Take Screenshots and Record Screen on Chromebook

Take screenshots with keyboard shortcuts

The quickest way to capture your screen on a Chromebook is to press Ctrl+Shift+Overview. The Overview key is the one that shows a rectangle with two vertical lines, usually located in the top row near the Escape key. This opens the screen capture toolbar at the bottom of your display.

Once the toolbar appears, you can choose to capture the full screen, a region, or a specific window. For a full-screen shot, just click the camera icon. For a partial capture, select the rectangular selection tool and drag over the area you want. For a window, look for the window icon and click the window you want to capture.

You can also open the same toolbar by clicking the time in the lower-right corner to open Quick Settings, then selecting the Screen capture icon. The icon looks like a camera inside a rectangle. This gives you the same options without the keyboard. For a full list of keyboard shortcuts, including capture combinations, see our ChromeOS keyboard shortcuts guide.

• Ctrl+Shift+Overview: Open the screen capture toolbar
• With toolbar open, click camera icon: Capture the entire screen
• With toolbar open, drag over an area: Capture a selected region
• With toolbar open, select a window: Capture a specific application window

Record your screen

Screen recording is built into ChromeOS, so you can capture video of your screen without installing anything. From the screen capture toolbar, click the video icon (a circle) and then choose between full screen, a region, or a window. Click the record button to start. You will see a timer in the corner of the screen while recording.

You can also record audio with your video. Before starting, you can select your microphone from the toolbar. ChromeOS also supports capturing system audio on many devices, so you can include sound from videos or games. When you are done, click the stop button in the status tray or notification area.

This feature is particularly useful for creating tutorials, recording gameplay, or sharing a problem with tech support. All Chromebooks with recent ChromeOS versions include this capability. If you are looking for a device that emphasizes video and gaming features, consider a Chromebook Plus model, which often comes with enhanced performance and additional AI tools.

Manage and share your captures

Screenshots are saved as PNG files and recordings as WebM videos. Both go to your Downloads folder by default. From there, you can open the Files app to rename, organize, or move them to a different location.

To share a capture, you can upload it to Google Drive, attach it to an email, or use the Nearby Share feature to send it to another device. You can also copy a screenshot to the clipboard with the 'Copy to clipboard' option in the toolbar, then paste it directly into a document or message.

If you frequently create captures, it is a good idea to free up storage space. The built-in storage on Chromebooks can fill up quickly with videos, so consider a model with more storage if you plan to record often. Learn more about storage options or how to manage Google Drive storage to keep your files organized.

Tips for better captures

To get the most out of your screenshots and recordings, start with a clean desktop. Close unrelated apps and notifications so your captures look professional. If you need to annotate a screenshot, you can open it in the built-in Photos app or use a third-party editor, but ChromeOS does not include a full image editor.

When recording, speak clearly if you are narrating and make sure your microphone is working. You can test it in the toolbar before you start. For step-by-step tutorials, it helps to plan your actions before recording to avoid long pauses.

Keep your Chromebook updated to access the latest capture features. ChromeOS updates automatically, but you can also check for updates manually if you want to be sure.

How hardware affects your captures

The quality of your screenshots depends on your display resolution. A higher-resolution screen will produce crisper images, especially when you zoom in. For screen recordings, the capture is at the same resolution as your display, so a 4K Chromebook will yield 4K videos, though that takes more storage.

The amount of storage also matters. A full-screen 1080p recording of a few minutes can be tens of megabytes, so a Chromebook with a small SSD may fill up quickly. If you plan to capture a lot of video, look for a model with larger storage or an SD card slot. Our guide to best 256 GB Chromebooks can help you find options.

For users who need to annotate captures with a stylus, a 2-in-1 Chromebook with USI support is a good choice. The screen capture tool works seamlessly with a stylus, allowing you to draw on the captured image before saving. Check out the best 2-in-1 Chromebooks for models that include a stylus or support one.

What to pick for your use

Questions

Where do my screenshots and recordings get saved?

They are automatically saved to your Downloads folder. You can access them through the Files app. Look for PNG files for screenshots and WebM files for recordings.

Can I take a screenshot on a Chromebook without a keyboard?

Yes. You can open the screen capture toolbar from Quick Settings by clicking the time in the bottom-right corner and selecting the Screen capture icon. This works even in tablet mode.

Can I record system audio on a Chromebook?

ChromeOS supports recording system audio on many devices. When you select the microphone in the recording toolbar, you may also have an option for system audio. If you don't see it, your device might not support it, or you may need to update ChromeOS.

Can I edit screenshots on a Chromebook?

There is no full-featured image editor built in, but you can crop or annotate using the built-in screen capture tool for basic edits, or open the image in a web-based editor. For more advanced editing, you can install an Android app or use a web app like Pixlr.

How do I take a screenshot of a specific window?

After pressing Ctrl+Shift+Overview, look for the window icon in the toolbar. Select it, then click on the window you want to capture. Not all ChromeOS versions have this option, so you may need to use the partial capture method and drag over the window.