If you just bought a Chromebook, you’ll notice it’s a bit different from most laptops . One of these differences is that there is no Print Screen (PrtSc) key, which is a feature that is commonly used on Windows laptops, which is the ability to capture screenshots.
Chromebooks don’t have a dedicated screenshot key. Instead, this feature is built into the Chrome operating system. However, the process is still simple and similar to taking a screenshot on a Windows PC or Mac, except for a few keyboard shortcut differences and other steps.
If you want to grab the entire screen or want a specific part of the window Grab for backup, your Chromebook will take a screenshot and guide you through the different ways to generate the image you need.
Table of Contents
Another way to take a screenshot on a Chromebook
- Using Windows display keys
- Using the power and volume down buttons
- Using a stylus pen
- Use an external keyboard
- Use advanced chromebook apps
Show Windows Key >
Go to your Chromebook and use one of the following methods to take a screenshot of the Windows display key on your keyboard . Sometimes this key is called the outline key or the Windows switcher key, but Google describes it as the all-window display key in outline mode .
This guide uses Windows marks . This key is located just above the row of numbers between the full screen and brightness down buttons on the keyboard. There are two vertical lines after the small rectangle on the right.
A different key combination is used than the Show Windows key to capture full or partial screenshots. The keys referenced in the steps below may appear differently on your Chromebook keyboard depending on the model and manufacturer.
- Press and hold CTRL + Windows display key to view full screen . A notification window will appear in the lower right corner of the screen informing you that the screenshot has been successfully created and saved.
- To capture a partial screenshot or a specific area of the screen , simultaneously display the Ctrl + Shift + Windows display keys.
- The mouse cursor temporarily turns into a crosshair icon, so click and drag to highlight the area you want to capture. Once you have made your selection, take your hand off the trackpad to capture a screenshot.
Once again, a notification window will appear in the lower right corner of the screen notifying that the process is complete.
Using the power and volume down buttons
If your Chromebook is a two-person 360-degree hinge, you can use the power and volume down buttons to take screenshots in tablet mode, just like on an Android smartphone or tablet.
The keyboard is usually inactive in tablet mode, so the Windows and CTRL display key methods do not work.
To take a screenshot in tablet mode, press and hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time to capture the full screen image.
If you want a partial screenshot, you need to crop and save the entire screenshot you just captured. There is no option to capture a specific area of the screen in tablet mode.
Using a stylus pen
For some Chromebooks, such as the Pixelbook or Samsung Chromebook Plus, the stylus allows you to capture full or partial screenshots in tablet mode and annotate them if desired.
The Tools menu appears in the lower right corner of the screen. Here you can use the pen to draw an area or capture the portion of the screen you want to select.
Use an external keyboard
I use it to connect an external keyboard to a Chromebook or take a screenshot using a Chrome-based desktop (Chromebox).
External keyboards don’t necessarily use a row of Chrome-specific buttons, but function keys do the same thing. For example, the F5 button works as a Windows display key on a standard functional keyboard, in this case using the CTRL + F5 command to take a full screenshot and CTRL + SHIFT + F5 for a partial screenshot .
Where are screenshots stored on Chromebook?
The screenshot image files go to the Chromebook’s Downloads folder and are organized according to the date and time they were taken. But it is not available in Google Drive, so you have to move the files manually.
- To find a specific screenshot, click on the folder icon on the Chrome OS shelf to open the Files app.
- Select Downloads from the left menu pane and click on the right side of the file interface
How to edit screenshots using the default image viewer
If you want to take a screenshot or work a little more with it before sharing it with others, you can use the built-in image viewer editor.
- Open Download and double-click on the screenshot to open the screenshot in the image viewer editor.
- Click the pen icon at the bottom right of the window to enter edit mode . At the bottom of this window you’ll see a variety of tools that allow you to crop, rotate, or adjust your brightness settings.
I can’t save the edited copy with the image viewer, so click the pen icon again to finish editing.
Use advanced chromebook apps
There are many Chromebook extensions and apps that you can use to take screenshots on your Chromebook. The method described above. Here are the best Chromebook apps you can use for even more screenshot capture features.
Fire shot
This is an extension that you can use for free. (Including web pages) or partial screenshots, edit and save in multiple formats and send directly to Gmail or OneNote.
Super chrome
This extension provides an easier and faster way to capture full screenshots of a web page. Here you will find tools that allow you to edit, share, and convert options in a variety of formats, including screenshots of your entire website and converting it to PDF.
Cool screenshot
With this extension, you will capture a screenshot or screencast (screen record) and shoot a video when you want. Among other screenshot related features, it supports annotation and blur effect.
Light shot
It’s an easy-to-use tool for taking screenshots in any section you want. Drag and drop the image to any part of the screen, edit it in place, then download it to your Chromebook or send it to the cloud.
