Netflix is a major video streaming platform that emerged in 2007. Netflix is considered the biggest movie streaming platform with a budget that allows it to generate multiple original projects per year. The platform allows users to stream content to tablets, phones, laptops, and desktops. Basically, as long as the device runs a popular OS and has a color screen you should be able to watch shows on Netflix. Netflix is usually made available through their official website. However, you can install an app on Windows 10 and use that as well.

Naturally, you might be interested in making screenshots during the latest episode of your favorite show to share them on social media or support your claims on your YouTube channel. You might think that making a screenshot of your favorite TV series or movie on Netflix is perfectly harmless but that is not how the legal team at Netflix perceives this necessarily. Netflix provides copyrighted content to various devices via streaming and they are actively working on tools that help them protect the streamed content.

The streaming giant is working with Web Browser developers like Google, the Mozilla Foundation and others to detect screenshot attempts and block users from making screenshots.

The web pages powered by Netflix technology are made so that the platform detects when you press the “PrntScr” button (usually located next to the F12 and bakspace button on your keyboard) or when you launch the “Snip & Sketch” tool (formerly called “Snipping Tool”) on your Windows OS. The same detection is in place for Mac OS devices. The resulting screen capture has a black square where the video frame should be. Even if you turn off your Internet connection or pause the video Netflix will work to prevent you from making a screenshot.

The screenshots and screen recording of protected content on Netflix can be classified by some as pirating the video material and hefty fines can be expected when you are involved in pirating. Of course, this might sound a bit extreme, but you should take into consideration that Netflix makes money from the streaming of media by charging people a subscription fee. Imagine if a single person pays for the Standard Plan (9.99 per month) and decides to stream movies from the platform to their friends and family. That scenario will spell significant losses for Netflix.

It is difficult to limit screenshots when your service is accessible on so many devices and there are ways to bypass Netflix’s protection.

If you absolutely need a way to make screenshots on Netflix we recommend that you use a screenshot app like iScreenKit. The aforementioned app run on Windows and Mac. Also, you can install a screenshot tool from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store on your smartphone.

How to take a screenshot on Netflix on mobile

If you are on a mobile device simply pause the video you are viewing and launch your favorite screenshot app. I recommend that you try the “Screen Recorder & Video Recorder - XRecorder” app from InShot Inc. on Android or the “Smart ScreenShot” app by Vladimir Borozdin. Some mobile users reported black screens when they tried to take a screenshot on their device so you might have to turn off all network connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, and any wired connection) and turn on only the Airplane mode before you make the screenshot on Netflix on your phone.

How to take a screenshot on Netflix on PC

If you are on a PC you will need to use an app called “Sandboxie” that is a free program. The software is maintained by Sophos — a respected hardware and software company that is primarily known for their enterprise cybersecurity solutions. You download and install Sandboxie and then open a Web browser window within Sandboxie. This is done by opening the right-click menu on the Web browser icon and choosing “Run in a Sandbox”. The “Sanboxie” toll will then load the browser and limit its interaction with your OS which is a valuable feature when you might be trying to open a potentially insecure web page. In this Case, you will load the Netflix platform within the sandboxed browser and then use your favorite screenshot application to grab whatever you are streaming on your screen at that time. Note that you should not use the “Full Screen” view in the sandboxed Web browser.

How to take a screenshot on Netflix on Mac

Computer users on Mac can take advantage of the built-in screenshot app by pressing Shift-Command (⌘)-5. You will notice an overlay and a control bar appear on the screen. The screenshot app on Mac can help you grab an area on the screen or an entire window if you like. I don’t recommend going into full screen on Netflix and then using the screenshot app as that might be detected and it may not work.