://github.com/capawesome-team/skills) to your AI tool using the following command: ```bash npx skills add capawesome-team/skills --skill capacitor-plugins ``` Then use the following prompt: ``` Use the `capacitor-plugins` skill from `capawesome-team/skills` to install the `@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen` plugin in my project. ``` If you prefer **Manual Setup**, install the plugin by running the following commands and follow the platform-specific instructions below: ```bash npm install @capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen npx cap sync ``` This plugin is only available on **Android** and **iOS**. On Web, all methods reject as unimplemented. ### Android #### Permissions The plugin declares the `android.permission.DETECT_SCREEN_CAPTURE` permission in its `AndroidManifest.xml`. This install-time permission is required to detect screenshots on Android 14 (API level 34) and newer. It is added automatically and requires no further configuration. ## Configuration No configuration required for this plugin. ## Demo A working example can be found here [capawesome-team/capacitor-privacy-screen-demo](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-privacy-screen-demo). ## Usage The following examples show how to enable and disable the privacy screen, check whether it is enabled, and detect screenshots. ### Enable the privacy screen Enable the privacy screen to hide the app content in the app switcher. On Android, this also blocks screenshots and screen recordings. On iOS, screenshots are only blocked if the `ios.preventScreenshots` option is enabled: ```typescript import { PrivacyScreen } from '@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen'; const enable = async () => { await PrivacyScreen.enable({ ios: { preventScreenshots: true, }, }); }; ``` ### Disable the privacy screen Disable the privacy screen when it is no longer needed: ```typescript import { PrivacyScreen } from '@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen'; const disable = async () => { await PrivacyScreen.disable(); }; ``` ### Check whether the privacy screen is enabled Check if the privacy screen is currently enabled: ```typescript import { PrivacyScreen } from '@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen'; const isEnabled = async () => { const { enabled } = await PrivacyScreen.isEnabled(); return enabled; }; ``` ### Detect screenshots Get notified when the user takes a screenshot of the app. On Android, this event is only emitted on Android 14 (API level 34) and newer: ```typescript import { PrivacyScreen } from '@capawesome/capacitor-privacy-screen'; const addListener = async () => { await PrivacyScreen.addListener('screenshotTaken', () => { console.log('The user took a screenshot.'); }); }; const removeAllListeners = async () => { await PrivacyScreen.removeAllListeners(); }; ``` ## API * [`disable()`](#disable) * [`enable(...)`](#enable) * [`isEnabled()`](#isenabled) * [`addListener('screenshotTaken', ...)`](#addlistenerscreenshottaken-) * [`removeAllListeners()`](#removealllisteners) * [Interfaces](#interfaces) ### disable() ```typescript disable() => Promise ``` Disable the privacy screen. Only available on Android and iOS. **Since:** 0.1.0 -------------------- ### enable(...) ```typescript enable(options?: EnableOptions | undefined) => Promise ``` Enable the privacy screen. On Android, this sets the `FLAG_SECURE` flag on the window, which hides the app content in the app switcher and blocks screenshots and screen recordings. On iOS, this installs an overlay that hides the app content in the app switcher. Screenshots are only blocked if the `ios.preventScreenshots` option is enabled. Only available on Android and iOS. | Param | Type | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | **`options`** | EnableOptions | **Since:** 0.1.0 -------------------- ### isEnabled() ```typescript isEnabled() => Promise ``` Check whether the privacy screen is currently enabled. Only available on Android and iOS. **Returns:** Promise<IsEnabledResult> **Since:** 0.1.0 -------------------- ### addListener('screenshotTaken', ...) ```typescript addListener(eventName: 'screenshotTaken', listenerFunc: () => void) => Promise ``` Listen for when the user takes a screenshot of the app. The event can only be observed after the screenshot has been taken and therefore cannot be prevented. On Android, this event is only emitted on Android 14 (API level 34) and newer. On older versions, the listener is never called. Only available on Android and iOS. | Param | Type | | ------------------ | ------------------------------ | | **`eventName`** | 'screenshotTaken' | | **`listenerFunc`** | () => void | **Returns:** Promise<PluginListenerHandle> **Since:** 0.1.0 -------------------- ### removeAllListeners() ```typescript removeAllListeners() => Promise ``` Remove all listeners for this plugin. **Since:** 0.1.0 -------------------- ### Interfaces #### EnableOptions | Prop | Type | Description | Since | | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ----- | | **`ios`** | EnableIosOptions | Options that are only applied on iOS. Only available on iOS. | 0.1.0 | #### EnableIosOptions | Prop | Type | Description | Default | Since | | ------------------------ | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----- | | **`preventScreenshots`** | boolean | Whether to block screenshots while the privacy screen is enabled. There is no official iOS API to prevent screenshots. This uses an unofficial technique that may stop working in future iOS versions. Only