How to Screenshot Netflix and Stop Getting Black Screens

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Grace
December 27, 2024

If you’ve tried to screenshot a moment from a Netflix show or movie, you’ve probably encountered a black screen. This is because of Netflix’s DRM (digital rights management) protection, making traditional screenshot methods fail to capture content from Netflix. Fortunately, there are ways to bypass this. Follow this guide to learn how to take Netflix screenshots without a black screen.

Contents

Read Also: Netflix Moments: How to Get and Share Your Favorite Scenes

Take Netflix Screenshots with Firefox

Different browsers have varying levels of compatibility with DRM technologies. Firefox, in particular, has been known to allow for screenshots in certain situations. This means you can take screenshots of Netflix content directly in Firefox without a black screen.

How to Screenshot Netflix Using Firefox:

  1. Open Netflix in your Firefox browser and go to the scene you want to capture.
  2. Right-click on the screen and select “Take Screenshot.”
take screenshot

  1. Drag or click to select a region you want to screenshot.
  2. Select “Copy” to copy the screenshot or “Download” to save it to your device’s default download location.
save screenshot

Important Note: If Firefox right-click screenshots are blurry, try using your operating system’s built-in screenshot shortcuts for better quality:

  • On Windows: Windows key + PrtScr (entire screen) or Windows Key + Shift + S (selected area)
  • On Mac: Shift + Command + 3 (entire screen) or Shift + Command + 4 (selected area)

Troubleshooting Firefox Screenshot Issues

If you’re having trouble taking screenshots of Netflix in Firefox, try these troubleshooting methods:

  • Update Firefox: Ensure you have the latest version of Firefox installed.
  • Disable Hardware Acceleration on Firefox:
    1. Click the three lines in the top right corner of Firefox and select “Settings.”
    2. Search “Performance” in the search box.
    3. Uncheck the box next to “Use recommended performance settings“, and uncheck the box next to “Use hardware acceleration when available.
    4. Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect.
hardware acceleration firefox

Capture Netflix Screenshots in Chrome

Chrome, being more strict with DRM-protected content, often displays a black screen when taking screenshots of Netflix. To overcome this, try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome’s settings.

  1. Launch the Google Chrome browser. Click the three dots in the top right corner and select “Settings“.
  2. Go to “System” on the left-side menu.
  3. Disable “Use hardware acceleration when available” on Windows or “Use graphics acceleration when available” on Mac.
  4. Click “Relaunch” to apply the change. Now you can screenshot Netflix without black screens.
graphics acceleration chrome

Screenshot Netflix with Browser Extensions

Browser extensions offer a way to screenshot Netflix without disabling hardware acceleration. Extensions like Easy Screenshot capture selected areas, visible portions, or the entire screen, while FireShot offers more advanced screenshotting features.

Easy Screenshot

Easy Screenshot, available in the Chrome Web Store, lets you capture screenshots of web pages and videos. It allows you to save a copy of your screenshot to your device, to the clipboard and opens it in the online JSPaint editor.

Here’s how to take screenshots of Netflix videos with Easy Screenshot:

  1. Visit the Easy Screenshot page in the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Click “Add to Chrome” to install the extension.
  3. Go to Netflix and play the movie or show you want to take a screenshot of.
  4. Click the Extensions icon (puzzle piece) in the top right of Chrome and select “Easy Screenshot.”
  5. Choose to capture a selected area, the visible portion, or the entire screen. You can also select the option to edit the screenshot in the online JSPaint editor.
  6. Your captured image will be saved to your default downloads folder.
easy screenshot

FireShot

FireShot, another extension available in the Chrome Web Store, offers more advanced screenshotting options, including saving captures as PDFs, sending them directly to Gmail, and capturing entire browser tabs or lists of URLs.

Follow these steps to take Netflix screenshots with FireShot:

  1. Visit the FireShot page on the Chrome Web Store and click “Add to Chrome” to install the extension.
  2. Log in to Netflix and play the video.
  3. Click the Extensions icon (puzzle piece) in the top right of Chrome and select Fireshot.
  4. Choose from the menu to capture a selected area of the whole screen.
  5. Select your preferred save option: image or PDF. You can also connect your Gmail account to send the screenshot via email.
fireshot

Screenshot Downloaded Netflix on Any Device

Due to DRM restrictions, screenshotting Netflix on mobile devices is challenging. While apps like Rave (for virtual watch parties) and screen recorders were once used for this purpose, they no longer support Netflix screenshots.

To freely screenshot Netflix videos on any device, consider using Pazu Netflix Video Downloader to download them to MP4 or MKV format. Compatible with both Mac and Windows, Pazu Netflix Video Downloader removes Netflix download restrictions like expiration dates and download quotas, allowing unlimited downloads in up to 1080p with original subtitles and audio. This enables you to transfer and play downloaded videos on any device, giving you complete control over your screenshotting.

Netflix video downloader

Download Netflix titles to MP4 and MKV with HD quality.

  • Download movies & TV shows from Netflix.
  • Download videos in 1080P.
  • Preserve audio tracks and subtitles.
  • Fast downloading speed.

Here is how you can download Netflix titles with Pazu Netflix Video Downloader:

Step 1. Launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader

Download, install, and launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader on your Mac or Windows. Log in to your Netflix account.

If you have purchased a registration, click the key icon and enter the code to unlock the full version of the downloader. Otherwise, proceed with the free trial version.

netflix video downloader

Step 2. Choose video format/quality

Click the Gear icon on the top right to choose the video formats and other settings such as Video format, codec, audio language, subtitle languages, and more.

download settings

Step 3. Download Netflix movies/shows

Use the search bar to find the Netflix show or movie you want to download from Netflix.

If you are downloading a movie, click the Download icon to start the downloading process.

find a netflix title

For a show, clicking the Download icon will add all episodes to the download list by default. Uncheck those episodes you don’t want to download if there are any. You can also click the three lines and gear icon to choose audio/subtitle languages for each episode.

select episodes

Step 4. Find the download Netflix videos

After downloading, click the History tab at the top center and then the Folder icon to find downloaded videos.

Now you can play the videos on any media player that supports MP4 or MKV format and get the screenshot without any black screen.

find netflix downloads

Conclusion

While Netflix’s DRM presents a challenge for direct screenshotting, the methods outlined above offer effective workarounds. Whether you choose to disable hardware acceleration, use a browser extension, or download content for offline viewing with Pazu Netflix Video Downloader for screenshotting, you now have the tools to capture those perfect Netflix moments.