Cannot take screenshots...

[Kirika-]

In the Windows Search slot, type "Controlled" and select the result "Controlled folder access" and click it.
Turn off Controlled folder access.
See if the screen shot function returns to normal.
If it does, great, leave the Controlled folder access switch off.
If you would rather still use the anti-ransomware feature, then have the switch on and use the "Allow an app through Controlled folder access" link, click the + box for "Add an allowed app", then navigate to the FF14 game client install location and add the game .EXE file.

The anti-ransomware feature was added to Win10 in the past year or two, but Microsoft is slow to add "default whitelisted" programs to it's built in definitions, so it's hit-or-miss as to if the exact FF14 you have is pre-OK'd. This is why not everyone has the issue with screen shot saving function, as they either have an updated whitelist, custom set their FF14 screen shot folder outside of Window's protected folders, don't run the Windows protection, or have a game client version that was OK'd.

If you can't adjust the settings on the protection, then your windows user account truly isn't at Administrator permission levels, which will also result in the screenshot function of the game to not work.

[ICountFrom0]

In the Windows Search slot, type "Controlled" and select the result "Controlled folder access" and click it.
Turn off Controlled folder access.
See if the screen shot function returns to normal.
If it does, great, leave the Controlled folder access switch off.
If you would rather still use the anti-ransomware feature, then have the switch on and use the "Allow an app through Controlled folder access" link, click the + box for "Add an allowed app", then navigate to the FF14 game client install location and add the game .EXE file.

The anti-ransomware feature was added to Win10 in the past year or two, but Microsoft is slow to add "default whitelisted" programs to it's built in definitions, so it's hit-or-miss as to if the exact FF14 you have is pre-OK'd. This is why not everyone has the issue with screen shot saving function, as they either have an updated whitelist, custom set their FF14 screen shot folder outside of Window's protected folders, don't run the Windows protection, or have a game client version that was OK'd.

If you can't adjust the settings on the protection, then your windows user account truly isn't at Administrator permission levels, which will also result in the screenshot function of the game to not work.

Amazing that it takes you, saying this, to fix the problem (at least, we HOPE it does), and nobody on staff actually had a clue.

[Kirika-]

Amazing that it takes you, saying this, to fix the problem (at least, we HOPE it does), and nobody on staff actually had a clue.

While it might not fix it for everyone (as the Windows user account settings and file/folder security permissions can cause this issue too), it is a common issue with games that write to the user folders and Windows Ransomware protection.
Disabling/white-listing can also fix the issues of the DXclient EXE file(s) in FF14's engine and the games timed "auto-save" for the character settings, where you will get an in-game chat box message saying to the effect "such-and-such file can not write/save to such-and-such" in red text.

Also, it seems about every time Windows' built in anti-malware is updated, it has a extremely small chance of messing up it's "friendliness" with FF14's game executables, which then triggers the rare "it was working fine but suddenly its not..." issues.

[Aneshda]

I had the same problem and solved it easy.

Go to C:\Users\YOUR NAME HERE\Documents\My Games\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn and rename the screenshots Folder into Screenshots.
Then open ingame the System Configuration / Other Settings / Screenshot Folder.
Click it and delete the Location from your Screenshot Folder and replace it with C:\Users\YOUR NAME HERE\Documents\My Games\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\Screenshots.
Click apply and thank me later.

Your Name here is your Computer Name.

[Maquinna]

So I am uncertain when this issue began as I have not tried to take any screenshots for a very long time(over a year) but whenever I attempt to take screenshots I always get the Screenshot Failed error message.

I have spent the past hour asking my FC mates and searching on the internet but nothing seems to work. And to pre-empt the obvious, yes I am administrator for my computer so I have no permission restrictions and I have ownership of the screenshots folder in the windows settings.

First I tried adding both the FFXIV exe's and the screenshots folders to exceptions for Anti-Virus in case that was interfering. No joy.

Next, I restarted my computer, disabling my anti-virus to make sure. No joy.

Third I noticed that the location in the settings menu did not quite match up(in terms of username) to the location of the folder file path on my drive so I attempted to change that, however it then told me that the location folder was read only and so could not be changed. There is absolutely NOTHING I can do about the folder being Read Only, all folders are Read Only by default now on Windows 10 and you cannot disable that fact.

Fourth I tried creating a new folder, but again the game would not let me change the screenshot folder location because the target folder was read only so I couldn't change it.

So as it stands I seem to be stuck in a loop, I can't take screenshots presumably because the folder location doesn't match up correctly with the actual folder and I can't correct the location because windows has all folders by default set to read only and the game won't let me choose a read only folder.

Short of using a third party program to start taking screengrabs, which I would find a very clunky way of doing things considering I don't take screenshots very often I don't know what to do.

Any solution would be very much appreciated.

what i'm wondering, is your ffxiv installed to an SSD? if so, consider moving the screenshot folder to an HDD, it was the only way i could take screenshots on my new comp. as i installed my FFXIV to the SSD for faster load times. see how that works before going other routes for getting the screenshots, like 3rd party apps, etc

[vialen]

You have no idea how much you have helped me with this solution! This has been a problem for over a year and this was the easiest fix I found. Thank you so much!

Edit: this was a reply to someone that suggested to move the folder to somewhere else. I just made a new folder on my external harddrive (D:/screenshots) and changed it to that in the game. I can happily take screenshots again. I am saved.

[ICountFrom0]

Glad to help.

There's like, 3 different things that seem to cause issues.

In one case, new folder works.
In the second case, new folder is locked as soon as it's made.
in the third case, new folder is locked only once it's officially the screen shot folder of ff14.

The windows ransomware protection is responsible for one of the three.
The other two are still at large, and still ignored if reported.

[BraveKaiser]

I had the same problem and solved it easy.

Go to C:\Users\YOUR NAME HERE\Documents\My Games\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn and rename the screenshots Folder into Screenshots.
Then open ingame the System Configuration / Other Settings / Screenshot Folder.
Click it and delete the Location from your Screenshot Folder and replace it with C:\Users\YOUR NAME HERE\Documents\My Games\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\Screenshots.
Click apply and thank me later.

Your Name here is your Computer Name.

Thank you so friggin much! I've been trying to figure out how to fix this, and your solution (so far, hope it doesn't change) works! Literally could not believe how simple it was! Thanks!

[Fern]

I wish to thank you the advice you post here helped me , fix the error .

[Casti_EL]

I am not refering to my FF name. My windows username has a space in it, it is two words seperated by a space. The file path that FFXIV has for the screenshot folder has only the first of these two words in the MYNAME part of the file path.

My guess would be that the game doesn't like the space in your username so it's only picking up the first part of it. I've seen this with a lot of IT applications and programs, especially older ones (and remember - FFXIV is like 9 years old). Usually can be fixed by encapsulating the folder path in quotation marks, or (as you've noted as the fix) - using a folder path that doesn't have any spaces in it.