You can tell if an iPhone photo is a screenshot by checking its location in the Photos app (in the dedicated "Screenshots" album under Media Types), observing the lack of camera info and presence of specific metadata like resolution/app details in the Info panel, or looking for UI elements (like battery/signal bars) that wouldn't be in a real photo. Real photos have detailed EXIF data (camera model, lens, location), while screenshots show minimal info, often just device, resolution, and file size.
Check the EXIF data for the screenshots. All my screenshots on the iPhone have “screenshot” in the Comment field. You might also be able to target a specific file type, resolution, profile or a lack of lens data to split screenshots from front/back camera images.
Real screenshots usually retain device-specific metadata (e.g., timestamp, screen resolution, app details). Fake screenshots may lack this or have inconsistent data.
You can find saved metadata information about a photo or video in the Photos app. You can also change certain stored data such as the date, time, and location.
When someone screenshots a disappearing photo or clip in a direct message (DM), Instagram will notify the sender by putting a tiny starburst icon next to the content. This content is intended to be unretrievable after the recipient has viewed it, but that perk vanishes if a user takes a screenshot of it.
Here's What You Should Know. The short answer to your question, “does iMessage notify screenshots,” is reassuringly simple: No, iMessage does not notify the other person when you take a screenshot.
Look up what's in a photo with your iPhone or iPad
EXIF data is a photo's hidden diary, storing all the details about how and when a picture was taken. It records information like the camera type, settings (like shutter speed and aperture), date, time, and even the location if your camera's into sharing secrets with GPS.
Check where a photo or video was taken
Tiny misalignments, pixelation around icons, inconsistent padding, or colors that don't quite match the platform's palette are some of the easiest giveaways to spot a fake screenshot. For more precise analysis, TruthScan's AI Image Detector can automatically flag signs of manipulation that human reviewers might miss.
iPhone Photos: Detecting Altered Screenshot Location Data
To verify authenticity, check the file type—screenshots are PNGs, while photos are usually JPEGs—and review metadata using apps like Metapho. Forensic tools may detect inconsistencies, but recovering original location from a screenshot is generally impossible.
Most websites cannot detect screenshots or screen recording. Exceptions: streaming services, corporate portals, and banking sites. Browsers like Chrome & Safari don't track screenshots by default.
How to Verify Any Screenshot or Image Online
Open Google Images and click on the camera icon. Click on “Upload an image” and then “Choose File.” Locate and the image file and click on Open to upload to Google Images. Google will then search for the image and if found provide a set of results for similar or matched images.
What Metadata Can be Found in Screenshots? Screenshots, like any other digital file, can contain metadata that provides valuable information about the image. Some typical examples of metadata in screenshots include the file format, dimensions, color profile, and the date and time at which the screenshot was captured.
You can find out where a photo was taken by checking its EXIF metadata for GPS coordinates or using tools like Google Photos, iPhone/Android info menus, or Google Maps.
With Reverse Photos, you can perform reverse image searches on Android and iPhone in few easy steps. Just click the “Upload Image” button and choose an image from the photo gallery of your mobile phone.
Quick tip: To view image metadata, right-click the image and choose “Properties” (Windows) or “Get Info” (macOS). For more detailed fields like EXIF, IPTC, and XMP, tools like ExifTool or other free online viewers can help. But if your team works with thousands of images, you need control, governance and automation.
So, in this sense, the answer is no; websites cant detect user activities like screen capture. However, if the website has you download some software and install it, it can most probably recognize external screen capture tools being used on their web pages (if they want to).
Taking a screenshot of stories, posts, or pictures does not send a notification. You or someone else can take screenshots of almost anything without triggering a notification.
Malwarelytics for Android is able to block screenshots and screen recordings on all app screens. And since Android 14, it can also detect taken screenshots when they are not blocked. Info about the detections is then delivered through the RaspObserver .