How to take a screenshot on your Chromebook
Quick Links
Screenshots are essential for communicating with others, whether you need to save important information or get support with an error message. Chromebooks and theChromeOS operating systemhave a screenshot tool that makes it easy to take a picture of your Chromebook’s screen. This tool is available onthe best Chromebooksand budget devices, making it accessible to everyone. This guide walks through the methods to take a screenshot on your ChromeOS device.
Make multitasking work for you
How to take a screenshot using Chromebook keyboard shortcuts
The keyboard may be the easiest and quickest way to access the Screen Capture tool. If you want to take a full-screen screenshot, press theCtrl + Show Windowskeys simultaneously. This is like Windows, where you press Shift + Windows + S to take a screenshot, and Mac, where you press Shift + Command + 3. The Show Windows key is in the top row of your keyboard and looks like a square with two vertical lines on the right.
To take a partial screenshot of your screen, take a window screenshot, or display more options for taking your screenshot, pressCtrl + Shift + Show Windowsto open the screenshot menu. Then, use your cursor to highlight the area you want to capture and tap thecapture button.
A few Chromebooks from manufacturers such as Acer and Lenovo and some external keyboards have dedicated screenshot keys. The key typically has a camera icon. If your keyboard has such a key, click it to open the screenshot menu.
How to screenshot on ChromeOS using Quick Settings
In addition to using your keyboard, you can take a screenshot using your Chromebook’s Quick Settings menu. To access the Quick Settings panel, where you also view notifications, tap theclockin the lower-right corner of the screen. Then, tap theScreen Captureicon, represented by a dot in a square. This brings up the Screen Capture toolbar, which allows you to take a screenshot of your full or partial screen.
Use the Screen Capture toolbar to take Chromebook screenshots and record video
The Screen Capture toolbar has several options to capture your screen. There are three sections in the toolbar:
Chromebook not charging? Here’s what to do
Where are screenshots saved on ChromeOS?
By default, the Screen Capture tool saves all videos and images to the device’sDownloadsfolder in the Files app. To change where they are saved, open thetoolbar, select theSettings gear, and modify theSave tosettings. This also allows you to save them to Google Drive.
Chromebooks have a Tote feature, where you can access your recent files. The Tote shows up on your Chromebook’s shelf and shows your recent files. To access a recent screenshot, go to the Tote and tap the screenshot.
Additionally, screenshots are added to your clipboard. This makes it easy to paste them into a Google Docs document or in Google Messages usingPhone Hub. TheClipboard Managerkeeps the five recent items you copied. To see what’s on the clipboard, press theEverything button(also called the Search Key; it looks like a magnifying glass or concentric circles and is on the left side of the keyboard) and then pressV.
How to make a screen recording with narration and annotation
You can record a video of your screen, and you can record yourself and your mouse. To do so, launch the Screen Capture toolbar and switch to fullscreen video capture. Then, tap theSettingscog and select amicrophoneandcamerato record your audio and video. To record your mouse and keyboard during this screen capture, toggle on theShow clicks and keysoption. Then, tap anywhere on your screen to start recording. Tap thestop recording button(shaped like concentric red circles) on the shelf to finish recording.
Kind of like AirDrop, but Google
Capture everything you need
Taking screenshots on a Chromebook is a breeze and comes with several options. The screenshot tool is one of the little-knownChromebook tips and tricksto maximize your experience. In addition, Android phones have numerousways to take screenshots, just like Chromebooks.
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Your comment has not been saved
This thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
The note-taking app I should have used all along
Strong alternatives to aging competitors
Not yet, anyway
Storage upgrades have never been so important
We just learned a little bit more about Light No Fire in a video about the Voyagers update for No Man’s Sky
