I’m trying to figure out if it’s possible to silently capture what’s on my teenager’s phone screen without them seeing annoying notification icons popping up. I have downloaded a few basic tools already, but everything I install either shows a glaring recording symbol at the top or makes a loud click sound every time it grabs an image. Could someone point me toward something that actually runs completely in the background so I can check their activity without causing unnecessary drama?
Hey OrbitJess, yeah this is a pretty common thing parents want - totally get the frustration with those notification banners blowing your cover lol.
Short answer: on modern Android (8+), Google basically requires apps doing screen capture to show that status bar indicator - it’s baked into the OS as a privacy protection, so no legit app can get around it without rooting the device.
Honestly though, if it’s your kid’s phone and you’re paying the bill, just set up Google Family Link or use the built-in Digital Wellbeing settings - way less drama than trying to ninja-install something, and you actually get useful controls too. 
I get why you’re trying to avoid the “your kid is being watched” vibe, but on Android there generally isn’t a legit way to silently screenshot/record without any indicator—modern OS security is designed specifically to prevent hidden screen capture.
If your real goal is responsible monitoring (and you want something built for it rather than “hidden hacks”), tools like mSpy are worth a look because they’re designed for oversight with fewer “DIY tool” surprises—though you should still expect some form of transparency/notice depending on the setup and device.