Chromebooks are cheap, versatile, and they greatly appeal to students. While Chrome OS isn’t as functional as Windows and macOS in some aspects, its deep integration with Google Workspace has also made it simpler for users to work on collaborative projects.
Chances are you are a new Chromebook user, and you would like to share your screen with someone else. Thankfully, Chrome OS does have a screenshot tool built-in, and you can even record your Chromebook’s screen with the latest software.
This step-by-step guide will tell you how to take screenshots on a Chromebook. We will also walk you through the process of recording the screen.
Take screenshots on Chromebook with keyboard shortcuts
The simplest way to take screenshots on Chromebooks is by using the physical keyboard button combination. Here are three shortcuts for screenshots you should know about:
- Ctrl + Overview key (the ▢|| icon) to take a screenshot of the whole screen.
Ctrl + Shift + Overview (▢||) to open the new Screen Capture toolbar. It defaults to the single-window screenshot mode.- If you are using your Chromebook in tablet mode, press the Power + Volume Down keys on the side of the device.
For the second keyboard shortcut, you must manually select which Chrome window or Android app on the screen you want to capture. Check out the following section to learn how to use the Screen Capture toolbar for screen recording.
If you are using an external keyboard that doesn’t have the Chrome OS-specific keys, press Ctrl + F5 for the first command and Ctrl + Shift + F5 for the second command, respectively.
Take screenshots on Chromebook with a stylus
Chromebooks that come with USI stylus support make it easier for users to take screenshots. If you happen to use one of them, follow the below steps to capture screenshots with a stylus on your Chromebook:
- First, select the stylus (?) icon on the desktop dock.
- Next, tap the Screen capture option in the “Stylus tools” menu.
Now drag a rectangle across the specific portion of the screen you wish to capture.- Make minor adjustments to the capture zone if needed, then tap Capture in the middle.
Steps to record your Chromebook’s screen
If you would like to do screen recording instead of taking a static screenshot on your Chromebook, perform the instructions below. Note that you must have Chrome OS 89 (or newer) installed to record your Chromebook’s screen.
- Tap the status pill on the far-right corner of the desktop dock.
- Select the Screen capture option in the following QS toggles.
Now tap the camcorder icon on the left side of the Screen Capture toolbar to toggle to screen recording mode.- If you want to record microphone audio, tap the cog icon on the toolbar’s right side and toggle the Record microphone option.
After that, tap the plain rectangle frame among the middle group of the toolbar options to take a fullscreen capture.
- If you wish to record a specific portion of the screen, tap the rectangle frame with the plus icon.
Tap anywhere on the blank space to start recording your Chromebook’s screen.- Finally, tap the red-colored stop icon in the dock to stop the recording.
To access the saved screen recording video, go to your Downloads folder. You can also choose to delete it directly from the pop-up notification that shows up right after you stop the screen recording.
To conclude
This is how you take screenshots on Chromebooks. For screen recording videos, you can use either the built-in Screen Capture tool in Chrome OS 89 (and newer) or the Screencastify Chrome extension. However, it’s worth mentioning that certain apps don’t allow users to take screenshots, especially streaming apps like Netflix, because of strict DRM restrictions.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
