Pixel 9 users report persistent "adding to screenshots" notification, but here's how to get rid of it

Update 08/01/25 09:34 am (IST): Another potential workaround has been suggested by a user on Google’s support forums. Here’s what they say:

I just now figured out how to stop it – apparently one image was still “processing” (or stalled). In the app (as described above), get to the area which has small thumbnails of your screenshots. One of them had a small indicator on it which showed that it was “in process” or such. I opened up that image and deleted it. 

Another user who gave this a shot also confirmed that it did the trick.

Original article published on December 17, 2024, follows:

Some Pixel 9 users have been dealing with a frustrating issue where the “adding to screenshots” notification won’t disappear. The notification seems to indicate that the phone is processing or saving screenshots but gets stuck for hours, sometimes all day. Despite being connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, it just keeps spinning, showing messages like “Adding 3 of 5 to screenshots.”

The issue appears to be tied to the Pixel Screenshots app, and many users have shared their frustration online. While Google hasn’t officially addressed the root cause, there are a few ways to make the notification go away, at least temporarily.

The quickest solution is to disable notifications for the Pixel Screenshots app. To do this, swipe up on your screen to open the app drawer, search for “Screenshots,” and open the app settings. From there, turn off notifications. While this doesn’t fix the underlying issue, it stops the persistent notification from bothering you.

Another workaround that has worked for some users is restarting the phone. A simple reboot often clears the stuck notification, though some users have reported that the issue returns after taking another screenshot.

If the problem continues, force-stopping the Pixel Screenshots app could help, according to a user. Head to Settings > Apps > See all apps, find “Pixel Screenshots,” and tap “Force stop.” This resets the app temporarily, which might clear the stuck processing status.

Some users also pointed out that the notification eventually clears when the phone is plugged in and charged to over 80%. This suggests that the app may have trouble processing screenshots unless the phone has enough battery power. If you’ve tried everything else, plugging in your device could be worth a shot.

While these fixes help hide the notification or temporarily resolve the issue, the glitch itself may require a software patch from Google. Many users have raised support tickets or shared their experiences on forums, and the issue seems widespread enough to warrant attention.

For now, if you’re tired of seeing the “adding to screenshots” message, try disabling notifications or restarting your phone. Hopefully, Google will roll out an update soon to fix this annoying bug for good. Speaking of an update, the Pixel Screenshots app just bagged an update with some UI tweaks, filters, and integration with Circle to Search. It’s possible that the update in question is what introduced the bug, but we’re not certain about it.