available on iOS. | false | 0.1.0 | #### IsEnabledResult | Prop | Type | Description | Since | | ------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ----- | | **`enabled`** | boolean | Whether the privacy screen is currently enabled. | 0.1.0 | #### PluginListenerHandle | Prop | Type | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------- | | **`remove`** | () => Promise<void> | ## Capabilities The capabilities of this plugin differ between platforms. The following table gives an honest overview of what is supported: | Capability | Android | iOS | | ------------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Hide content in the app switcher | ✅ (via `enable()`) | ✅ (via `enable()`) | | Block screenshots | ✅ (via `enable()`) | ⚠️ (opt-in via `ios.preventScreenshots`) | | Detect screenshots | ✅ (Android 14+ only) | ✅ | **Android**: The `enable()` method sets the `FLAG_SECURE` window flag, which hides the app content in the app switcher and blocks both screenshots and screen recordings with a single flag. Screenshot detection is only available on Android 14 (API level 34) and newer; on older versions the `screenshotTaken` event is never emitted. **iOS**: The `enable()` method installs an overlay that hides the app content in the app switcher. There is no official API to block screenshots. When `ios.preventScreenshots` is enabled, the plugin uses an unofficial secure text field technique that may stop working in future iOS versions. Screenshot detection observes `UIApplication.userDidTakeScreenshotNotification`, which only fires **after** the screenshot has been taken and therefore cannot be prevented. ## FAQ ### How is this plugin different from other similar plugins? It combines three protections in one fully typed API — hiding sensitive content in the app switcher, blocking screenshots and screen recordings, and detecting when a screenshot is taken — across both Android and iOS. It's honest about what each platform can actually guarantee, with a clear capability table and opt-in handling for the areas where iOS has no official API, so you always know the real behavior you're getting. The API is actively maintained against the latest Capacitor and OS versions. ### Can this plugin block screenshots on iOS? Yes, but only as an opt-in. There is no official iOS API to prevent screenshots, so the plugin uses an unofficial secure text field technique that may stop working in future iOS versions. You can enable it via the `ios.preventScreenshots` option of the `enable(...)` method. On Android, screenshots are blocked reliably via the `FLAG_SECURE` window flag. ### Can I prevent a screenshot instead of just detecting it? On Android, yes: calling `enable(...)` sets the `FLAG_SECURE` window flag, which blocks both screenshots and screen recordings. On iOS, the `screenshotTaken` event can only be observed after the screenshot has been taken and therefore cannot be prevented; blocking is only possible via the opt-in `ios.preventScreenshots` option. ### Does the privacy screen appear during permission or biometric prompts on iOS? No. On iOS, the overlay is only installed when the app actually enters the background, not when it merely becomes inactive. System dialogs such as permission prompts, Face ID or Touch ID prompts, incoming calls, the Control Center and the Notification Center therefore leave the app content visible. ### Why is the `screenshotTaken` event never emitted on my Android device? On Android, screenshot detection is only available on Android 14 (API level 34) and newer. On older Android versions, the listener is never called. On iOS, the event is available without version restrictions. ### Does this plugin work on the Web? No, this plugin is only available on Android and iOS. On the Web, all methods reject as unimplemented since browsers do not provide APIs to control the app switcher or screenshots. ### Do I need to configure any permissions? No, the plugin declares the `android.permission.DETECT_SCREEN_CAPTURE` install-time permission in its own `AndroidManifest.xml`, which is required to detect screenshots on Android 14 and newer. It is added automatically and requires no further configuration. On iOS, no permissions are required. ### Can I use this plugin with Ionic, React, Vue or Angular? Yes, the plugin is framework-agnostic. It works in any Capacitor app regardless of the web framework, including Ionic with Angular, React, or Vue, as well as plain JavaScript projects. ## Related Plugins - [App Integrity](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/app-integrity/): Verify app and device integrity using the Play Integrity API and App Attest. - [Biometrics](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/biometrics/): Request biometric authentication, such as face recognition or fingerprint recognition. - [Root Detection](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/root-detection/): Detect rooted and jailbroken devices. - [Secure Preferences](https://capawesome.io/docs/sdks/capacitor/secure-preferences/): Securely store key/value pairs such as passwords, tokens or other sensitive information. ## Newsletter Stay up to date with the latest news and updates about the Capawesome, Capacitor, and Ionic ecosystem by subscribing to our [Capawesome Newsletter](https://cloud.capawesome.io/newsletter/). ## Changelog See [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/blob/main/packages/privacy-screen/CHANGELOG.md). ## License See [LICENSE](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/blob/main/packages/privacy-screen/LICENSE).