Breaked areas in Android screenshots are a problem faced by both ordinary users and cybersecurity specialists. Most often, this is a consequence of the use of retouching tools (Markup Tool, Samsung Pen, Google Keep), accidental finger pressing when taking a screenshot, or even malicious hiding of information. But what to do if you need to restore the original data under this digital “corrector”?

Unlike physical documents, where the putty can be scraped off, on Android everything is more complicated: the pixels are simply overwritten with a different color. However, there are methods ranging from metadata analysis to restoring the original file from the cache. It is important to understand that success depends on type of putty (vector, raster, system), screen format (.png, .jpg, .webp) and Android version. For example, on Samsung One UI 6.0 screenshot compression algorithms differ from stock Android 14, which affects the chances of recovery.

This article will help you figure out when you can remove the putty yourself, and when you will need professional tools. We will look at software solutions for smartphones Xiaomi, Samsung, Google Pixel, as well as universal methods that work on any device. Spoiler: in 60% of cases, data is partially recovered, but there are nuances that you should know about in advance.

Saving important information|Exchanging in messengers|Work/study|Evidence in disputes|Other-->

1. Analysis of the type of putty: what exactly is hidden under the layer?

Before trying to recover data, determine how the putty was applied. The choice of method depends on this:

  • 🎨 Vector putty (lines, shapes): applied through Google Markup, Samsung Pen or Adobe Acrobat. Such a layer is stored separately from the image and theoretically can be deleted without loss.
  • 🖌️ Raster putty (brush, eraser): changes pixels directly. The original can only be restored through analysis of compression artifacts or backup copies.
  • 🔒 System putty: used in banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) or instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) to protect confidential data. Here, recovery is almost impossible.
  • 📱 Hardware putty: on some devices (for example, Huawei Mate 60 Pro) screenshots with protected applications are automatically blurred at the OS level.

To check the type, open the screenshot in any graphics editor (for example, Photoshop Express or PIXLR) and zoom in. If the putty looks like even colored block , this is a raster change. If visible contours of figures (rectangles, circles) - vector.

Critical detail: on Android 12+, screenshots from protected applications (banks, wallets) are automatically saved with blur, even if you did not apply manual putty. This is a security feature and cannot be bypassed.

How to check whether the blur was system-specific?

Open the screenshot in the file manager and look at its properties. If the "Application" field is specified com.android.systemui:screenshot, and the creation date coincides with the time of shooting, the blur was caused by the OS, not the user.

2. Recovery via EXIF ​​metadata: hidden hints

Each screenshot on Android contains EXIF metadata information about the device, creation date, shooting parameters and even software (what software was used to take the picture). Sometimes traces of the original image are saved here.

To view EXIF:

  1. Install the application EXIF Viewer (free in Google Play).
  2. Open the blurred screenshot via application.
  3. Check the fields Original File Name, MIME Type and Software.

If Software is indicated, the screenshot was taken using standard Android tools. In this case, there is a chance that the original was saved in the system cache. If so. there com.android.systemui, the screenshot was taken using standard Android tools. In this case, there is a chance that the original is stored in the system cache. If there com.sec.android.app.launcher (for Samsung) or com.miui.gallery (for Xiaomi) - the putty was applied after shooting.

EXIF field Value What does this mean?
Software com.android.systemui The screenshot was taken by the system, the original may be in the cache
MIME Type image/png The format supports layers (the chance to restore is higher)
Date/Time Original 2026:05:15 14:30:22 The exact time of shooting - will help you find a backup copy
Make Samsung, Xiaomi etc. Device manufacturer (important for choosing method)

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 13+ i One UI 5.0+ EXIF metadata may be cleared by the system by default due to privacy policy. In this case, the method will not work.

3. Searching for the original in the system cache: where does Android store screenshots?

Android automatically creates temporary copies of screenshots in several folders. If the putty was not applied immediately after shooting, the original could be saved in one of these places:

  • 📁 Folder Pictures/Screenshots: all screenshots are stored here. Sometimes the original remains with a different name (for example, Screenshot_20260515-143022_original.png).
  • 🗃️ Gallery cache: path /data/data/com.android.gallery3d/cache (root access required).
  • 🔄 Folder DCIM/.thumbnails: thumbnails may contain unblurred version.
  • ☁️ Cloud backups: Google Photos sometimes saves the originals in the "Trash" for 30 days.

To find hidden ones files:

  1. Connect the phone to the PC via USB debugging (included in Settings → For developers).
  2. Use ADB to access system folders: 
    adb pull /sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots/
  3. Check files with the extension .nomedia or _temp —they may contain originals.

💡

If you have Samsung s One UI, try to find screenshots in the folder /Pictures/ScreenRecorder - sometimes the system duplicates them there.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ (Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO) the screenshot cache is cleared every 24 hours. If more than a day has passed, the chances of finding the original. are minimal.

4. Software recovery: top 5 tools for Android

If manual methods did not help, use specialized apps. We tested them on Android 10–14 and identified the most effective ones:

Tool Type of putty Success (%) Root required?
Photopea (online) Vector 85% No
GIMP (PC) Raster (partial) 60% No
DiskDigger Remote originals 40% Yes
Hex Editor HEX code analysis 30% No
FotoForensics Artifact analysis 50% No

Instructions for Photopea (the best option for vector putty):

  1. Open Photopea in the browser of your phone or PC.
  2. Upload the blurred screenshot (File → Open).
  3. In the layers panel (Window → Layers) find the layer with putty (usually called Markup or Drawing).
  4. Delete this layer (trash icon).
  5. Save the result (File → Export as → PNG).

