How to take a screenshot on a Chromebook

Chromebook screenshot shortcuts

Chromebooks have no Print Screen key. ChromeOS uses the Show windows key instead: the top-row key with a rectangle and two lines beside it, usually where F5 would be on a Windows keyboard. These shortcuts work the same on Acer, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Samsung and Google Chromebooks.

• Ctrl + Show windows: screenshot of the whole screen.
• Ctrl + Shift + Show windows: opens the Screen capture bar, set to capture a partial area.
• Ctrl + Alt + Show windows: screenshot of a window.
• On an external keyboard without a Show windows key, use F5 in its place, for example Ctrl + F5 or Ctrl + Shift + F5.

The Screen capture tool, the Chromebook snipping tool

People coming from Windows often look for a Chromebook snipping tool. The Screen capture bar is the built-in equivalent. Open it with Ctrl + Shift + Show windows, or from Quick Settings (click the clock in the bottom-right corner, then Screen capture).

1. Open Screen capture from Quick Settings or with Ctrl + Shift + Show windows.
2. Make sure Screenshot is selected rather than Screen record.
3. Choose Full screen, Partial or Window.
4. For Partial, drag over the area you want, then click Capture or press Enter. For Window, click the window.
5. A preview appears in the corner. Click it to open the image, or use the options in the notification to copy or edit it.

Where Chromebook screenshots are saved

By default, screenshots go to the Downloads folder in the Files app, named with the date and time. To change the folder, open Screen capture, click the settings (gear) icon, choose Save to, then Select folder. You can pick another local folder or Google Drive, so screenshots sync to your other devices.

On recent versions of ChromeOS, recent captures are also easy to reach from the shelf, so you can drag one into an email or document without opening Files.

Screenshot in tablet mode or with a stylus

On a convertible Chromebook folded into tablet mode, or a detachable with the keyboard off, press Power and Volume Down together for a full-screen screenshot.

If your Chromebook has a stylus, tap the stylus icon on the shelf to open the stylus tools, then choose Capture screen for the full screen or Capture region to draw around part of it. Chromebooks that support a stylus include many Acer Chromebook Spin, HP x360 and Lenovo Duet models, but check your own model.

Screenshot on an Acer, HP or other brand of Chromebook

Because Google makes ChromeOS for every brand, the shortcuts do not change between makers. An Acer Chromebook 314, an HP Chromebook x360 and a Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook all use Ctrl + Show windows. The only differences are hardware: whether the device folds into a tablet, and whether it has a stylus.

If you have a Windows laptop from the same brand, the steps are different. See our Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and Acer guides.

Screenshot extensions for Chromebook

The built-in tools capture only what is on screen. To save a whole scrolling web page, add a screen capture extension from the Chrome Web Store; Chrome extensions install on a Chromebook the same way as on any computer.

NeoReader Full Page Screenshot is free and needs no account. It captures the entire page, the visible part or an area you drag, then opens an editor to crop, draw arrows, add text and blur private details. You save as PNG, JPG or PDF, or copy it. Screenshots are not stored anywhere after you close the editor.

To combine several screenshots into one document, use our free Screenshot to PDF tool, or Screenshot to Text to copy the words out of an image. Both run in the browser, so they work on a Chromebook and your images stay on your device.

When screenshots are blocked

On a school or work Chromebook, the administrator can turn off screenshots and screen recording, and can block extensions. If the shortcut does nothing and the Screen capture option is missing or greyed out, this is the likely reason, and only the administrator can change it. Some apps and protected video also block capture on purpose.