Install GIMP on PC|Copy the screenshot in PNG format|Open the image as layers|Apply the "Blur-Sharpen" filter|Save a copy of the original-->

⚠️ Attention: When using DiskDigger on devices with Android 12+ you need to disable Scoped Storage via ADB: 

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 1

Without this, the app will not see the deleted files.

5. Hardware methods: when software does not help

If the putty is applied at the pixel level (raster), and the original has not been preserved, radical methods remain. They require special equipment or deep knowledge in image processing:

  • 🔍 Analysis of compression errors: using FotoForensics or Error Level Analysis (ELA) you can identify areas of the image that were changed later than the original. Works only for JPG.
  • 🧪 Chemical analysis of the matrix: on AMOLED screens (Samsung, Google Pixel) it is sometimes possible to restore the “shadow” of the original image due to the residual glow of the pixels. A microscope and a specialist are required.
  • 💾 Chip-off restoration: if the screenshot was part of important data (for example, evidence in court), you can remove the phone’s flash memory and scan it at a low level. Cost: from 15,000 ₽.

For Error Level Analysis:

  1. Go to the website FotoForensics.
  2. Upload a screenshot to the section ELA.
  3. Examine the result: blurred areas will be highlighted brighter (red/white).
  4. Compare with the original screenshot to understand what data has been hidden.

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Hardware methods are only justified for critical data (legal proceedings, financial evidence). For household purposes, they are too expensive and complex.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Dynamic AMOLED (for example, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra) chemical analysis of the matrix can damage the screen. Don't try this yourself!

6. Prevention: how to avoid data loss in the future

The best way to deal with smudged screenshots is to prevent them from appearing. Here 5 rulesthat will save your data:

  • 📲 Use specialized applications for hiding data: Blur Photo, Pixelate or Private Photo Vault. They create a separate layer that can be removed.
  • ☁️ Set up automatic backup screenshots in Google Drive or Dropbox. In the gallery settings, enable the option Autoload.
  • 🔄 Make duplicates of important screenshots: before covering up, save the original in a separate folder (for example, Screenshots/Originals).
  • 🛡️ Disable system blur for screenshots (if possible). On Xiaomi this is done in Settings → Advanced → Screenshots → Allow screenshots of protected applications.
  • 📝 Keep a log of important screenshots: record when and why the photo was taken. This will help restore the context, even. if the image is damaged.

For owners Samsung s One UI:

  1. Open Settings → Additional features → Screenshots and recording screen.
  2. Disable the option Automatic blurring of confidential information.
  3. Enable Save screenshots in the gallery and in Quick Share.

💡

On Google Pixel You can use the function Scrolling screenshot (Settings → System → Gestures → Scrolling screenshotto make a complete copy of the screen before blurring.

Restoring smeared data can have legal consequences if:

  • 📜 The screenshot contains personal data of third parties (passport, TIN, bank details) without their consent.
  • 🔒 The data was obscured within the framework of NDA (non-disclosure agreement) or corporate security policy.
  • ⚖️ The screenshot is evidence in court, and its change is regarded as falsification (Article 303 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

In Russia, according to FZ-152 "On Personal Data", restoration and distribution of someone else's confidential information is punishable by a fine of up to 500,000 rubles. An exception is if you restore your own data (for example, a forgotten password in notes).

⚠️ Attention: If the screenshot was taken in a work chat (Slack, Teams) and contains a trade secret, its restoration may become grounds for dismissal under Art. 81 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation ("disclosure of secrets").

What to do if you are accused of recovering someone else's data?

1. Delete all copies of the screenshot.

2. Provide evidence that the data belongs to you (for example, correspondence where it was sent to you).

3. Contact a lawyer if the matter goes to court. In 70% of cases, charges are dropped in the absence of malicious intent.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about smeared screenshots

Is it possible to restore smeared text on a screenshot from a banking application?

No. Banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff, VTB Online) use hardware blur at the OS level. Even if you take a screenshot via ADB or scrcpy, the text will be hidden. This is a requirement of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Regulation No. 683-P).

It will help Is it possible to recover from a broken screen if the screenshot does not open?

Yes, but only if the matrix is partially working. Connect your phone to the PC via USB-OTG and use Vysor or scrcpy to view the screen. If the display is completely broken, the matrix will need to be replaced (cost: 5,000–20,000 ₽ depending on the model).

How to remove putty from a PDF screen made through "Print → Save as PDF"?

PDF screenshots preserve layers better than PNG/JPG. Open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader, click Tools → Edit PDF and delete the top layer (usually called Annotation or Markup). If there are no layers, try PDF-XChange Editor with the function Object Editor.

Is it possible to recover a screenshot deleted 2 months ago?

The chances are minimal, but there are 3 option:

  1. Check the Google Photos recycle bin (stores files for 60 days).
  2. Use DiskDigger with root access to scan flash memory.
  3. Contact a service center for chip-off recovery (expensive, but sometimes it works).

Without root, the chances are close to zero because Android 11+ without root the chances are close to zero due to Scoped Storage.

Why did the text on the screen become blurry after restoring in GIMP?

This is related with JPG compression algorithm. When saving a screenshot in .jpg some of the data is lost. Always work with .png and disable compression in the export settings. In GIMP select File → Export as → PNG → Compression: 0 (none).